Move over Madame

One of my favorite roses in my garden is Madame Plantier. She only blooms once in June but when she does she is covered with white, fragrant roses. Her canes are really flexible and drape over like a fountain. Her first year, in 2010, she grew about 3 feet. I bought her as an own root from Antique Rose Emporium, another favorite online rose vendor. The roses arrive really healthy and huge, in 2 gallon containers.

Madame doesn't mind the shade and she grows and blooms without any maintenance. She's an Alba, so doesn't need much pruning except for shaping. The best news is that she never gives me blackspot or any other diseases. Just a few aphids, but even they pretty much stay away. The beetles wouldn't dare go near her. If she was a re-bloomer, I think she'd be pretty much perfect.

This photo makes me laugh because of the dead spot right smack in the middle of the grass that drove David crazy. Madame Plantier in the distance.


M.P. shines amongst all the green when she's in bloom.



Winnie adds scale. You can see Madame in the background.

 I originally had Madame in the boxwood rose bed but she quickly outgrew that, so I moved her to the back bed last year. She's quickly outgrowing this bed too, so think I'm going to move her further back before she wakes up. You can see how flexible and long the canes are in the February shot below. 


I didn't plan to have Winnie in this photo but she can't resist a photo-op!


All of the roses are starting to bud, the tulips are showing and the forsythia is waking up (two weeks early). So,  I'm going to start pruning next weekend if the weather allows...