White Roses on Wednesday

I am overwhelmed with garden work and wedding preparations lately.  Instead of applying myself to my never-ending To Do list, I find myself wandering in the garden with my camera in hand, to see what new things I can find to photograph.  Yesterday, the white roses were especially beautiful.

This is Alba Meideland, a climber with huge clusters of small white flowers and bulletproof foliage.

Madame Plantier is one of my best white roses.  She blooms once in late spring ... but WHAT a bloom she has!

Glenn Dale is a graceful rambler with these beautiful, delicate flowers.  It is exceptionally rare, and I am thrilled to have it in the garden here.

White Pet is another superstar.  It's a compact bush with dark green foliage, and it's preparing to burst  with hundreds of buds in upright clusters.

Puerto Rico is a rose that doesn't mind hot summers.

I was in the greenhouse when I took this photo of a flower on Little Eskimo.

Here's a second shot, with a pencil eraser for perspective, to show you just now tiny this flower is.  Man, I love miniatures!!

With the current state of part of some of my gardens, a post about white flowers wouldn't be complete without a view of one of the weeds that's putting on a show right now.  I don't know its name, but it sure is photogenic.

This morning will be spent in the greenhouse, planting a ton of cuttings that have arrived in the mail in the past few days.  After I finish with this, I have a list of wedding details to attend to.

I hope your day is a pleasant one!

I'm going to share this post with the folks at Faded Charm for this week's White Wednesday.

Cool White on a Hot Day

The heat and humidity have been brutal this week.  While I was walking around Hollywood Cemetery on Monday, even the breeze off the river didn't offer much relief.

I think I'll cool things down a bit this morning, and I'll show you some more of the lovely viburnum that was blooming so beautifully. 

At least I THINK it's a viburnum.  Some of them look so much like hydrangeas that I have trouble telling them apart.

I'm figuring it this way ... as hot and dry as it has been, if this was a hydrangea, it would be all wilted.  This shrub wasn't even one little BIT wilted.

After wandering around the cemetery with my camera for a couple of hours, I was most CERTAINLY beginning to wilt.  After resting in the shade here for a few minutes, I packed up my gear and headed for home.

Thank you for all the kind comments you leave here whenever I take you to Hollywood Cemetery.  It's one of my very favorite places, and I'm glad you don't seem to be tiring of it.  If you're anywhere near Richmond, Virginia, it is definitely a not-to-be-missed place to visit.

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog.)

White Roses (at Tufton) on Wednesday.

I'm sorry to have been away from here for a few days longer than usual.  I have spent the time frantically preparing the gardens and the nursery for the opening this weekend.  With visitors arriving on Saturday morning, it feels like there is so much left to do.  I want everything to look its best, and I'm working very hard (harder than usual) to put things in order. 

Let's take a break, you and me, and enjoy some of the roses from the beautiful garden at Tufton Farm last weekend.  It's Wednesday, so let's do the white ones.

This rose, in the Leonie Bell Noisette Garden, is labeled "Hollywood Pink Cluster".  I loved the little pink buds that open into clusters of soft white flowers.

Here is another rose from the Bell Garden ... Nastarana.

Rosa moschata was once thought to be extinct.  It was rediscovered by chance, and it is prominently placed in the garden at Tufton.  

Finally, let's follow up on the mystery roses I introduced you to last Wednesday.  I took pieces of my roses to compare to Tufton's Baltimore Belle.  Immediately, I knew that my rose is not THE Baltimore Belle. 

This is my rose:

and here is the beautiful, white Baltimore Belle:

Since I now know that I have two identical giant roses on my Rose Field fence, I think I have to remove one of them after the flowers are finished.  This will free up space for a rose that's coming to me from a rose friend in Montana ... it should get here tomorrow or Thursday.  I'm so excited!

The rose formerly known thought to be Baltimore Belle will now be listed on my web site as "Pink Baltimore Belle".  It's okay if we never know its true identity ... this rose will take its place among all of the other found roses that live here.

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog)

White Wednesday Roses -- and a Bit of a Mystery

I have a rose mystery here in the garden to share with you this morning.  (The rose in question is supposed to be white, so it qualifies for inclusion here on White Wednesday, IMO.)  This is supposed to be 'Baltimore Belle' ... at least that's what the tag said on the rose when I took the cuttings in Lynchburg three years ago.

"Not-Baltimore Belle"

'Baltimore Belle' was hybridized by Samuel Feast, of Baltimore, in 1843.  The buds are supposed to be pink, opening to pale pink flowers that quickly fade to blush white.  The flowers on my "Not-Baltimore Belle" never get anywhere close to white, however. 

A much-admired rose friend of mine, during a visit here last year, was the first to doubt the identity of this rose.  He and another friend stood and stared and discussed it, and they decided that this is not THE 'Baltimore Belle'.  It is the same type of rose, probably originating from similar parentage, but 'Baltimore Belle' it is not.

What is it?

"Arcata Pink Globe"

At the other end of the Rose Field, I grow a mystery rose called "Arcata Pink Globe".  I bought this rose from Vintage Gardens in 2007, and it has turned out to be eerily similar to my "Not-Baltimore Belle".  "Arcata Pink Globe" has been found in several sites in California's gold country.  (It is also thought to be the same as the "Moser House Shed" rose.)  This says to me that it could have been brought from the East with early settlers as they traveled to California to seek their fortunes. Was one or more of those settlers from the Baltimore area, and did they take cuttings of a rose similar to 'Baltimore Belle' with them on their journey?  (Samuel Feast hybridized other roses, most of which are now lost.)

"Not-Baltimore Belle"

My first step in trying to unravel this mystery was to contact Lynchburg to find out where they got their "Not-Baltimore Belle".  According to their records, the original plant came from Sherando Roses.  Yesterday, I emailed the man who owned Sherando.  He replied this morning and said that, to the best of his recollection, his "Baltimore Belle' came from cuttings in Lynchburg (which would be the same plant where I took my cuttings).  The mystery has now made a big circle, and there's no solution in sight.

"Arcata Pink Globe"

I plan to take pieces of both of these roses with me to the open house at Tufton Farm on Saturday.  Doug Seidel and Dennis Whetzel (rose geniuses!) will be conducting their Antique Rose Show that day, where they identify mystery roses that people bring for them.  I can also compare my roses to the 'Baltimore Belle' that grows in the Tufton display garden.

"Not-Baltimore Belle"

All of the photos I have used here were taken on Sunday morning.  Both of these roses are blooming a bit later than the other ones on the fence ... they were in exactly the same stage of bloom, having both opened their first flowers the day before.  Every part of these roses two appear to be identical.  The only tiny little difference that I can find is that the leaves on "Not-Baltimore Belle" may be a little bit smaller than those on "Arcata Pink Globe".  The difference is barely enough to mention, however.

"Not-Baltimore Belle"

"Arcata Pink Globe"

Both roses have the same dull green leaves, and fat reddish pink buds in large clusters.

"Not-Baltimore Belle"

"Arcata Pink Globe"

As the flowers open, some of the reddish color on the buds remains on the outer petals for a short time.  (If you look carefully, there's a bit visible in the APG photo above, just to the right of the large central bud.) 

"Arcata Pink Globe"

Both of these roses are wonderful additions to my garden ... they're big, and vigorous, and resistant to disease.  It's a plus that they bloom for a long time, when some of the other ramblers are beginning to fade, and the flowers smell heavenly.

If you have room in your garden for a big girl, with all these lovely qualities, consider "Not-Baltimore Belle".  Whatever her real name turns out to be, this rose is a winner.

White Wednesday Roses!!

My favorite day-of-the-week feature is back!!  I love white roses, and blogging about white roses is almost as good as seeing them in the garden.

For my first White Wednesday of the season, let's make one more stop in Lynchburg, to see some of the white roses that grow in the Old City Cemetery.

Aglaia, Hyb. Multiflora, 1896.

Technically, Aglaia is pale yellow (it's also known as Yellow Rambler).  The flowers start yellow, and they quickly fade to a beautiful ivory white.  I have been searching for this rose for two years, and no one had it for sale.  The lovely ladies at the Rose Festival last Saturday knew how much I wanted it, and they set the last one aside for me.  Now I just have to decide where to put it.

Sir Thomas Lipton, Hyb. Rugosa, 1900.

I love this rose!  It was one of the very first ones I bought for the garden, when I started buying roses in 2002.  The poor thing lived in a pot until two years ago.  It has settled into its anchor position on the row of rugosas in the Rose Field, and it's blooming its head off right now.  The American Rose Society, however, does not love this rose ... saddling it with a pitiful rating that it doesn't deserve.

Blanc Double de Coubert, Hyb. Rugosa, 1893.

I don't grow this rose ... yet. Hybrid Rugosas are so carefree, and this one is wonderful.  I will be adding this to my collection if the VERY near future.

Frau Karl Druschki, Hyb. Perpetual, 1901.

In old rose books, Frau Karl Druschki is mentioned as one of the very best white roses EVER.  Her only flaw is that she has no fragrance ... which I can overlook, because she is so beautiful.

Fortuniana, Hyb. Banksia, 1840.

Fortuniana is a lovely almost-evergreen climber, that covers itself with clusters of delicate, papery flowers every spring.  Our friends in Florida are probably most familiar with this rose as a root stock.  It is fragrant, and worth garden space on its own merits.

Madame Plantier, Hybrid Alba, 1835.

Madame Plantier may be one of the most perfect white roses.  Light green foliage, trailing/mounding habit, fragrance, and THORNLESS.  Who doesn't love a pure white rose with that cute little green pip in the center?

Sombruiel, Large-flowered climber, c. 1950's

This rose was once thought to be a climbing Tea from the 1880's, but it isn't.  It's also been called Colonial White ... having a rose with two names confuses everyone.  (There is a climbing tea known as Mlle de Sombruiel, also known as La Biche, which makes this really confused.)  Whatever it is, this rose is fragrant and vigorous, and a great addition to one of the pillars on my Arcade.

Silver Moon, Rambler, 1910.

I'll wrap it up this week with one of my favorites, Silver Moon.  It is a product of one of my favorite hybridizers (Dr. Walter Van Fleet) and I grow it in a prominent spot at the end of the Rambler Fence.  The ones at the Cemetery are in full bloom, and mine is just now getting started. 

******************************************

If you're local, and you want to come visit the roses in full bloom, I'm opening the garden this Sunday (May 16) from noon to 4:00.  The roses are early this year, and I'm afraid that many will be finished if I wait till the nursery opens on May 29.

The front Hybrid Tea beds, as seen from the front porch.

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog.)

White Roses on Wednesday

I  am sorry to have to tell you this ... are you sitting down?  These are the last of my white flowers photographs.  I searched all of my photo folders, and there's no more.  One last dozen ...

Paul's Himalayan Musk Rambler.  I saw photos of this once-blooming rose cascading from trees, and I fell in love.  Here, I have it planted at the base of a wild cherry tree beside the driveway, and it's happily scrambling toward the top.

Rosa Macrantha.  You know how much I love singles and stamens.  Isn't this beautiful?

Moonlight ... I have shown this rose before.  It's so photogenic.

Madame Plantier.  Pure white flowers, pale green leaves, nearly thornless canes and stems, good disease resistance ... this Alba hybrid rose is practically perfect.  Give her space, because she can become a big girl.

Dagmar Spaeth is a lovely smaller floribunda.  Sometimes her white flowers will have a small red stripe or two.

Secret Garden Noisette, found rose.  This class of rose was very popular in the early/mid 1800's ... and there have been many unidentified Noisettes discovered in abandoned sites over the years.  This one was found in the same garden as the more-well-known rose, Secret Garden Musk Climber.

Haywood Hall, another found rose.  I grow this one on a rebar tripod in my front border ... it blooms like crazy and smells wonderful.

White Killarney ... a color sport of Killarney, the famous pink hybrid tea rose from 1898.  I love the form of these early hybrid teas.

I think I might have used this photo of Leda in a Friday Flowers post a few weeks ago ... I love it so much, I'll use it here, too. 

Souvenir de la Maimaisson isn't really white.  The flowers bleach out a bit in the hot sun, and this photo made it look almost white.  SDLM, as it's abbreviated, doesn't like cool, damp weather ... but it's a fabulous rose in the heat of July, when many other roses are suffering.

I forgot to take a photo of the label for this rose, and I have no idea which one it is.

Our final white rose is Silver Moon.  Pure white flowers (which I love), simple single form (swoon) and look at those stamens.

I was thinking ... if I had been on the ball earlier this week, I would have gone out to the garden while we had snow and taken White Wednesday snow pictures.  Winter is just beginning, so I'll make a note to do that the next time we have snow.  (wink wink)

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog)