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HanfordRose
most recent 23 MAR 11 SHOW ALL
 
Initial post 18 MAR 07 by HanfordRose
I have grown more than 2,500 varieties of rose, and this is one of my top 3 roses ever. It is in a 3 way tie for the best rose that I have ever grown.

I grew this rose longer than any person in the world, because I owned the original plant for many years, before I finally decided to introduce it as the last letter of the Dee Bennett alphabet of roses. I saved the best for last.

This is a perfect rose, gorgeous color, form and foliage on a huge (about 3 x 3 foot bush) that make non-stop bouquets of flowers. This is a great rose for garden display and for harvest cut flowers for the house or the trophy table. I have never seen disease on any plant of this rose.

If I could only have 3 roses, this would be one of them.
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Reply #1 of 10 posted 19 MAR 07 by digger
Sue forced me to get this rose in 2001. Ultimate Pleasure took a few years to get established in zone 4/5. It has become everything she promised and a little more.

Dave
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Reply #2 of 10 posted 18 FEB 10 by Leslie Davis
I was looking for more info on this today, I have to measure mine it's closer to 5x5, I had to put square tomato cages around it last summer, it was a runaway. Sprinklers were knocking the rose bloom heavy canes down.
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Reply #3 of 10 posted 18 MAY 10 by timdufelmeier
Great, now that you've turned me on to UP, I see that the shut down NorEast was the only source. Do you think that Burlington in Visalia will have it? Are you in the Hanford next door.
Anything with Gene Boerner as a mommy or daddy has got to be great. I don't even like coral but I love that rose!
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Reply #4 of 10 posted 18 MAY 10 by Sue Curry
I now live in the high desert community of Silver Springs, Nevada...far from Visalia. Greenheart (aka Nor'East) is still around. They are now wholesale only, but they may be able to recommend a source. I am sure that Ultimate Pleasure was not just stopped as a production plant for them. Call Greenheart and ask for help in locating a plant. They might still be able to help you.
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Reply #5 of 10 posted 18 MAY 10 by timdufelmeier
THANKS FOR THE TIP. I am going to check out Vislalia's Burlington Rose Nursery, which is owned by a former Ralph Moore colleague the next time I visit my brother in Porterville. I think Greehheart listed them as an outlet for their stock.
What do you think of Always a Lady and Little Carol? I locared AAL from Johns Roses but I fear Lil Carol maybe unavailable.
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Reply #6 of 10 posted 18 MAY 10 by Sue Curry
As for Always A Lady and Little Carol, I love them both and have in my garden here. Always A Lady will stay about knee as rule and make a bounty of fragrant, lavender blooms. Little Carol will make a MUCH LARGER plant, even 5 to 6 feet tall. It is NOT A CLIMBER; it is just a magnificent, generous bush which makes for a great hedge or background rose. The blooms are mini flora size and deep pink. The flowers are heavily-petaled and last a long time on the plant for a superior garden display.

Mom named this rose for my oldest friend. Little Carol and I have been friends for almost 61 years. She is only 4 foot 7 inches, and her namesake rose is one of the biggest roses that Mom ever created. That's why it has a big spot in my garden to fill. Give it at least 4 feet of growing ground.
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Reply #7 of 10 posted 18 MAY 10 by timdufelmeier
OMG! You are the GREAT Dee Bennett's kid! My best friend used to go to Tiny Petals Nursey all the time in 90s. Sometimes he would pick up orders for me. He had even relayed that story you just mentioned about LIL CAROL's short namesake, because I loved the rose so much. Did you work in the nursery? I think he mentioned that he had met her daughter and son-in-law. I had both AAL and Lil Carol (my fave!) for years, but gave them away in 2002. I had to get rid of 85 roses on order from the City of LA, because I had planted them in the parking strip. They claimed it had become a traffic hazzard.
I used to visit a beautiful mini nursey in Yorba Linda owned by Laurie Chapin a lot too. I loved her roses a lot, but even she agreed that your Mom was the maestro! My sister in law in Silver Lake is gonna die when she finds out you emailed me. She has about 10 or more Bennett minis (but not AAL and LC, dammit).
I will take your tips even more to heart now considering your level of espertise!
Thank you so much.
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Reply #8 of 10 posted 19 MAY 10 by Sue Curry
Yes. I am 'the GREAT' Dee Bennett's oldest girl. Mom left our family home and Tiny Petals Nursery to me, when she passed away in 1987, along with all of her remaining test roses. That was quite a responsibility. I spent the next 15 years working in the nursery and introducing her wonderful test roses, including some of Mom's finest, like Irresistible, Ultimate Pleasure, Yantai, Kay Denise...and so many more.

That's why I wanted to get as many of Mom's rose in the ground at my home in Nevada as possible, before Greenheart went totally wholesale. My garden here will never be as grand as my big garden in California, but it is a constant joy to know that some of these roses still are near by. I will be lucky to see blooms for even 3 months in this high desert valley, but Mom's roses are the hardiest I could grow in this awful climate. They came through summer heat and a long, freezing winter with NO PROTECTION at all. I didn't lose a single one, which more than I can say for the big roses.

By the way, my name is Sue Curry. I used to be Sue O'Brien. For some reason, I can't seem to log in on HMF with my name anymore. If you want to contact me away from HMF, my e-mail is xxxxxxxx@yahoo.com.


[HMF ed - Sue, we x'd out your email address as you're sure to get spammed by including it in your message text and it's not needed not that you're able to sign on using your original account.]
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Reply #9 of 10 posted 19 MAY 10 by HanfordRose
Hurray! I finally got logged on with my HMF screen name. I don't have to be anonymous anymore.
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Reply #10 of 10 posted 23 MAR 11 by Leslie Davis
Hate to tell you Sue, but Always A Lady hit 5' tall now. She likes the heat and now fully mature, stays slim but tall, about 3=1/2' wide:) Thanks for the roses! All of them with the exception of My Sunshine are stellar tall minis, I have to keep telling people they're minis. mini refers to the bloom not the rose, lol*
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most recent 17 MAY 10 SHOW ALL
 
Initial post 13 MAY 07 by HanfordRose
This rose was named for my baby sister, Delight. I wish that I could say that Mom picked a good namesake rose for her youngest child, but I'm afraid she did not. The small plant makes a few, pink to peach colored blooms that are not impressive. The bigger problem is a tendency to mildew and the minimal amount of blooms.
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Reply #1 of 1 posted 17 MAY 10 by Unregistered Guest
I've been searching for this for years. It grows great for me in Florida. I've won Royalty with it a couple of times.
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most recent 23 MAY 09 SHOW ALL
 
Initial post 22 MAR 07 by HanfordRose
This fasting growing plant makes tons of pale pink roses on long cutting stems. The blooms last so long that the bush seem to be in a constant display of flowers. The bush will get almost 3 feet tall and wide, so give it room.

If it has one drawback, it would be the center of the blooms. This mini is not one that I would recommend for exhibiting, as the form can drop out as the flower opens. For non-exhibitors, that's not a problem, 'cause you will be too busy cutting bouquets for your home. : )

By the way, one of Mom's customers named this rose. When she saw the blooms on this mini, she said, "They look just like pink porcelain."...and a mini rose was named on the spot.
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Reply #1 of 1 posted 23 MAY 09 by Tirzah
You have the same photo for Pink Porcelain as for Old Fashioned Girl. Are they the same rose?
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most recent 11 APR 09 SHOW ALL
 
Initial post 19 MAR 07 by HanfordRose
This is the MOST FRAGRANT ROSE to ever grow in any of my gardens. That includes the bigger varieties too. The plant is vigorous and make healthy, shiny foliage topped off by gorgeous, soft lavender blooms. The flowers have plenty of petals and beautiful form that lasts for several days.

This is definite a must have for anyone who loves fragrance and/or lavender roses.
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Reply #1 of 10 posted 12 APR 07 by Unregistered Guest
Hi! Sweet Arlene looks very lovely, and I can't get enough fragrant roses. Can you categorize the fragrance? Do you know if Sweet Arlene sets hips? That would seal the deal for sure!
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Reply #2 of 10 posted 13 APR 07 by HanfordRose
Categorize the fragrance? Hmm? Strong, more damask than fruity...certainly not spicy...just heavenly sweet.

Hips? Yes. Fat hips are produced which contain fat seeds. Enlarge the second photo in this section, which shows my hand with a spray of large blooms. If you look closer at the stems in the background, you can see a few of the hips on the stems (upper left and lower right of the photo).
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Reply #3 of 10 posted 13 APR 07 by Unregistered Guest
Thank you for the reply! Sounds like SA is a "must have" for me. Those hips look good. Have you germinated any SA seeds? I'm a dabbling with breeding, just starting out, and this looks like a sweet avenue to pursue. HMF doesn't say anything about the parentage - do you have any info you could share? I was wondering if she has Angel Face in the background like my current favorite mini-flora, Something for Judy.
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Reply #4 of 10 posted 24 FEB 08 by Unregistered Guest
How would you compare Sweet Arlene to Violet Mist, including fragrance, diseases, insects (thrips), bloom productivity, and vaselife.
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Reply #5 of 10 posted 24 FEB 08 by kentucky_rose
How does Sweet Arlene compare to Violet Mist, with regards to fragrance, diseases, insects (thrips), bloom producing, and vaselife?
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Reply #6 of 10 posted 24 FEB 08 by RoseBlush
I have grown both roses and love them both. Sweet Arlene had the stronger fragrance and beautiful ruffled blooms, but I think Violet Mist is the stronger plant. This only based upon my personal experience while growing the roses in containers in southern California. If I had to choose between one or the other, I would go with VM. As for diseases and insects, I didn't have problems with either rose. Bloom production was great on both roses. Vase life ? I would say that VM has more substance in the petals of its blooms, so would have a longer vase life. I don't really cut flowers for indoors since I have cats that manage to upset any and all vases I put out.

Smiles,
Lyn
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Reply #7 of 10 posted 25 FEB 08 by Unregistered Guest
Having grown both of these roses in the ground and for many years, I can truly say that Sweet Arlene makes blooms that are more fragrant, have stronger substance to the petals and definitely last longer on the bush or as cut blooms. I love both of these roses which my Mom created, but I chose Sweet Arlene to be among the first roses that I put in my new garden in Hanford. Only the best of Mom's roses have a place in this garden. I would put Sweet Arlene in my top 10 roses. That is saying a lot, when you consider that I have grown more than 2500 different varieties. This is a 'must have'; Violet Mist is a 'maybe later'. : )
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Reply #8 of 10 posted 25 FEB 08 by kentucky_rose
Thanks for your response! I would love to know what are your top 10 picks.
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Reply #9 of 10 posted 25 FEB 08 by HanfordRose
My top ten mini or mini flora roses would be:
1. Ultimate Pleasure
2. Irresistible
3. Yantai (could be #4)
4. My Sunshine (maybe #3...They are both great.)
5. Magic Carrousel (or Rosy Dawn, it's baby. Either of them is great; but only one is needed for a small garden)
6. Sweet Arlene (I told you it was great!)
7. Kay Denise
8. Cheer Up
9. Herbie
10. Grace Seward...or maybe Roseketeer...or maybe Rowdy Roy...or maybe Think Pink...or maybe...well. You can see the problem, when you ask a old rosarian for her top ten.

In the bigger varieties, I am passionate about Sombreuil, which never should have been reclassified from OGR to plain climber. A Dowager Queen has been insulted by this reclassification.

I also have a bizarre love for the species rose, Rosa Chinensis Viridiflora. What's not to love about a truly green rose with a mysterious past?

Among the floribundas, I adore Gene Boerner, Sonia, Red Gold, Playgirl, Playboy and Angel Face. However, French Lace is my favorite in this class, though I have allowed Iceberg into my garden as a tree rose. Those great, white Floribundas do make great garden displays.

In the HT and grandiflora classes, I have several old loves, like Futura, Aquarius, Double Delight, Rio Samba, Blue Nile and Gold Medal. If I could grow only one, it would be Kardinal...no...Bonnie Jack...or maybe New Day. Yes, I know New Day makes terrible centers; but it was my first Queen of Show; and it made a couple of trophy winning centers...just for me. : )

I haven't grown most of the newer big roses, because I was limited pretty much to minis from 1986 to 2001 by my ownership of a mini rose nursery. My new hubbie and I only have a small space for growing roses now, so minis dominate.

I hope that this helps answer your question.
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Reply #10 of 10 posted 11 APR 09 by anonymous-261803
HanfordRoseThank you so much for all the valuable information. As I plan my rose garden, it helps to know what's on the favorite's list of an experienced rosarian. Also, I appreciate the 'insider' comments on these roses.
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