Someone, who shall remain nameless, teases me constantly about my strong affinity to modern hybrid tea roses bred during the 1950's through the 1970's… And, I must admit, it's true. Subconsciously (thank you Dr. Freud) I have been drawn to roses from this era. Out of my 25 plus roses, at least 9 are from this time period. Why is this? I have thought it over long and hard and I can only come up with one reason: I am trying to recapture some of the things from childhood. Things that awed and inspired and made me fantasize about a world I was just beginning to grasp.

There were so many things, where to start…? There were the Movie Stars, especially Marilyn Monroe; chic Make-Up; Glamour; Mink Coats; Models; Daiquiris; Peter Max; Twiggy; The Beatles; Trader Vic's; the Dean Martin and Laugh-In Shows; and so much more thrown in but too much to mention all at once…Having grown up during the 60's and 70's, there were the mini-skirts, go-go boots, false eyelashes and over the top make-up and fashion were in vogue…as were many of the roses introduced during this time.

Movie stars like Raquel Welch, Elizabeth Taylor and Doris Day were running around acting sultry, exotic and innocent all at the same time. I cannot help but think the roses of the time reflected the same...

What about...

'Tropicana'

Voluptuous, bright, neon orange, uncommonly alluring, strong scent… and HIGH maintenance.

'JFK'

White, clean and pure, an innocence of times gone by and heavenly fragrance.

'Chrysler Imperial'

What rose can say more about the importance of our cars back then and what they stood for...the richness of the leather interior, gleaming chrome, pure colors and the luxury of this flower's velvet red petals.

'Double Delight'

Double delicious-just like Doris Day (all these double DD's!) fresh yet seductive and innocent all at the same time and ever so sweet smelling.

'Electron'

The hot, shocking pink stops you dead in your tracks-it almost glows pink, like a lava lamp, or a Peter Max poster or like Ms. Taylor's shocking, violet blue eyes.

'Miss All American Beauty'

Speaking of beauty; perfect good looks, great fragrance, and curvaceous to boot, how many Miss America and Miss USA pageants did I watch on the floor of my living room over the years… wishing I too would someday be a beauty queen…

'Mr. Lincoln'

THE classic red rose, the classic beauty…what a better symbolism of life in the 50's and 60's when things were simpler… remember TV's "Father Knows Best"? Or the understated but nonetheless simple but beautiful and classic Grace Kelly?

'Century Two'

Pretty and long stemmed just like the long legged fashion models or Nancy Sinatra and her boots that were made for walking.

'New Day'

Perhaps, for almost obvious reasons, this reminds me of Bonanza episodes… maybe it's the allure of the wild west and the 'yellow rose of Texas' connection… I just see red checkered tablecloths, yellow roses and ponderosa pines when I think about their big ole house…

Whatever it is, there were some remarkable roses bred during these times. You could also say that the 'queen of flowers' was in her prime then, right along with so many other things 'Americana'. I love these dreamy roses. Many of them are certainly more high maintenance than the "new and improved" roses of today or especially when compared to the gals that thrive even in neglect, the old garden roses. But that's okay with me … I will continue to fuss over the few that need it and the ones that don't are doing just fine by me, thank you. Like their Baby Boomer counterparts, just because they are getting a bit past their prime doesn't mean they are ready to go down without a fight! They just don't want to be forgotten. And a bit of care is all they require… to paraphrase the Beatles "all they need is love" (okay and maybe a little 'Dan Bifano' fertilizer mix yoo!) Only a few need a bit of spraying here and there.

I will say this: their lasting beauty in a vase is unsurpassed as is their fragrance. Like their symbolic contemporaries-they are eye catching and downright luscious. So, I consider them iconic classics… Not, in the same context as the 'true classics'… those timeless OGR's that are starting to grace my garden, but classics nonetheless. From a time gone by that leaves one a bit wistful when thinking of the glamour, fun, and innocence of those past decades. Whoever said when one grows up, you spend all your time trying to recapture your youth was right… And it's not impossible, you can recapture a tiny bit of it-maybe just not in the way you thought… With these roses, that's okay, that's enough for me.