Rose:   Scentimental

Class:   Floribunda

Date of introduction:   1999

Fragrant:   Yes

Hybridizer:   Tom Carruth

Parentage:   ‘Playboy’ x ‘Peppermint Twist’

“Scentimental”, a spicy scented floribunda was the first striped rose to win the AARS award. With burgundy and creamy white stripes on a vigorous plant with shiny, dark green foliage, “Scentimental” hardly needs its wonderful fragrance to attract attention, but that’s what made it an award winner in 1997. If you like the old fashioned type roses with its cup-shaped bloom, “Scentimental” is for you. The coloration is unique. It is disease resistant, winter hardy and has a strong fragrance. Bloom size is 4”-6” and is generous with its blooms. I had two in front of my old house and I planted two at my new home also.

Tip #7 – Be a role model. Set a good example for people to follow.

Until Next time. Stop and Smell the Roses

Rosalinda R Morgan

Author & Garden Writer

Rose:   Graham Thomas

Class:   Shrub, 1983

Fragrant:   Yes

Hybridizer:   David Austin, 1983

Parentage:   ‘Charles Austin’ x (‘Iceberg’ x seedling)

 Graham Thomas is one of the best hybridized yellow roses by David Austin and my favorite rose. When it was introduced in 1983, it was a novelty because it was the first and real yellow rose to resemble in form and petal arrangement the Old Garden Roses whose color range had been limited to reds, pinks, purples and pale shades. It was named after the late Graham Thomas, one of great garden writers of our time who wrote “The Graham Stuart Thomas Rose Book”, a rose book classic.

Graham Thomas has a soft buttery yellow bloom which is hard to match in any modern roses. Their cupped bloom starts as pure yellow fading into lighter color as it opens. Blooms come both singly and in spray. The growth is straight, tall, some with arching canes and vigorous with pale green foliage. Graham Thomas can reach 6 to 8 ft. in height and can be trained as a climber on a wall, fence or tall pillar.

Graham Thomas is very generous in bloom and quite a good specimen for the exhibition table. Graham Thomas never fails me whenever I exhibit it. Graham Thomas always wins the Best in Modern Shrub. It has a fresh Tea rose fragrance. I planted two plants of Graham Thomas on opposite ends of a parterre at my previous garden and they did quite well. I also planted the blue clematis durandii next to it and they make good companion plants. A stunning combination!

Here is Graham Thomas in my present garden next to a trellis. Photo taken April 2, 2017.

Graham Thomas has won the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 1993.

Tip #6 – Project a cheerful voice.

Until Next time. Stop and Smell the Roses

Rosalinda R Morgan

Author & Garden Writer

Rose:   Europeana

Class:   Floribunda, 1963

Fragrant:   Yes

Hybridizer:   De Ruiter, 1963

Parentage:   Ruth Leuwerik x Rosemary Rose

Europeana, an eye catching floribunda has pointed maroon bus that open into a 3-4 inches double (25-30 petals) or semi-double (9-16 petals) dark red blooms with bright yellow stamens Europeana is a heavy bloomer, blooming freely from spring to late fall. It blooms in clusters and make for a lovely bouquet with mild fragrance. Foliage is dark green but new growth is reddish and stay that way until the rose blooms, growing to a height of 2 to 3 ft. I had two Europeana when living in Zone 7 and they were slow to start but a fabulous rose nontheless.  It is heat tolerant but susceptible to mildew.

Tip #5 – Have a prosperity mindset. Focus on the opportunities that come your way. 

Until Next time. Stop and Smell the Roses

Rosalinda R Morgan

Author & Garden Writer

Rose:   Julia Child

Class:   Floribunda, 2005

Fragrance:  Yes

Disease Resistance:   Excellent

Hybridizer:  Tom Carruth – 2006

Introducer:   Weeks Roses

Parentage: [(Voodoo x R. soulieana derivative) x Summerwine] x Top Notch

Julia Child has a rounded bushy habit, about 3 feet tall.  The bud form is pointed and opens into a full 3 ½ blooms with a petal count of 35 plus on medium-sized stem.  Foliage is bright super glossy leaves and has excellent disease resistance.   Julia Child was hybridized by Tom Carruth and is introduced by Weeks Roses of Upland, Calif.  With all the good qualities of Julia Child rose, I’m sure it will be as popular as her namesake.

Personally selected by the award-winning master chef herself, the late Julia Child, this rose combines old-fashioned style like a David Austin rose with delicious fragrance rarely found in a free-flowering plant.  Julia Child liked the butter gold floribunda with its strong sweet licorice and spice fragrance.  Julia Child rose is a 2006 AARS Winner. It adapts well to a wide variety of growing conditions.

Julia Child is a popular TV chef and author. She was born on August 15, 1912, in Pasadena, California and moved to France in 1948 where she developed a penchant for French cuisine. With a goal of adapting sophisticated French cuisine for mainstream Americans, she collaborated on a two-volume cookbook called Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which was considered groundbreaking, and has since become a standard guide for the culinary community. I bought a copy of the Mastering the Art of French Cooking when I was a young bride in the early 70s which I found myself referring to most often when I was entertaining then.  I still have my dog-eared copy of the book.  Julia Child was a television icon with her popular cooking show, The French Chef.

Tip #3 – A good sense of humor cures most all of life’s ills.

Until Next time. Stop and Smell the Roses

Rosalinda R Morgan

Author & Garden Writer