Round buds open
into deep magenta-pink, very double, 1 1/2-inch flowers with 55 to
60 petals. The high-centered blooms open flat and appear one
to a stem or in large sprays. The 15- to 18-inch stems are covered
with shiny foliage and long, straight, thin thorns.
'Variegata di Bologna' Roses (Bourbon, Introduced - 1909)
No two flowers of 'Variegata di Bologna' are exactly alike in
coloration: petals are white and individually striped with
various shades of crimson and purple. The very double
blooms are 3 to 4 inches across and globular, flattening
and quartering with age. Borne in clusters of three to
five, the blossoms bear a strong and long-lasting
fragrance. They appear in abundance in midseason but
repeat sparsely, if at all. Leaves are narrow and glossy; canes
are nearly smooth.
The bushes are vigorous, upright, and slender, and are
versatile in the landscape. Their long, flexible canes are
easily trained to climb a fence, trellis, or pillar, or can be
pegged. Heavy pruning will produce a more compact,
4- to 5-foot shrub suitable for borders. Flowers are good
for cutting.
'Veilchenblau' Roses (Climber, Introduced - 1909)
This rose not only tolerates some shade, but it shows its best
colors there. In a sunny spot, its reddish purple buds open to
small, semi-double purple-violet flowers streaked with white and
tufted with golden stamens. The scent of 'Veilchenblau' is that of
oranges. In partial shade, the blossoms open lilac blue, as close
to a true blue as you will find in a rose that has not been
genetically engineered.
A vigorous climber, 'Veilchenblau' can be trained up a trellis, or
the canes can be infiltrated into the branches of a small tree, where
they will scramble up in a beautifully informal display. Providing
good air circulation around this rose is particularly important in a
shaded site if the foliage is to remain free of powdery mildew.
'Virginia Rose' (Species, Introduced - prior to 1807)
Despite its name, the Virginia rose grows wild far to the north
and south of that state, for it ranges naturally from
Newfoundland south to Alabama and west to Missouri. Wherever it
grows, this rose offers year-round color: bronzy new foliage in
spring; bright cerise-pink flowers with pale centers in midsummer;
bright red hips and leaves that turn shades of red, yellow, and
orange in fall; and arching red canes in the dead of winter. Such a
tough, hardy shrub definitely deserves a spot somewhere in the
garden, although it is especially useful for naturalized areas or slopes
where few other roses would put on such a grand four-season
display of color.
'Vogue' Roses (Floribunda, Introduced - 1951)
Still popular after many years, 'Vogue' rose has high-centered flowers of medium to deep coral-pink.
The slightly fragrant blooms have 25 petals and open to 2 1/2 to
3 1/2 inches wide, in very large sprays. Medium green, semi-glossy
leaves cover bushy, 4- to 5-foot plants that are prone to black spot
but very winter hardy.
