Some of you may already be familiar with this lovely rose; it had a limited release earlier this year under the name '2005 Better Homes & Gardens Rose.' Those who've experienced it will understand when I say: they really should have renamed it 'Jack and the Beanstalk on Steroids.' I planted my bareroot 'Let Freedom Ring' in the back yard in February, went inside for a cup of tea, and when I came back out the darn thing had grown taller than I am! So yes: it has a splendidly vigorous, upright growth habit. But what else makes this rose more than just another nice red Hybrid Tea? Let me count the ways. First of all, the classically formed, perfectly swirled, five-inch flowers are a unique and dazzling shade of strawberry red. I put some in a vase with 'Veteran's Honor' so I could compare the two side by side. 'Let Freedom Ring' is definitely a lighter, brighter, more eye-catching red. Of course this may vary with climate, and I fear most cameras won't be able to capture this astonishing hue; blues tend to get lost in photographs and it may come across looking more orange than it actually is. The cheerful strawberry color works well in traditional patriotic bouquets, with blue Delphiniums or Hydrangeas and white lilies or Shasta Daisies. But it's also fun tossed in a summery fruit-salad themed arrangement, along with peach and lemon colored roses (I've been using 'Just Joey' and 'St. Patrick'), kiwifruit-green 'Envy' zinnias or lime green Nicotiana, and punctuated with festive clusters of berry-colored Gomphrena. Yum! It all but exudes antioxidants. In addition to its delicious strawberry color, 'Let Freedom Ring' is graced with amazingly long straight stems, exquisite exhibition-quality form, a light but sweet fragrance, and is remarkably disease resistant for a Hybrid Tea rose. The elegant high-centered flowers are slow to open, and exceptionally long lasting in the vase. Plus, the bush never seems to want to stop blooming. So far, I've been thrilled with it. Dr. Leda