- I liked his name. (Maybe not the best reason!)
- I liked that he was an old garden tea rose (not a hybrid tea).
- He was available.
- He was the right size for that spot.
- Very disease resistant.
- Designated an EarthKind rose. (Drought toleration is a big thing here!)
So, I was a bit taken aback when he bloomed the first time for me. Tiny blooms. Sweet, but tiny. I was a bit disappointed. Those tiny blooms just didn't seem very manly!
But, once a plant is planted in my garden, it stays. Yes, I am one of those. I coddle and push and beg and plead and threaten, but won't do anything to a plant that's faltering until it dies on its own accord. Maybe that will change one day. There are some plants I would like to replace. But, for now, I'm too soft hearted.
Anyway, Monsieur Tillier stayed.
And today, I'm so glad I left him in my garden. Because today he's filled with blooms. Bright, beautiful, cheerful, rosy blooms. And my heart fell for him. Because even though his blooms are small, there are a lot of them, so he makes a big impact. I like a big impact.
Monsieur Tillier is a rose I'd recommend. He grows well in zones 7 through 9, and grows to around 6 ft. tall and wide (but can be kept as small as 3 ft. if you want). Typical tea fragrance. Small blooms, big impact.
A rose that'll grow on you, if you know what I mean.
That's a very pretty closeup photo of him. For me everything has to perform, but I usually do give a couple years for them to grow into themselves to see if I am going to be happy or not.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
So how many different roses do you have? How many total rose bushes?
ReplyDeleteHolley, your 'Monsieur Tiller' is lovely! I am a little bit like you and have a tough time to get rid of plants that don't please me, but when I don't find them satisfying after 3 - 5 years they are out. I think, this is a fair amount of time that I give them to strut their stuff :-). By the way I am growing 'Georgetown Tea' another Tea rose and up to now I am also a little bit disappointed with the size of its blooms. But it could be that my palm tree roots are giving this rose a hard time...
ReplyDeleteChristina
I have never, ever seen a rose with blooms like Monsieur Tillier. At first glance I thought your post was about monster tillers, but that's the way my mind works, sadly. This is so much better! I had to go back and read your last two posts and was overjoyed to hear you received over an inch of rain at last! I hope the pump is primed now, so gentle rains will continue to fall on a schedule. I cannot imagine having no rain since April and with the temps you endured, how in the world did you keep your garden so beautifully? When I read your post about 'no more shame' I was thinking, Shame? Good grief, no! In my book, anyone who tends a flower AND a vegetable garden has nothing to be ashamed of, and to do it in such epic record-breaking conditions should be cause for an Award Ceremony! You've earned it.
ReplyDeleteCher - Maybe one day I'll be able to do that. I know my garden would look much better if I were a bit more ruthless!
ReplyDeleteMarcia - Right now, I'm growing around 70 different varieties. A lot of them I don't have multiples of. I probably have around 100 or so total. I plan on adding more, of course!
Christina - I don't grow Georgetown Tea, so I can't really say if it will get better or not. When I don't like something, I usually just plant a lot around it, trying to 'camouflage' it! haha
Karen - Monster tillers! lol Karen, you crack me up! I, too, hope the rains will continue now. You are too kind with your compliments.
I am glad it is doing well for you finally. Your patience really paid off, the blooms look lovely, I love the dainty curled petals and the range of colors. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteNot to worry - Monsieur Tillier has nice sized blooms with a lovely fragrance. It is the ravages of summer that has his blooms so small for now. Just wait he will perform for you and you will be impressed.
ReplyDeleteAlso, So happy to hear you finally got some real rain. Water is one thing but rain is magical.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me threatening the plants. LOL! I never get rid of them ether just move them. LOL! It does have lovely blooms. The pink is much brighter than my disappointing blooms my Bonica this summer.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers on the rose don't look small (need an everyday object for size comparison) but they are unusual and beautiful. Glad you kept him if for gender diversification alone.
ReplyDeleteMasha - Gardeners have to be patient, don't we? There is no such thing as instant gratification in a garden!
ReplyDeleteTufa Girl - I await anxiously for next spring to come and maybe his blooms will be bigger then! I hadn't thought that perhaps the heat was affecting him. I guess I need to be even more patient! Yes, rain is a magical elixir to plants!
Lona - I like his bright pink blooms. You can't miss them! I move a lot of plants, too!
carolyn - haha Yes, there are not a lot of "male" roses! As you can tell, I assign gender to my roses - and since he has a male name, he's definitely a "he"!
This rose is really an unusual one, but many brownie points for being disease resistant. I guess with a name like that it must be a boy.
ReplyDeleteSmall but mighty! The reasons you made a place for him are all good reasons, and I think Monsieur Tiller's flowers are very interesting! If he were a real person, I think he would be a fashion designer.
ReplyDeleteI'd say he's quite dashing! : D Glad to hear you got a good rainfall.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing this rose to my attention. The blooms of Monsieur Tiller remind me a littof Old Blush. Glad to hear it has been designated as Earth Kind. Very nice rose.
ReplyDeleteA really pretty rose, lovely colour! Kelli
ReplyDeleteSo many times I've bought a plant without the least idea what it will look like or what conditions it needs. I think you did great by looking up his other aspects at least.
ReplyDeleteGWGT - Oh, definitely it's a 'he'! :) Most of the old garden roses are disease resistant. I guess that's how they survived for so long!
ReplyDeletedeb - I can see him with a boutineer in his coat lapel. His blooms are adorable. I love all the numerous petals!
charlie b - Dashing is a wonderful word for him! I was glad to get the rain, too.
redneckrosarian - I don't grow Old Blush. I need to put her on my list! As the Earthkind trials are close to my area, they are very significant to me.
Kelli - I love the color, too!
Marguerite - I make a lot of impulse buys, too, although I do try occasionally to research things out! Usually works out better that way. Rose blooms, though, are things that speak to your heart. A picture is not often what is true to life in the garden.