Julia Child/Soul Mate has arrived

Betsy these 2 shots are the best I can do at present
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Thank you roseman!!! Nice capture

LOLOLOL What awful tosh! As rose blurbs go, this one's set a new benchmark in the annals of desperate doggerel for the Swane's sales copywriters.

Reducing the poiple prose to black and white, it's nicely rounded (sounds really rounded, which is good for my purposes), sweet anise scent. Big claims for health, and may it be so.

Careful Betsy that might have come from the producer of the the rose and not Swanes

Yes and, um, no. This is the original Weeks Roses version, which weaves the Julia Child relationship into an extended foodie metaphor.
Just before our wonderful American icon left us, she selected this exceptional rose to bear her name. Julia loved the even butter gold color & the licorice candy fragrance. Yet it wasn't just the old-fashioned blooms that inspired the recipe. The perfectly rounded habit, super glossy leaves & great disease resistance finish off the dish. An awesome AARS award winner – a right & proper honor for a dear friend.

not interested in what i said dave

Yes Warren, other things on my mind at present.

Warren, does that mean that Soul Mate sets hips
I will give it a try with some of my DA's I also thought maybe my Joy of Health (we put a pic on HMF) and maybe Julias Rose.
We havn't got a Gold Bunny (lots of other golds and yellows) and I dont think we have Dr A J Verhage but we might have

What's all this hype about 'Soul Mate' now on it's third page?
There are very mixed results when one reads the references on HMF.
One comment is it fades to white and another mentioning the opposite.
Another mentions it got Blackspot in his garden though weather has been very wet.
I like it's pollen parent 'Top Notch' bred by McGredy NZ looks a better rose.
Comments on HMF mention 'Singing in the Rain' as a much better rose than SM.

Only time will sort it out, could be another top rose we can be grateful for Swanes bringing it to Oz.

Bruce, It looks like it could be a very good rose, I love the form and colour.
I will use it to breed from . The two I have in mind will only be pollen as mine set no hips. See above.

Carole it does look like a good breeding rose as so many good rose breeders are using it as a pollen parent. Having bred 13 descendents since 2004 is a good indication. Of these I like 'Pretentious Nina' but not the licorace fragrance it seems to pass on to its offspring. One growers children mentioned it smells like cough medicine.
To quote top rose breeder Warren Millington "You can't do enough research when selecting potential breeding roses", so here are some results.
Very Blackspot and mildew resistant.
Good in heat.
Rounded Bush with glossy leaves.
Abundant old fashioned blooms with 30 to 45 petals.
Seems to tick all the good boxes and I like the species used recently in it's pedigree to pass on health and vigour. Also pollen parent 'Top Notch'
looks a really good rose.

And Yes!! I'm a bit p*##ed off because I couldn't get one to breed with.

Are there any at Dural/Swanes, Bruce in the ground.

I'm just hoping they bring it out in a standard , here's hoping .....

Maree as it will be released 2013, what will be for sale will have already budded/grafted. I would email Swanes and ask if they have it in a standard.

Good idea Roseman thanks !!!!!

Soul Mate received 32mLs of

That much? Wow. No singin' in the rain here. Mine received 9mm. Otherwise, I'm supplying the "rain" on a daily basis. Not the same thing, though, as we have discussed.

An update on 'Soul Mate' as of today.

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Looking good for flowers in the next week or so

Flowers have already come and gone here and beginning again - no hungry sheep lurking ;-). First impressions: I really think this rose needs another year before she reveals herself fully. So far the flowers have been nice but not gasp-worthy. NOT a good cutting flower for me, but I have a feeling that SM?JC is going to be a fabulous garden specimen, with great repeat production. I can't quite get a handle oin teh scent yet, but so far no power aroma. Might require more maturity on the bush. Next round of fleurs should tell me more.. Little shrub is a nice shape.

Maree - IMO JC is going to be perfect for a standard. The ideal habit - Very rounded, nice plentiful leaves, and I think it's going to repeat well.

Great , looking good Roseman , Betsy , thanks, Finbaar says the scent is good but not overpowering , and its a good repeater , keep me posted please guys .

IMO I think I would try it as a shorter standard/patio. If I was to bud it I would treat it as any other small compact floribunda and I would put 3 buds on to fill it out quicker.

The shot below are of the first flowers on it, lots more waiting to open.
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What do you make of the scent, roseman?

The scent is secondary or maybe a bonus. I will wait for it to cool down as it is 35c here at present. Maybe take more notice on it's second flush. Don't forget it is young. Maybe next year before I give a total report. On first impression I like the bush.

Me too, and what roseman said, although it's only 29 degrees here at the moment (that weather check was really tongue in cheek).

I like this one. I think I'll love it in 2014. My enthusiasm for this rose is a time-forward thing. I wouldn't buy another baby version, though.