The following are most of the roses we grow at Talking Leaves. The numerical ratings are from the 10 point scale of the American Rose Society and can be found in the Handbook for Selecting Roses. The year in parenthesis denotes the year the rose was introduction into commerce.I often note the year I planted the rose.
Climbing Roses
Altissimo (8.5) Medium red. (1966) I fell in love with the blooms of this climber by contsantly being drawn to them on the show table at rose shows. The red blooms are large, semi-doubles, with a velvet cast of red. This climber grows to about eight feet high. Planted in May, 2000.
Climbing Cecile Brunner (8.3) Light pink. (1894) Planted on garden arbor in June of 1998.
Climbing Rainbow's End (not rated). Yellow blend.
Don Juan. (8.2) Dark red. (1958). This is a fantastic climber for Houston. Always seems to have lots of blooms.
Dortmund (9.4) 1955. Kordesii. Red. Climber to 10 feet.
New Dawn (8.5) (1930) Light pink. Plant Patent Number 1. Repeats. Very large climber. Best blooms in Spring and Fall. Planted in 1998.
Jeanne Lajoie (not rated). Medium pink. (1975).
Pinkie, climbing. (7.4) 1952. Polyantha. Pink. Sweet fragrance. Climber to 8 to 12 feet.
Sombreuil. (8.8) 1850. Tea Rose. Climber to 8 to 10 feet. White, with touch of pink.
Yellow Lady Banks (Rosa banksiae lutea) (8.8) 1824. Species. Climber from 8 to 20 feet. Light yellow.
Floribunda Roses:
Angel Face. (8.1) Mauve and mauve blend. (1968).A really different color.
Charisma. (6.9) Red blend. (1977) This is not a highly rated rose. It is an orange color, with red mixed in. I probably like this rose for sentimental reason because it was one of the first roses I grew. Vibrant colors if we have a cool spring.
Gruss an Aachen. (not rated) White. (1909).
Nearly Wild (7.4) Medium pink. (1941). This is a prolific bloomer with pleasant single petalled blooms. We planted this rose in 1999. It looks like an old garden rose and is reputed to be disease resistant. It has done well in our garden. It grows to less than 3 feet by 3 feet in our garden, making it a nice, manageable size.
Sunsprite. (8.7) Deep yellow. (1977). A great foribunda for Houston.
Valentine (6.3) Medium red. (1951). Planted in 2000.
Hybrid China Roses
Ducher. (8.1) White. (1869) Planted in September, 2000.
Hybrid Musk Roses
Penelope. (8.8) Light pink. (1924). Planted September, 2000.
Hybrid Tea Roses:
Broadway. (6.5) Yellow blend. (1986). This rose never did much in my garden. Shovel-pruned in 1999.
Chrysler Imperial. (7.8) Dark red. (1952). This rose is a great cut flower. Impressive.
Double Delight. (8.9) Red blend. (1977).
First Prize. (8.9) Pink blend. (1970).No longer grown as of 1999. Green Rose really crowded it out and we did not have room to replace it.
Granada. (8.3) Red blend. (1963).
Just Joey. (7.7) Orange and orange blend. (1972).
Mister Lincoln. (8.8) Dark red. (1964) I didn't have great luck with my blooms opening, but when they did they were magnificent. I shovel-pruned this rose in 1999 to try some other reds.
Pascali. (8.1) White. (1963). Watch for thrips on white roses. These insects turn the bloom a brownish color.
St. Patrick. (7.8) Yellow blend. (1996). Planted Spring 2000.
Tropicana. (7.9) Orange-red. (1960). No longer grown as of 1999. This is not a highly regarded rose among rose writers. The graft died during the summer of 1998 and I shovel pruned it in the Spring of 1999.
Touch of Class. (9.5) Orange-pink. (1987).
Uncle Joe. (7.7) Dark red. This is a favorite of exhibitors. My blooms would not open fully. I shovel-pruned this rose in 1999.
Miniature Roses
Adam's Smile. (7.7) Deep pink.
Black Jade. (8.3) Dark red.
Child's Play. (7.9) White.
Climbing Rainbow's End (not rated). Yellow blend.
Cuddles. (7.7) Orange-pink. (1978).
Dee Bennett. (7.7) Orange and orange blend.
Good Morning America. (7.5) Medium yellow.
Hot Tamale. (7.9) Yellow Blend. Planted Feb. 1998.
Jean Kenneally. (9.7) Apricot and apricot blend.
Kristin. (8.1) Red Blend. Planted Feb. 1998.
Magic Carrousel. (9.0) Red blend. (1972).
Millie Walters. (8.6) Orange-pink.
Minnie Pearl. (9.4) Pink blend.
New Beginnings. (7.1) Orange and orange blend. (1989)
Orange Honey. (7.8) Orange and orange blend.
Party Girl. (9.0) Yellow blend. (1979)
Peaches 'N Cream. (8.4) Pink blend. (1976).
Popcorn. (8.3) White. (1973).
Rainbow's End. (9.0) Yellow blend. (1986).
Razzmatazz. (6.9) Orange-red.
Rise 'N Shine. (9.1) Medium yellow. (1977).
Sachet. (7.1) Mauve. Planted Feb. 1998.
Scentsational. (8.2) Mauve. Strong scent. Planted Feb. 1998
June Laver. (7.7) Deep yellow. Planted Feb. 1998.
Starina. (9.0) Orange-red. (1965).
Texas. (6.2) medium yellow.
Old Garden Roses
Archduke Charles. (7.9) Red blend. (prior to 1837).
Caldwell Pink. (Not rated.) Year unknown. Polyantha. Pink. 3 x 3. Continuous blooms. Starts blooming later than most roses. No fragrance.
Cherokee Rose (Rosa laevigata). (7.4) White. (1759).
Chestnut Rose (Rosa roxburghii). (8.4) Medium pink. (prior to 1814). Ours has produced very few blooms.
Climbing Cecile Brunner (8.3) Light pink. (1894) Planted on garden arbor in June of 1998.
Cramoisi Superieur (8.6) Medium red. (1832). Planted in 1998.
Dortmund (9.4) 1955. Kordesii. Red. Climber to 10 feet. Planted in 1997.
Duchesse de Brabant. (8.6) 1857. Tea. Very fragrant. Pink. Teddy Roosevelt's favorite rose. Planted in Fall of 1997.
Green Rose (Rosa chinensis "Viridiflora"). (7.4) Green.(prior to 1845). This makes a great cut flower. So different it is striking. I highly recommend this rose as a conversation piece.
Highway 290 Pink Buttons. (not rated) Mini. Medium pink. Found rose. Constant blooms. Great landscape rose for touch of color. Planted in 1997.
Katy Road Pink. (Not rated.) Found rose. Shrub. Deep pink. Strong scent. Lots of blooms. Planted in Spring of 1997.
Louis Philippe. (8.5) Red blend. (1834).Always has lots of blooms.
Maggie. (Not rated.) Found rose. Bourbon. Soft crimson red. Large blooms. Sweetly scented. H = 6 feet. W = 4 feet.
Martha Gonzales. (not rated) Medium red. China. Found rose. 1984.
Mermaid. (8.3) Light yellow. (1918).Gigantic. I'm not kidding. I shovel pruned mine in February of 2002. I decided that, for a plant that only put on a real show of blooms in the spring, it was taking up way too much room. It covered a back fence for about 35 feet! And grew up about twenty feet into an oak tree. And had thorns that would reach out and grab you if you even got close. Pioneers used Mermaid (and Cherokee) as living fences. That's why I had it. I figured no bad guys would ever climb my back fence with Mermaid's thorns on guard. But in the end it just plain got too big. It was choking out Cherokee and Mutablis, and using up real estate that was calling out for other roses that have struck my fancy. It took many hours of pruning to get it back in bounds so I could did it up. I still like Mermaid, and if you live in the country, give it a try. But it is no city rose, even with an oversized lot. Plant it in the country where it will have room to play.
Monsieur Tillier (8.1) 1891. Tea. Orange pink.
Mrs. B.R. Cant. (8.7) 1901. Tea. Red. Constant blooms. Really large bush, it can reach eight feet tall by eight feet across if you don't watch out. Give this fantastic rose some space and you will be well rewarded. Planted May, 2000.
Mrs. Dudley Cross. (8.3) 1907. Tea. Yellow, edged in pink. Blooms constantly. Thornless. 4 x 4. This is one of the most popular old garden roses. Easily propagated.
Mutabilis (Rosa chinensis "Mutabilis"). (8.2)
Yellow blend. (prior to 1896).
Old Blush. (8.3) Medium pink. (1752) Steady performed. Great landscape rose. Planted from a cutting from Delia Trevino in July, 1996.
Pinkie, climbing. (7.4) 1952. Polyantha. Pink. Sweet fragrance. Climber to 8 to 12 feet.
Sombreuil. (8.8) 1850. Climbing Tea. White. Repeats steadily. 8 to 12 feet high. Planted in 1997.
Vincent Godsiff. (not rated) Date unknown. China. This is a found rose. Neon red color. Striking. No fragrance. Constant blooms. Grows about three feet high. Planted in 2000.
Yellow Lady Banks (Rosa banksiae lutea) (8.8) 1824. Species. Climber from 8 to 20 feet. Light yellow. Planted from a pot in Summer of 1997.
Polyantha Roses
China Doll. (7.9) Medium pink.
The Fairy. (8.7) Light pink. (1932).
LaMarne. (8.8) Pink blend. (1915). Planted September, 2000.
Margo Koster. (8.3) Orange and orange blend. (1931).
Marie Pavie (8.1) White.
Pinkie, climbing. (7.4) 1952. Polyantha. Pink. Sweet fragrance. Climber to 8 to 12 feet.
Shrub Roses
Belinda's Dream. (8.4) Medium pink. (1992). Planted September, 2000.
Knock Out. (8.6) Red blend. (2000). I got two Knock Outs in the Spring of 2003. They have been fantastic. Always in bloom. No blackspot. Great color on the blooms. For now, I'm growing my in clay pots on the back porch, with watering done by a drip system. Blooms are red. Size is listed as four by four if you plant them in the ground. Highly recommended.