What do you see when you look at a rose blooming?
A beautiful flower, of course! In my book, it can be almost any color. I love red, yellow, white, pink, orange, and even those blooms that start out one color and turn into another. And I love singles as much as I do doubles.
But when I look at a bloom, I also want to see nice foliage.
It doesn't have to be perfect. Not at all. I don't spray my roses. Never have, never will. I'm much too lazy for all that! So, my garden is an experiment in determining which roses will be tough enough to grow in my harsh climate and with my laissez-faire gardening. I don't expect perfection.
 |
| 'Lemon Fizz' |
But, for several years now I've been thinking about digging up 'Lemon Fizz'. I almost did last year. I swore I would this spring. I intended to this autumn.
Oh, yes, it has the most cheerful display of adorable blooms, in the most sunny shade of yellow. And the biggest, most beautiful hips. But it seems that every time it blooms, it also has a bad case of blackspot.
Yuck.
 |
| typical spring foliage |
 |
| typical autumn foliage |
That was, until now.
This year, it started blooming and - gasp - the foliage on it is perfect!
Perfect!
 |
| 'Lemon Fizz' - with perfect foliage! |
What's up with that?
I suspect it's because we have had no rain. But maybe it's something else. Something to do with the cosmic aligning of planets or some other such thing in which I have no control.
So, I'll keep Lemon Fizz for another year. And we'll see how it fares next spring. I hope the foliage is glossy, dark green, and beautiful. And I hope it is that way next autumn. I hope I have to write a post apologizing for bad-mouthing it!
I hope, I hope, I hope.
I'm joining Pam at Digging for Foliage Follow-up, because foliage on a rose is just as important as its blooms.
Isn't it funny what happens when you hold out!!! It is like the plant is like see.... I'm good!!! And boy is she adorable!!! It is a sweet rose indeed! I hope she doesn't fizz out for you and that she keeps up her beauty!! Have a lovely week!!!
ReplyDeleteVery good point about the foliage being as important as the Rose! That's why I trim my Roses way back after they bloom--they grow much more vigorously and they often rebloom in the fall. But you have so many more Roses! I'm glad this pretty Rose is perfect this year for you! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI bet you are right about the lack of rain. We are in another drought year, too. But of course we rarely have summer rains anyway. But we could sure use some fall, winter, and spring rains! Your Lemon Fizz is a pretty rose, though.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely rose. I agree about the foliage of roses - it should look healthy. I am so glad you are giving this rose another year.
ReplyDeleteI love Roses, but like you would not deal with blackspot. Let's hope this is the year that it just turned around and you are not going to deal with it anymore on this one.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
Hopefully next year it will do just as good, no leaf blackspot even if you get a bit more rain that you did this year :)
ReplyDeleteIt really is a pretty yellow, Holley. But it doesn't seem you are totally reconciled. . . . :)
ReplyDeleteNo worries, I think you have already redeemed yourself.
ReplyDeleteIt's just teasing you.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. It's so nice when the stars align - maybe because they so rarely do! It's so pretty, I might even keep it with blackspot.
ReplyDeleteI think plants know what you are thinking!
ReplyDeleteFunny how when I bad mouth a plant it starts to grow beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI am happening to be visiting various gardens in and around NY/NJ/PA and loving all the rose garden and especially their smell.
ReplyDeletehow thorny is this rose?
ReplyDeleteSorry it took me so long to respond - your comment was "lost" in blogger. Anyway, this rose is fairly thorny. It doesn't usually bother me, though, because it's such a small rose, so I don't get snagged by it.
Delete