Getting Back to the Roots : Local Rosarians Offer Expert Advice on Best Bouquet Varieties for Southland Gardeners
If you fancy fresh-cut bouquets to decorate interiors, none is better for the job than our national flower, the rose. And none is more popular. In the fresh-flower trade, more roses are sold annually than any other single flower group.
You’d think that those roses that are best for the florist trade would also make the best choices for home gardeners who want long-lasting cut flowers, but the rose world doesn’t work that way.
Roses grown for the florist industry are altogether different from garden varieties. That explains why one hardly ever recognizes the names of roses sold by a florist. Their roses are selected for small foliage, attractive bud shapes (with little concern for open-bloom appearance), winter-blooming characteristics (when the demand is greatest) and long vase life. Outdoors, florists’ varieties often look quite dismal.
Gardeners aren’t looking for the same qualities, so different roses have been bred for them. These hardy, outdoor varieties will flood garden centers for the next few months, making this the perfect time to select roses.
Expert Advice by Locale
Because some roses produce better blooms for cutting than others, I asked local rose experts to report favorites for their geographical areas. Thomas Cairns and Luis Desamero, champion rose exhibitors and American Rose Society consulting rosarians, named 12 roses that grow well and provide excellent cut flowers for them in Studio City, a warm area on the Valley side of the Santa Monica Mountains. From Long Beach, where he tends more than 50 rose bushes and has tested hundreds of others in a coastal climate, rose authority Bill Wilke provided a list of his best performers. Finally, Tom Carruth, director of research at Weeks Roses in Ontario, revealed his preferences for cutting.
Their choices were surprisingly similar. Despite the different microclimates, these experts tended to name the same roses in each color category. Therefore, if your bushes aren’t providing you with all the cut flowers you crave, here’s a composite list to guide you through the bewildering array of bare-root varieties you’ll find in nurseries. All the following roses are hybrid teas unless noted otherwise.
Red: Every one of the experts picked Olympiad as the best red for cutting. It has brilliant, non-fading color and an incredibly long vase life. In second place was Mr. Lincoln, which lasts well and is marvelously fragrant too.
Yellow: Gold Medal, a deep-golden yellow with orange highlights, won unanimous approval not only for its cutting qualities but also for its long, exquisite buds and sweet fragrance.
Pink: The hands-down winner was Touch of Class, a coral-and-cream pink with classic, high-centered blooms. This rose was voted the favorite of all ARS exhibitors last year. The experts also liked Duet, with light-pink petals reversed by dark pink; Cherish (floribunda), shell-pink with heavy substance; Royal Highness, a light pink with fragrant blooms, which unfortunately is subject to mildew; Prima Donna, deep pink, and Queen Elizabeth, vigorous medium pink.
Mauve: The unanimous mauve choice was Blue Nile, a tall grower with multipetaled, fragrant blooms and large, attractive foliage. Also cited was Angel Face (floribunda), a dainty, ruffled lavender bloom with engaging fragrance.
White: The favorite white was Honor, a vigorous bush with fragrant, pointed buds. Also mentioned were Anastasia, Sheer Bliss, Chablis, French Lace (floribunda), and White Lightnin’ (floribunda).
Orange: Our experts weren’t too keen on any of the orange roses for bouquets. Voodoo is satisfactory but lacks grace; Brandy is gorgeous but drops its petals too soon.
Bicolor: Tops in this category is Double Delight, with its cherry-red-and-cream-colored, lemon-scented blossoms. The experts also liked Mon Cheri and Granada, both of which are fragrant, and Love, a disease-resistant beauty.
In my own garden, one rose amazed me with its continual supply of blossoms for cutting. Sonia (floribunda), whose coral buds are neither fragrant nor classical, nevertheless won my heart by producing far more long-lasting roses for bouquets than any other bush I own. It’s particularly charming in nosegays with Angel Face and Irish Lace.
