The Fence Line

This is the last post on our tour of the roses and they follow the fence line along the north end of the property.  The planting is not at all creative but together these roses make a very nice display and add some privacy to the backyard.  The fence makes a good support for the climbers and lax growers in the bunch.  I am beginning with my unabashed advocacy for Twister.  I think Twister is overlooked and under grown. As it begins its third year Twister has grown as tall as or taller than the four foot tall chain link fence.  This Ralph Moore creation is classified as a climbing miniature and it certainly fits this category, but it also grows well as a stand alone shrub where its growth spreads nicely.  Its flowers are also very full old fashion formed, very fragrant, and open flat to 2 1/2" wide.   Once they start blooming in the spring, there will not be a day until November that I cannot go out and take a couple of flowers for a vase.

Planted on either side of Twister are two larger striped roses, Scentimental and Moore's Striped Rugosa.  I really like to plant Twister in groupings of three as seen here.  This is the second time I've done this the first was in 1999 when it was first introduced. 

This row of roses is held down in the middle by the older roses and has expanded each direction with new additions each year.  From the top is the newest and just off camera is William Shakespeare 2000, Carlin's Rhythm, Abraham Darby, Climbing Rainbow's End, Ballerina, Linda Campbell, St. Swithun, Scentimental, Twister, Moore's Striped Rugosa, Heritage, Dublin Bay, Dragon's Blood, Belinda's Dream, and Flower Carpet Red.  This was not my most thought out arrangement but I like it.

This is the start of Cl. Rainbow's End's second season which began as a cutting from my mother's plant. 

Below we have two of Moore's rugosa hybrids flowing off the edge of the picture (Linda Campbell left and Moore's Striped Rugosa right).  Linda Campbell is quickly joining my list of favorite roses.  Two of my other favorites, St. Swithun and Twister, are also pictured here.

While still a tiny plant, Carlin's Rhythm is beginning its first full season by producing huge (4-5") single and very fragrant blossoms.  Kim Rupert says that the blooms never get this big in California where he created it, but it has never been smaller than 4" here in Oklahoma.  I may be looking forward to what this rose does this year more than any other rose.

St. Swithun's Day

My favorite rose is St. Swithun, an English Rose introduced in 1993.  Its flowers are of the lightest pink, larger than most English Roses, hold 100+ petals, intricately quartered, and are heavily fragranced with a heady musk scent similar to Myrrh only sweeter.  A cluster of its flowers will fill a room with its fragrance and can be quite heavy.  Its flowers are held up on stems that are perfectly matched to not be too stiff as to lack grace or so limp that the flowers drag.

The bush is vigorous and somewhat spreading.  Below is a plant in its second year.  You can get a sense of its habit but know that in Oklahoma it will grow to be 5-6 feet tall and 6 feet wide.  This is by far one of the most healthy English Roses and is said to be very winter hardy (zone 4). Its one drawback is that Thrips love it and they are a bit hard on its Spring blooms. 

I didn't know anything about the person St. Swithun before growing the roses but he was born in 852 A.D. and is the patron saint of the Winchester Cathedral.  St. Swithun's Day is July 15 and it is said that whatever the weather on St. Swithun's Day it will continue for the next 40 days.  On a side note, anytime you come across the number 40 in the Bible it probably is not meant to be taken literally.  It really mean "a long time."  Think - Its been raining for a month of Sundays or its raining cats and dogs.  If I seem a bit focused on rain its because we really need it. 

The British folksinger Billy Bragg, has written a song full of nostalgic longing for a former love titled St. Swithun Day's.  Billy has often been compared to Woody Guthrie, a comparison I understand but their sounds are so different you have to listen deeper to get it.  Even so, I thoroughly enjoy both. You can hear a sample of the song on emusic at Billy Bragg St. Swithun's Day .  Several years ago Billy Bragg performed at the Woody Guthrie Festival in nearby Okemah, Oklahoma (the birthplace and childhood home of Woody Guthrie).  While at the festival he took several of Woody poems and lyrics that were not set to music and wrote tunes for them.  This has now become a project of many artist who come the the festivial.  This year's WoodyFest is July 13-17, 2011 and always takes place on his birthday.

A Few Days Later

It didn't take too long to begin to see the some difference in my roses after spraying them with Malethion.  Between the sunny skies and spraying, St. Swithun (I think my favorite rose) is starting to look better. 

St. Swithun has some of the largest, fleshy pink roses on a vigorous spreading bush.  Its flowers easily have 100 to 120+ petals and have a heady mush fragrance similar to Myrrh only sweeter.  I don't know how else to say it, but when I breath its fragrance it makes my heart ache.  Here is a picture of it from last Summer.  If only I could let you smell it through the screen.  With Conrad Ferdinand Meyer as a grandparent, St. Swithun inherits its Rugosa cold hardiness.