My Barkarole/Taboo is starting on its third year in my garden and I'm wondering what I can do to help it become the lush, vigorous rose it is described to be. It's looking a little better this spring than it did last year, but still a bit sickly. It came sickly, and I didn't think it would survive, but since it has, I am optimistic that it can really take off. It does get lots of sun where it is but the soil is poor and it may be that it has not been getting enough water in the prior two years, so I've added extra drippers to it and am soaking it once a week with the hose. Should I feed it extra, or will that just add extra stress?

This rose tolerates lots of rain very well!
Even though it is very dark red and has resilient petals; it has a very good fragrance too!

This is a very nice "black" rose for those looking for one. Nice fragrance beautiful dark green/red foliage throughout the year. Resistant to disease and extremely hardy (I have grown it in zone 5b and 4a without problems). The buds are as close to black as I've every seen (think Black Jade) with the open bloom showing a little more red. The flower is on the small side, especially in the heat of summer, but I have never seen it burn in full sun and it keeps its velvety dark red color for a long time. Likes to send up basal shoots and may have some large sets of candelabras at the top of them. Still, they are born singly so a person might get up to a 20 flower bouquet out of one basal break. Grows tall - almost looks like a climber as another person mentioned. Highly recommended if you are looking for a fragrant, disease resistent, hardy, dark red and tall rose.

Taboo is one of my favorite roses. The color of this rose is a deep,deep,deep red. It is the end of March and the foliage is maroon. This rose is a real stand out in the garden.