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'Fragrant Surprise' rose Description
'Samaritan' rose photo
Photo courtesy of Jowita Czyż
Availability:
Commercially available
HMF Ratings:
66 favorite votes.  
Average rating: GOOD+.  
ARS:
Apricot or apricot blend Floribunda.
Registration name: HARverag
Exhibition name: English Sonnet ™
Origin:
Bred by Harkness & Co. (United Kingdom, before 1988).
Introduced in United Kingdom by R Harkness & Co. Ltd. in 1991 as 'Fragrant Surprise'.
Introduced in United States by Heirloom Roses, Inc. (USA) in 1996 as 'Samaritan'.
Introduced in United States by Jackson & Perkins Co. in 1999 as 'Samaritan'.
Class:
Floribunda, Hybrid Tea.  
Bloom:
Apricot, pink shading.  Strong, anise, cinnamon, fruity, spice fragrance.  41 to 90 petals.  Average diameter 4.25".  Large, very full (41+ petals), borne mostly solitary, cluster-flowered, in small clusters, cupped, old-fashioned, quartered bloom form.  Blooms in flushes throughout the season.  
Habit:
Medium, bushy, spreading, upright.  Medium, glossy, dark green foliage.  

Height: 30" to 39" (75 to 100cm).  Width: 2' (60cm).
Growing:
USDA zone 7b through 10b.  Can be used for beds and borders, cut flower or garden.  Very hardy.  Spring Pruning: Remove old canes and dead or diseased wood and cut back canes that cross. In warmer climates, cut back the remaining canes by about one-third. In colder areas, you'll probably find you'll have to prune a little more than that.  Requires spring freeze protection (see glossary - Spring freeze protection) .  Can be grown in the ground or in a container (container requires winter protection).  
Patents:
Patent status unknown (to HelpMeFind).
Notes:
Participated in the 1988 Monza Competition (Source: Website Roseto Niso Fumagalli).
In their catalog of new roses for 1999, Jackson & Perkins lists this under "English Roses".


Treloar Roses also describes Samaritan as having "David Austin type" cupped blooms in yellow tonings...


Heirloom Old Garden Roses says Lawrence of Arabia™ (HARverag) is one of Harkness Roses' English Legend Roses. The blooms are apricot-gold and cherry coral. (HOGR also gives a date of 1996.)