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Dr. Leda's Rose Journal Archive |
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The Jury's in: The Greatest Hits of 2000
By Dr. Leda Horticulture,
A Clinically Diagnosed Rose Addict
March 1, 2001
Thanks to the Internet with all its various rose forums, email lists, and discussion boards, word about the best new roses travels quickly. Enthusiastic gardeners from around the world share their success stories, as well as their disappointments in the latest roses they’ve grown. Some roses perform well in the south but not in the north; some are glorious in the desert but hate humidity; some thrive only with daily fussing and weekly spraying. But a few roses seem to be winning rave reviews from all over. I’ve put together a list of the most popular roses introduced in 2000 that have consistently received the highest acclaim from ordinary people who’ve grown them. These are the recent roses that seem to have made the most Internet users ecstatically happy their very first year.
Knock Out (2000): In less than a year, legions of devout fans have stopped just short of forming a cult around this rose. Gardeners who grow it report that it is almost unbelievably disease resistant, never needs spraying. And, they say, it never stops blooming. Impervious to even the most intense summer heat, the reliable 3-foot shrub is covered with a profusion of semi-double blooms from early spring through late fall. The color is a beautiful bright crimson-cherry red that goes wonderfully with all shades of pink. I’ve just planted ten Knock Outs in front of the picket fence along my driveway, and I’m fully prepared for the onslaught of Grey-Line tour buses, drooling neighbors, and garden magazines competing fiercely to have me on their covers come spring.
Veteran’s Honor (2000): This gorgeous dark red, long-stemmed, classically formed Hybrid Tea is receiving rave reviews from rose growers all over the country. They report that it’s very healthy and quite generous with its blooms. The red petals are rich and velvety, and the flowers last longer than average in the vase as well as on the bush. It has a pleasantly light and fruity fragrance. Jackson & Perkins donates a percentage of its sales to benefit veterans. Veteran’s Honor is already being declared one of the best all-around reds, and would without a doubt make the perfect Valentine’s gift for that special someone in your life.
Gemini (2000): The internet is abuzz with home gardeners’ photos showing off these huge, perfect, 5" flowers on 20" long straight stems, excellent for cutting: rose pornography at its very best. The colors are delicious: a rich rosy coral blended with a smooth, silky cream, and the form is exquisite. The fragrance, they say, is light and pleasing. Looking at the pictures, I can easily understand why so many proud parents are carrying on shamelessly over this new addition to the rose family. I’m afraid this is going to be the rose that forces me to break down and buy a digital camera.
Barbara Streisand (2000): This dramatic new lavender Hybrid Tea has rosarians falling all over themselves trying to out-brag each other about the extravagant number of perfect flowers on their tall, vigorous bushes. And the sweet, heady perfume is reported to be so powerful it almost knocks you down. "Babs" is the grandchild of Angel Face, and great-grandchild of Sterling Silver, hybridized by the legendary rose breeder Tom Carruth. He’s done a commendable job of capturing the various beauties, perfection, and charms of the ancestors, combining them in a generous, elegant, and very striking rose.
Diana, Princess of Wales (2000): Millions of innocent, unsuspecting people are falling madly, hopelessly, idiotically in love with this rose. It’s one of the worst cases of mass rose-lust I’ve ever seen. I have the impression that a lot of people--many of them complete novices at rose growing--bought the plant for its name, but they were quickly captivated by its exquisite beauty and ease of cultivation. Gardeners are rhapsodizing all over the web about how fast it grows, and how it constantly produces dozens of elegant, aristocratic blooms. They practically write symphonies about the delicate and ephemeral shades of soft pearl pink that magically change over time. People who previously grew roses only for the fragrance claim that this has become their very favorite rose of all time, even though the scent is slight...the flowers are that beautiful. I think I’m going to have to try this one myself to see what all the fuss is about.
Fourth of July (1999): It takes a little longer for climbers to prove themselves, but already this gloriously disease-resistant and vigorous climber is proving worthy of its fine lineage. It seems to have inherited all the best traits from it’s proud parent Altissimo. Healthy, mannerly, prolific, and fast-growing, Fourth of July explodes with huge clusters of five-petalled flowers that are bright velvety red with clean white stripes. Or maybe they’re white with red stripes; it’s hard to say. At any rate, there are plenty of them, spring through fall. Having first-hand experience growing this rose myself, I concur wholeheartedly with all the rave reviews: it’s foolproof and a major show-off. I love it.
