- Blackthorn Rose Review -
Obviously a work in progress, reviews added to the photos featured as I get around to it.
The links become live as the reviews are added.
The links become live as the reviews are added.
OUR CONDITIONS: Zone 9 maritime southern New Zealand. Moderate coastal temps, infrequent minor frosts, infrequent light snow and hail, high rainfall, high humidity, high winds, high UV, mixed clay-based soils, hillside drainage, mostly half-day shade amongst trees. Distinct southern hemisphere seasons. Summers average 10-30 Celsius, winters 3-15.
HOW WE GROW: Spray free entirely for almost 20 years in a mixed garden including trees, perennials, fruits and vegetables. No pesticides, mostly organic fertilisers such as sheep pellets, blood and bone meal, various mulches, composts and commercial organic concentrates etc. Pests are the usual general garden organisms: aphids, mites, a couple of native invertebrates and introduced possums. Our roses are mainly grafted. No special measures are taken apart from extra water during establishment and extended hot weather.
HOW WE RATE: Roses that do not perform reasonably within a three year period after planting are generally mulched or passed on (apart from large varieties known to need more time). There's no expectation of perfect immunity to disease or seasonal issues, just the ability to recover and otherwise prosper. We have no varietal preference other than good scent, decent health and suitability for a particular spot. Scent is judged fairly stringently.
VARIETIES GROWN: Floribunda, Modern/Cluster, Hybrid Tea, old Tea, Bourbon, Noisette, Gallica, Hybrid Perpetual, Hybrid Musk, Climbers, Ramblers, Alba, David Austin, assorted Old Garden Roses, Centifolia, Rugosa, Misc/unnamed.
HOW WE GROW: Spray free entirely for almost 20 years in a mixed garden including trees, perennials, fruits and vegetables. No pesticides, mostly organic fertilisers such as sheep pellets, blood and bone meal, various mulches, composts and commercial organic concentrates etc. Pests are the usual general garden organisms: aphids, mites, a couple of native invertebrates and introduced possums. Our roses are mainly grafted. No special measures are taken apart from extra water during establishment and extended hot weather.
HOW WE RATE: Roses that do not perform reasonably within a three year period after planting are generally mulched or passed on (apart from large varieties known to need more time). There's no expectation of perfect immunity to disease or seasonal issues, just the ability to recover and otherwise prosper. We have no varietal preference other than good scent, decent health and suitability for a particular spot. Scent is judged fairly stringently.
VARIETIES GROWN: Floribunda, Modern/Cluster, Hybrid Tea, old Tea, Bourbon, Noisette, Gallica, Hybrid Perpetual, Hybrid Musk, Climbers, Ramblers, Alba, David Austin, assorted Old Garden Roses, Centifolia, Rugosa, Misc/unnamed.
AGNES
Hybrid Rugosa Agnes is a really odd sort of rose, a hybrid-looking thing with the wild-type foliage of one parent and the feral habit of the other. 
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
(Floribunda Persicaria x) 
GOLDEN CELEBRATION
David Austin I have some hard things to say about David Austin roses. While his innovative breeding program has served up some ravishing aesthetics, those visual fruits have withered on the vine of practical reality too often for me to respond with anything more than a slow clap. |
Scentimental
Floribunda Striped roses are like BDSM. You either roll that way or you do not, so I'm not going to try and sell you this variety if you object on principle. I totally respect your discretion. |
Compassion
Hybrid Tea It can be difficult to find the most useful line to take when reviewing a time-tested classic. Everyone already knows Compassion is a great rose and this has been objectively established for some time now, so... um.. yeah. 
MARY ROSE (David Austin)
|
CHARTREUSE DE PARME
Hybrid Tea When all things are truly considered, there are actually very few roses that merit a featured position in any mixed garden. 
ALFRED COLUMB (Hybrid Perpetual)
GLAMIS CASTLE
David Austin It's pronounced glahrms, apparently. First, a semi-rambling word about white roses in general. You can skip this bit if you just want the shit on Glamis Castle. |
