Festival of Roses ~ Day Six ~ Floribunda Roses

Floribunda Rose 'Sheila's Perfume'

Festival of Roses ~ Day Six ~ Floribunda Roses

2007 Digital Flower Pictures.com Festival of Roses Continues

Happy Saturday everyone. I am working but I am happy to be doing it. I am going out to Long Island to buy a load of perennials for some borders I have been renovating at the Estate. I am going on the Bridgeport to Port Jefferson Ferry and then driving out to the end of the North Fork to the large perennial nursery. I am taking my camera and one of my dogs and they don’t usually mix to well as far as getting a lot of good pictures.

Since I have posted a lot of Hybrid Teas and had a day where I posted Grandiflora roses I thought I would feature what I consider to be one of the other major rose classes, Floribunda.

Floribunda roses are very versatile in the way that they can be used in masses, hedges, as single plants and I think since they are low growing, in borders. Created in the early 1900’s from Hybrid Teas and Polyantha roses Floribundas produce their flowers in clusters and are seldom fragrant. D. Poulsen is considered to be the first person to have bred Floribunda in his native Denmark. He was looking for a rose that was hardy in his native Denmark. He introduced 'Red Riding Hood' in 1912 and his family has continued breeding roses to this day. I enjoy Floribunda roses in the garden. Not as flashy as the Hybrid Teas but a much more reliable rose available in a good range of colors.

‘Shelia’s Perfume’ is a beautiful yellow blend rose. Bucking the trend of Floribundas it has a strong fragrance and won the prestigious Edland Fragrance Medal from the Royal National Rose Society (UK) in 1981. It also generally blooms one to a stem and was named after the breeder John Sheridan’s wife. It was germinated on a seed tray on the kitchen window in his London home. Some people classify this rose as a Hybrid Tea. Not sure about that but I am sure that it is a beautiful rose.

‘Shelia’s Perfume’
Origin: John Sheridan, UK, 1982
UK Introduction: Harkness & Co. Ltd., 1985
Petal Count: 20 (seemed like more)
Fragrance: Strong
Parentage: Seed: Peer Gynt Pollen: Daily Sketch × [Paddy McGredy × Prima Ballerina]
Synonyms: HARsherry

Floribunda 'Marmalade Skies'

This second rose is one I have personal experience growing. It has proved to be very hardy and a very good bloomer. It hasn’t had a lot of disease problems either. ‘Marmalade Skies’ is a rose that you like having in the garden because it doesn’t ask or need too much, yet it gives a lot. Supposedly it is shade tolerant but mine are growing in full sun. A relatively new rose I am sure that it will stand up to the test of time.


‘Marmalade Skies’
Origin: Meilland International, France, 1999
US Introduction: Conard-Pyle (Star Roses), 2001
Petal Count: 17-25
Height: 3 feet
Fragrance: Very Mild
Parentage: Seed: Tamango × Tchin-Tchin Pollen: Patricia
Synonyms: MEImonblan, Tangerine Dream



Two images of Floribunda Rose 'Purple Heart'

Finally one more Floribunda named ‘Purple Heart’. I wasn’t going to post it because it is a little different than any other picture I have seen of this rose. I shot these pictures at the Rose garden at the New York Botanical Garden and double checked the picture of the sign I took. No matter if it isn’t ‘Purple Heart’ it is still a nice looking rose and I hope you enjoy it.

Grandiflora Rose 'Cherry Parfait'

PS. I wanted to post this picture of ‘Cherry Parfait’ yesterday.