New Favorite Roses!

Who says climber aren't as pretty as hybrid teas? These two older large climbers are topping my chart right now with the shear number of blooms, the amount of new growth and the strength of very good roses. The color of Summer Wine is very luscious as is the fragrance. There are few coral/pink roses that I really like and this is one.

Summer Wine ~ Kordes, Germany, 1984, Parentage Unknown.

Another new (for me) variety that has impressed me is City of York, a lovely white rose with very yellow centers and stamens and a fragrance that is extremely mouth watering and unique.

This is also an extremely vigorous rose similar to a rambler. The buds are a creamy yellow opening into a lovely white bloom with the bright yellow stamens. It was named after the city of York, Pennsylvania.

City of York ~ Tantau, Germany, 1945, 'Professor Gnau' x 'Dorthy Perkins'.

Both these roses were planted last year and allowed to grow a full year before they started blooms. It is normal for climbers to bloom on old wood, so they do need that first year to gather their strength and grow some wood for the following season.

I was also impressed with the strength and ability to overwinter in my area. Neither had any winter kill and started just where they left off this spring. I've been watching these roses as they pushed out this spring and budded up. Now I will get to see them boom in all their glory and wonder why I hid these terrific beauties back around the square foot garden. Actually it was the only place I had with a fence large enough for these large beauties to grow on. And when I thought about it, I spend a good many of my early mornings and almost every evening back in the garden tending it, so they will get seen and enjoyed on a daily basis.

I spent a year deciding on which roses I wanted for this area and another year as they got their start. It was a decision that I am not displeased with at all.