Tchaikovsky® Rose

Tchaikovsky® Rose

In many ways this rose has underwhelmed me in the garden. That was until today when I was pruning what was left of the rose garden after the deer had come through and decimated it. I found this rose growing very low on the bush and it really stopped me in my tracks. Maybe because it was about the last flower left standing but I think it was because it was so perfect. It was actually growing upside down and when I turned it over it captured my heart. Since the owner is away for awhile I cut it and gave it to my wife. It was lost anyway and if I hadn’t had to prune all the roses I might not even have seen it. The roses have been growing fantastically in this area in general. I went to a friend’s house the other night and he doesn’t have much of a garden (putting it nicely) and there were these two shrub roses that were covered with nice peach colored flowers. Not a hint of black spot, either. Today I went and picked up a few plants at the wholesale nursery, which is really off the beaten path. Actually it is in the closest thing we have to farm country around here. The wild roses were blooming profusely on both sides of the road and the scent filled the cab of the truck. Before that I was thinking that Connecticut didn't have many wildflowers.

I was torn between posting that first shot and this second one. Then I remembered I am allowed to post what I want here and the visitors can decide whether or not they like it. I have been staying up late working on a secret project so each day I am tired but know that eventually the work may pay off. Just two more days of work and I am going out to take some pictures. I think I will go to the NYBG and then I am going to visit a fabulous private garden in Greenwich. It has the most tropicals planted outside of any garden that I know of around here. I just have to get through the next two days.



A couple of notes on Tchaikovsky (the rose not the composer). It was bred in France by Meilland International in 2003. From the parents Anthony Meilland and Landora. It has a petal count of 41(+) and has a mild fragrance. I found the fragrance to be very attractive when you shoved your nose into the flower. I couldn’t find out exactly what type of rose it is. I saw it listed as a shrub (doesn’t look that way in my garden), Grandiflora, Floribunda and Hybrid Tea. Whatever the type, it does have a slight ‘old-fashioned’ rose look to the flower.