Gardening in north Orange County, California

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Rosa "Duchesse de Brabant"


This was apparently one of Theodore Roosevelt's favorites, often wearing it as a buttonhole. Perhaps it grows differently here in southern California, as it has very little scent and the blooms last only a few hours once cut, so not the ideal boutonnière here.  On the other hand, it grows enthusiastically with very little attention or water, and the loose blooms are really charming. In my garden, it is usually paler than this deep pink, but it enjoyed the recent rains!