And the Most Improved award goes to...

I thought it might be a good time to take stock of those roses that have shown real improvement this season, either in growth, flower quality or production, whatever.
My award goes to Dioressence, which I don't think has paused in producing clusters of richly perfumed lilac coloured flowers. It has never been vigorous and until this year I considered it a dud, although loved its flowers. This year's new canes have kept coming. Still some bs, I remove the affected leaves, hasn't slowed her down and at least she hasn't defoliated. New foliage is lush and healthy. So she gets my vote.
Who gets the award in your garden?

How old is it Silky

two get my votes are , red cross, roseraie de l'hay, both are superb this year

How old is your Rosarie, jordan?

three years old betsy

Gota few to choose but I think I will give it to Folklore. Creeping along very slowly, now a sudden spurt of canes, one of which will give me a a nice bunch of flowers when it blooms. Blue moon has also woken up from it's slumber and is making up for lost time with a vengeance..

My existing roses from last year have all lived up to expectations, so there were no happy (or unhappy) surprises there.
BUT I have had one surprise. After an awkward start, Baronne Edmond de Rothschild just turned it on. I had prepared to ignore it after the "first pancakes" blooms, then WoW. The swing tag and the pix on HMF just don't begin to convey the allure of the subdued watermelon colour, which is backed up by a lovely scent.

Both of mine have exhibited RMV, but this first year at least, it hasn't crushed their little spirits ;-)

Roseman, my Dioressence is 3 years old, could be older though.

My surprise for the year has been The Squire. It's done really well this year. Usually it's kind of been spindly and wimpy, flowers okay.
This year it's kept flowering through all the heat and has healthy foliage.

Which proves a couple of things. My roses need water. They don't like drowning in weeds. And it takes about 3-4 years for them to really get established here (on the most part).

French Lace has been my winner for the year though.
Blue Moon.... bleurgh. Rabbits like it. BS likes it. I *don't* (but they are Mum's... I wouldn't have bought it.)

Henri Matisse , have given it more water this year and it has bloomed its head off , mild to med fragrance , but otherwise a fantastic rose for me , in full sun too ....

Hi all you girls in the "FRAGRANT CLUB". I have a very good friend breeding roses using some DA's. He reports 'Radio Times' is excellent in heat and has wonderful fragrance.

Good to know, Bruce. A very pretty rose.... shame about the uninspiring name tho.

Uninspiring name Wendy, what if you are radio announcer

Ozeboy , yep you are right , my mum has that rose , she adores it , she sticks it under my nose every time i go to visit , it is lovely , shame my garden isn't bigger , or else i would definately plant it .... maybe i will have to any way , just cause its mums favourite rose ....

roseman wrote:Uninspiring name Wendy, what if you are radio announcer

But,... it's a ROSE.... a PINK rose. Radios are... a BOX.

I need time to think of a reply

I'm with you Autumn, an ugly name for a pretty feminine rose.