Hand out the cigars! That handsome ol' devil 'Knock Out' has crossed his pollen and become a proud papa. The resulting bundle of joy is a cheerful, festive little shrub rose called 'Home Run.' So far it's every bit the perpetual workhorse that Dad is: tough, impervious to disease, and a non-stop bloomer. But there are a few differences. 'Home Run' starts out a darker, more dignified crimson red; it's a lower, more compact bush; and the flowers are single, with only five petals. 'Home Run' is also reported to be more resistant to powdery mildew than Knockout, thus better suited for west coast gardens. I wouldn't know, because down here in Louisiana, both roses are healthy as cast iron and blissfully unaware that they're living in the Black Spot Capital of the Universe. I barely had my new 'Home Run' in the ground for a month before he was up and running, tearing around the bases with dozens of buds. They quickly opened to a deep alluring crimson-cherry red, and with the five petals and bright yellow stamens, the flowers initially looked a lot like 'Altissimo.' But within a day or two, the blossoms softened to the exact same dark cerise pink as 'Knockout.' In fact, the two colors look quite appealing together and don't clash with each other a bit. Plus: this is another self-cleaning rose! All in all, 'Home Run' is an excellent new addition to the 'Knock Out' family, and to my garden. Dr. Leda