Generally considered to be the first Hybrid Tea Rose, 'La France'2007 Rose Festival ~ Day Two
Today’s featured roses are of the Hybrid Tea class, my personal favorite. Created in the mid-1800’s the Hybrid tea roses quickly became the most popular roses of the 20th Century. Growing with straight stems with a single large bloom at the terminus the hybrid tea certainly expanded the range of colors available to gardeners. I must say now the Floribundas and Grandifloras are catching up now. The higher maintenance and greater disease susceptibility of the Hybrid Teas have cut into their popularity. I still like them and some of my favorite roses are in this class including Peace and most of its relatives, Double Delight, Mr. Lincoln, and Tropicana just to name a few.
Generally thought to be the first Hybrid tea rose, ‘La France’ would have to be considered plain by today’s standards. It is a light lavender color with a smallish flower. I thought it was handsome not even knowing its history. I am glad I got to see and take a picture of this historic rose.
Petal Count: 60
Parentage: Seedling of Madame Falcot (much debated)
Fragrance: Strong
Origin: France (1867), Jean-Baptiste André Guillot.
Rather then post some of the Hybrid Teas mentioned above (I’ll probably post some later in the week) I decided to try and pick a couple of not so popular examples. They may not be popular for a reason but I do believe that every rose has someone out there that likes it and can grow it. I know sometimes it is a case of availability, some of the garden centers I buy roses from only have a few Hybrid Teas and then only the most popular. I think that starts at the wholesale level also. I don’t blame them they need to have what sells. I think mail order is probably the best way to get unusual roses and I have had pretty good luck getting the roses to thrive.
Note: I am not saying these roses are rare or not popular. It is just from my limited sample of some private and public gardens and wholesale and retail nurseries that you don’t see them as often. I know that rose growing is very regionalized and these varieties may be more popular in other areas.
‘Rio Samba’ is an interesting yellow blend Hybrid Tea. It certainly was shining on the somewhat gloomy day I toured the FDR Rose Garden in Hyde Park. It has a nice sized flower on plants that were about 5 feet tall. Bred by William Warriner and introduced by Jackson and Perkins it is named after the Samba dancers of the Rio Carnival. It was a 1993 AARS award selection and has good disease resistance.
Petal Count: 25-30
Parentage: Seedling × Sunbright
Fragrance: Mild
Synonyms: JACrite
Another Hybrid Tea that caught my eye at the FDR Garden and I hadn’t seen before was ‘Pristine’. I think the first thing I noticed was its perfectly shaped flowers. They were really big and had a delicate pink shading around the outside. This rose won both the prestigious Royal National Rose Society (UK) Certificate of Merit and the Edland Fragrance Medal in 1979. It captured a Gold Medal at the Portland Rose Trials that same year.
Origin: William A. Warriner, United States (1978).
Introduced: United States by Jackson & Perkins Co.
Height: 4 feet
Petal Count: 22-30
Parentage: White Masterpiece × First Prize
Fragrance: Some references said mild but I thought it was strong and very pleasant
Synonyms: JACpico
4 comments:
These roses are so light and wonderful. My parents have many such rose bushes. They must be appreciated when they appear and even as their petals fall because their time is so fleeting.
Your photos are magic.
Most roses are wonderful but I love that 'Rio Samba'!
Hope you'll accept the award I've just posted for you at Kissing The Dogwood! :)
Just want to say your pictures are excellent. I struggle with pictures of roses - don't know why but I do
Hi sandy, thanks for the encouragement. When I went to the rose garden in South Salem the petals had almost completely covered the ground, it was awesome.
WFW, 'Rio' is a pretty cool rose. The colors work well together. I am going to head over to your site right now.
max-e, Keep trying. Sometimes going into the garden during a different time of the day then usual helps me get a shot. I have a whole list of flowers that I have never been able to take a good picture of.
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