Hybrid Tea – Texas Rose Lady

December 2019: Hoagy Carmichael

Dec 19, 2019

Rosa Hoagy Carmichael was bred by Sam McGredy IV in 1982 and introduced by McGredy Roses International of New Zealand. Classified as a medium red, hybrid tea rose, it blooms often on a medium sized bush. The flowers of this variety are stunning in color and shape. Each flower opens with high centers and as the bloom ages, the petals begin to quill, or roll under. It is not only a beautiful garden rose, but an excellent show rose that holds its form. As most red roses are richly scented, this beauty sadly has little or no fragrance.

Rose Hoagy Carmichael was chosen as December’s Rose of the Month to honor American singer, songwriter, and actor Hoagland Howard “Hoagy” Carmichael who passed away on December 27, 1981. Born in Bloomington, Indiana to an electrician father and pianist mother, Hoagy attended Indiana University where he earned a law degree and also formed his own jazz band. After practicing law in Palm Beach Florida for a while, Hoagy abandoned law career for music after one of his earliest song writing achievements “Washboard Blues” was recorded. He moved to New York and then on to Hollywood to live out a 30 year career of songwriting and performing. Two of his greatest hits include “Stardust” and “Georgia on My Mind”. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1971.

November 2019: Sedona

Nov 30, 2019

Rosa Sedona was bred by Dr. Keith W. Zary in 2008 and later introduced in the United States by Jackson and Perkins in 2010. Classified as an orange-red rose, this hybrid tea grows on an upright, medium sized bush and is a real standout in the garden. As a cross between rosas “Artistry x Sultry”, the blooms of this specimen exude a lovely fragrance reminiscent of pears. Its flowers are stunning with its outer petals a deep cherry red changing color as you move closer to the center of the flower exhibiting petals of vibrant shades of orange. This is a beautiful rose!

If you have ever been to Sedona, Arizona you have seen for yourself the ever-changing colors of the red rock formations that surround the area as the sun sets upon them. The colors captured in these rocks have made Sedona a popular tourist destination and Rosa Sedona was chosen as November’s Rose of the Month for the city’s namesake. Sedona, Arizona is named after Sedona Arabella Miller Schnebly, the wife of the town’s first postmaster, Theodore Carl Schnebly. Sedona spent her last years in the town that was named for her, passing away on November 13, 1950. A statue of her stands in front of the town’s library.

October 2019: Deidre Hall

Oct 15, 2019

Rosa Deidre Hall was hybridized by Eddie Edwards in 2006 and sold in the United States by K and M Nursery of Buckatunna, Mississippi. Registered as a yellow blend, the blooms of this hybrid tea are cream with a yellow throat, and the petals are flushed with pink and edged in a fine line of darker pink. This is a stunning rose in every stage. When it first blooms, it has perfect exhibition form with high centers and crisp petals. As an open bloom, it displays a perfectly arranged set of pronounced golden stamens surrounded by a burst of color. The plant grows as an upright, tall bush with long straight stems and is the product of a cross between an unnamed seedling and Rosa Santa Fe.

This lovely rose was chosen as October’s Rose of the Month to celebrate its namesake, actress Deidre Hall, born on October 31, 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Growing up in Lake Worth, Florida, Ms. Hall pursued a career in psychology after college but got side tracked into acting. She is best known for creating her own role as Dr. Marlena Evans on the ever popular daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives. Her portrayal of Marlena Evans has spanned over 40 years and earned Ms. Hall numerous acting awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California in 2016.

September 2019: Tiffany

Sep 29, 2019

Rosa Tiffany was hybridized by Robert V. Lindquest before 1953 and later introduced in the United States in 1954 by Howard Rose Company. The bloom of this lovely hybrid tea is rose pink with yellow undertones and salmon flushing on the petal edges. It grows on long straight stems of a tall bush and its fragrance is strong and fruity. As the prodigy of Rosa Charlotte Armstrong x Girona, this timeless variety has been a staple of rose gardens for decades and its classic high centered blooms have made it a contender for many awards.

Rosa Tiffany was chosen as September’s Rose of the Month to commemorate the opening of the world famous store of Tiffany & Co.

Charles Lewis Tiffany was born in 1812 in Killingly, Connecticut and in his mid-twenties (with $1000 in financial backing from his father) moved to New York and founded “Tiffany and Young” with his childhood friend John F. Young. Opening its doors on September 18, 1837, the store was originally operated as a stationery and fancy goods emporium on Broadway in New York City.

In 1841, the store became Tiffany, Young and Ellis. In 1848 the firm began to manufacture jewelry and and silverware. Charles Tiffany adopted the standards of English silver in 1851, thereby establishing the term “sterling” in the United States and in 1853 he obtained sole control of the firm, which was thereafter known as Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany pioneered what would become a classic engagement ring style, the raised solitaire diamond, six-prong “Tiffany Setting”, and his store became the destination place for engaged couples to shop.

Their flagship store has operated at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57^th Street in Manhattan, New York City since 1940.

August 2019: Lucille Ball

Aug 31, 2019

Rosa Lucille Ball was hybridized by Jack E. Christensen in the U.S. in 1991 and was later introduced to the rose world in 1993 by Bear Creek Gardens, Inc. Classified as an apricot blend, the petals of this hybrid tea rose are a peachy yellow blend with soft cream overtones. Growing on an upright bush, its moderately fragrant blooms are classically formed with high centers that open fully in the heat. It is a beautiful rose; the result of crossing Rosas Hello Dolly x (Sunprite x Brandy). It makes a stunning garden rose with occasional show table possibilities.

Rosa Lucille Ball was chosen as the Rose of the Month for August to celebrate the American actress and pioneer in comedy, Lucille Desiree Ball, who was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York.

She began her career as a model, transitioning into acting roles on the stage and screen. But, it was television that captured Lucy’s true talent as a comedienne. She created her own T.V. series, I Love Lucy, with her then husband, Desi Arnaz. Her work in T.V. broke barriers for women in the entertainment business as she became a producer and the founder of her own movie studio, Desilu Productions. Her skills behind the scenes of Desilu transformed the way studios created and produced movies and television series. These techniques included filming in front of live audiences and using three cameras during production.

Lucy and Desi had two children together which they continued to co-parent after their divorce. They remained close friends throughout the rest of their lives, although each re-married others. Lucy died in 1989 from a ruptured aorta at the age of 77. She was one of a kind!

July 2019: Sandra

Jul 31, 2019

Rosa Sandra was hybridized for the florist industry by W. Kordes and Sons before 2002 and was then introduced in Germany in 2002. This stunning rose is classified as an orange pink hybrid tea, and like many florist roses, it has little fragrance. But, what stands out about this specimen is its unique coloration; each peachy salmon petal is edged in a dark cerise pink to create a most unusual flower. It blooms on long straight, almost thorn-less stems and creates a rather tall, but compact bush. It is a real eye catcher in the garden, but is also a great contender on the show table.

Not knowing for whom this rose was actually named, I chose Rosa Sandra for July’s rose of the month to celebrate one my favorite actresses, Sandra Annette Bullock, who was born on July 26, 1964 in Arlington, Virginia. Her mother was a German opera singer, her father an American voice teacher. She has one sister, Gesine. She spent most of her childhood in Nuremberg, Germany, returning to the states during her adolescence. She attended acting school in North Carolina until she moved to New York to pursue a career on stage. Once into film, her role in the movie Speed launched her career as an actress and her role in the film The Blind Side won her an Oscar. She has been the highest paid actress in the world on two occasions and has won the hearts of millions. As a mom of two adopted children, she has found her most important role. Happy Birthday to one of America’s Sweethearts!

June 2019: Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Jun 30, 2019

Rosa Anne Morrow Lindbergh was bred by William A. Warriner before the year 1993 and in 1994, Jackson Perkins introduced this rose in the United States. Classified as a pink blend, the flowers of this beautiful hybrid tea are cream, the outer petals flushed with salmon pink, and its centers a pale yellow. This richly perfumed variety blooms on a medium size bush in consistent flushes throughout the growing season. As a classically formed rose, its high centers make this specimen a contender for the show table in addition to it being a great garden rose.

This lovely rose was named after author and aviator Anne Morrow Lindbergh and chosen as the Rose of the Month for June to commemorate her birth on June 6,^,1906. She was married to Charles A. Lindbergh, the high-profile aviator whose solo flight across the Atlantic made him a hero of immense proportions. In 1930, Anne became the first American woman to earn a first-class glider pilot’s license and with her husband Charles, they contributed to the field of aviation by exploring and charting air routes between continents.

They again made headlines when their first born son was kidnapped; his body found, later, four miles from their home. Following this historic kidnapping, the United States Congress adopted a federal kidnapping statute (popularly known as the Lindbergh Law) which was intended to allow federal authorities step in and pursue kidnappers once they had crossed state lines with their victim. The Act became law in 1932. During their marriage, the Lindbergh’s were to have several more children.

Anne received numerous honors and awards throughout her life in recognition of her contributions to both literature and aviation.

April 2019: Tropicana

Apr 16, 2019

Rosa Tropicana was bred by Mathias Tantau, Jr. of Germany in 1960 and was later introduced in the United States by Jackson Perkins in 1962. This hybrid tea rose has withstood the test of time as a garden rose with show table possibilities. Each brilliantly colored bloom of vermilion with salmon-pink overtones grows atop long straight stems on a tall plant. Passersby will be drawn to this lovely specimen for its brightly colored flowers and fruity fragrance.

Rosa Tropicana was chosen as April’s Rose of the Month to celebrate the opening of the famous “Tropicana Las Vegas” on April 4, 1957. Ben Jaffe bought 40 acres of land in Las Vegas to build the 12^th resort on the strip. Both the designer and builder were hired from Miami to create this Y-shaped, 15 million dollar, 300 room resort-hotel with a tropical theme in Paradise, Nevada. Opening night festivities included the “Tropicana Revue”, a $250,000 musical starring Eddie Fisher in the Theatre Restaurant. In its heyday, The Tropicana was called the “Tiffany of the Strip”, although throughout the years it has suffered financially, changing hands numerous times, and in 2015 was purchased by Penn National Gaming for 360 million dollars.

March 2019: Woman’s Value

Mar 24, 2019

Rosa Woman’s Value was bred by Reimer Kordes in Germany in 1984 and was then introduced in South Africa by Ludwig’s Roses. Classified as an orange-pink hybrid tea, this beautiful high centered rose blooms in shades of creamy pale coral with slightly darker salmon centers. It grows on a medium size bush that is slightly spreading, is a reliable bloomer, and has a light fragrance. This stunning rose is the product of: [{Sonia x (Dr. A.J. Verhage x Colour Wonder) x Zorina} x Asso di Cuori].

Rosa Woman’s Value was chosen as the Rose of the Month for March to celebrate Women’s History Month. Women’s History Month in the United States grew out of a week long celebration of women’s contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978. Presentations were given at dozens of schools, hundreds of students participated in a “Real Woman” essay contest, and a parade was held in downtown Santa Rosa.

A few years later, the idea had caught on within communities, school districts and organizations across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week. The U.S. Congress followed suit the next year, passing a resolution establishing a national celebration. Six years later, the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire month of March.

February 2019: All My Loving

Feb 27, 2019

Rosa All My Loving was bred by Gareth Fryer prior to 2011 when it was introduced by Fryers Roses in the UK. The high centered blooms of this Cerise pink hybrid tea rose are moderately fragrant and grow on a medium size, upright bush. When just open, the bloom is a contender for the show table, but warm temps tend to blow the bloom out quickly. Being the offspring of Rosas Silver Anniversary crossed with Stephen’s Big Purple, this beauty is a stand out in any garden and it is a great bloomer.

Rosa All My Loving was chosen as February’s rose of the month in celebration of Valentine’s Day, a day we set aside to share with the ones we love. But who can read the name of this rose and not think of the song the Beatles made famous “All My Loving”, written by Paul McCartney and recorded by the group in July of 1963. It is one of the few songs McCartney wrote the words to first before attaching the music. In 1964, this iconic tune was the opening number for the Beatles debut performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. You just had to be there!