Liberating my Cherokee Roses tomorrow!!!

Well... tomorrow the two potted cherokee roses are going to be liberated! Better watch out now Will be interesting to watch how the two perform actually. One is grafted from Misty Downs and the other is from a bunch of cuttings I struck from Ladybird Roses. Hoping to make them into a tallish hedge.

Tasv, are they any where in your breeding program.

Well.... from what I've found out so far Rosa laevigata is really difficult to use in breeding. It doesn't seem to pass on that vigour to a lot of its offspring. Some do have it though and from what I can tell most of the success with it so far has been with the banksia hybrids or species crosses. Fortuniana is a good example of a laevigata cross that has proven to be successful (but not very fertile). So maybe... I love it to bits (my favourite rose) but history is against me with this one I think. I know they are currently experimenting using it with some of the more fertile Teas in the US. Sounds like a good idea to me too so I might try it on Safrano in a few years time. It's going to a PITB to use because it flowers so early and I'll have to freeze pollen to use it when the other roses start flowering.

Laevigata is a glorious rose. I've had it for over ten years, growing over a tank by the house. It's now beyond my control. After several attacks with the chain saw, I'll have to get it professionally massacred this year.

I've tried to use it for breeding, but no luck. Only one seedling germinated, flowered and died. And I've had no luck growing the only commercially available seedling "Anemone Rose" (Laevigata x Tea rose). I think it is even more beautiful than Laevigata. Have tried several plants. with much TLC, and all weakened and died. It's sport "Ramona" is likewise a very weak grower here. Must be in the genes, like its total immunity from blackspot.

Good luck, Simon.

Simon I have not had a lot of luck with grafted plants from Mistydowns. They seem to just sit there without any vigour. However I am now grafting from them and hope for a better result. I think the drought has had some bearing on this problem so can only sympathise with growing under these condittions.
I also don't like those old roses that are pot bound as these end up with very little vigour also. I would back your own root cuttings to be much better for these reasons.

Yes... Bruce is on the money here regarding the cuttings... I have 'Anemone' as a grafted rose here too that was also 'liberated' and it sat there for a LONG time and then suddenly started growing. Like the initial post says one of mine is a grafted one from Misty Downs and the other is a cutting grown CR from Ladybird Roses ('Anemone' is also from Ladybird Roses). This is my old CR that I obtained as a cutting from one I gave my Mum as gift about 20 years ago. This was on the NSW Central Coast (not far from you Dave.. when I lived in Gwandalan). This was taken about 6-7 years ago now (and the first thing the new owners did was rip it out ).

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This is the effect I am going for with these new ones.

Only problem (if you see it as a problem) is that it suckers like crazy on its own roots. But I love this rose so much we called our property after it; 'Cherokee Hill'.

Dave, would you like some 'Anemone' cuttings sent up?

Regarding grafted plants from MD... you get good ones and get bads ones... I have good ones and duds, ones that now grow well and ones with RMV. Like you said... the lack of rain the previous years has probably played a big part. I would buy from them with confidence and if I wasn't happy with the quality I would let them know. I've also received the same from at least two other mail order places in recent years.