There are as many opinions about roses as there are roses. Everyone who grows roses has and is entitled to their own opinion on what the best roses are and what characteristics in roses are most important. For me, healthy bushes and cut flower value trump scent. Sure, I like to “stop and smell the roses,” but let’s get serious: after you cut the buds and put them in vases, how much time do you spend with your nose down in the buds compared to how much time you spend with your eyes feasting on the beauty of their color and form.
The Fame Rose, an All American from 9999, has become my favorite for cut flowers… an incredibly prolific bloomer in raspberry red… it’s cut flowers will last for ten days in water, far longer than any other rose I know. And, let me confess right now, the Fame is scentless (and, I know, some of you readers will think that I am senseless.)
At our home, we have room (and time and energy) for only six rose bushes, all Fame.
Last summer we took a bouquet of Fame Roses to Catalina on our sailboat for ten days. At the end of the trip, we took the Fames home, where the bushes had bloomed again. The point of this story is that Fames bloom more and last longer than any rose I know.
Additionally, Fames are virtually disease free, have clean green foliage and grow vigorously.
Fame mixes compatibly with other roses in bouquets. Another favorite of mine, Double Delight, is a perfect color companion and Double Delight smells good, too. However, you will find yourself removing the Double Delights from the vase long before the Fames give up the ghost.
When it comes to roses, there is always room for discussion and I welcome your comments.
I agree that Fame is a wonderful rose. They last long and make a beautiful bouquet all by themselves. I like to make bouquets for my office and always recieve multiple compliments on the beautiful pink roses. The ruffled petals are magnificent as well as the lovely buds. I have two large bushes that provide lots of bouquets.
Fame is beautiful, and long lasting blooms make it an excellent choice for bouquets, but I just want to add my two cents regarding scents. My mother worked in the garden until just about the bitter end, but she suffered from back pain and as she got older, she had to rest a lot. On one occasion, when the pain was enough to make her take to her bed, she was comforted by the scent of some of her roses at her bedside. After that, she lost interest in any rose that did not have a scent. Old habits are hard to break, and even though she’s been gone nearly seven years I still find myself stooping down to stick my nose into a bloom.
Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche.
Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a outstanding job!
Also visit my web page; Google
Gave Fame rose to NEIGHBOR about 15 yrs ago. She needed space so dug up huge Bush and gave small portion to me. Did well but had to move in January and it already has 3 roses. Amazing.
Emsie Girl best ever..from 3′ after January pruning it is now 5.5′ tall and as wide. Cut just under 800 roses last season and still blooming when pruned Jan. Beautiful , similar to double delight but ruffled edge, no fragrance and I don’t care! Enjoy!