A Rose is a Rose

You know a rose is beautiful when you're in danger of having more photos of it than the grandchildren.    I've talked about "Alchymist" many times - still love it for beauty, fragrance and hardiness.

I don't know the name of this pretty pink.  It has a sweet fragrance
and stays beautiful for  days when picked.

"Joseph's Coat" is named for the changing colors between bud and full bloom.Not much fragrance but certainly stunning enough to warrant a place where people can see up close and beautiful.  Doesn't pick well.

We're in that brief period where spring rains are causing wonderful rose growth and blooming and before the Japanese Beetles emerge.

I had sworn off buying any more roses because of the Japanese Beetle damage out here in the country.  Surrounded by acres of soybeans, my little corner of the world doesn't stand a chance.  When all the area around us are being sprayed with insecticides, my efforts to minimize my use is rewarded with mega buckets of those ferocious eaters.

I'm celebrating the climbing roses because they are doing FAB U LOUS darling.  Here are my surviving climbers.

"New Blaze" is much improved for disease resistance.
 It still has all the qualities and beauty valued for climbing red roses. 

"New Dawn" has all the qualities and none of the negatives of the old Dawn. It's hardy, sturdy and disease resistant.
 Sweet fragrance, long vines and beautiful at any stage.

I've had other climbers and none have ever disappointed except for hardiness.  Even the old "Blaze" bushes are still coming up year-after-year as though no one has told them there's an improved Blaze in the neighborhood.  Most of these climbers are once-a-year bloomers, fragrant, disease resistant and very hardy.  All but the New Blaze blooms prior to Japanese Beetle infestation.  Or is it invasion?  Or destruction?

All these climbers like fertile soil, full sun and a rainy spring.  I've never covered them in the winter but do mulch them year round.    All of these (except the bright pink) were purchased from nurseries, either local or mail order rose speciality nurseries.  Pick up one from the bin at your local big box store and consider it an annual.  No matter what the label reads, only a fluke of nature will help it survive over our winters.  Or, be prepared to spend lots of time protecting and babying it through each season.

Gotta go - there's roses that need my attention:  taking pictures, cutting for a vase, tucking one in my hair or carrying around until it finally drops the petals because I've smelled it to death.  "Death by smelling" is that a classification?????