The roses grew well except for two problems. The Pope John Paul II rose had sprouted more than 20 new stems that were about 2 inches long. They were all white because they hadn't been exposed to sunlight. Even though the plant appeared to be the most vigorous one of the bunch, all of these stems died. However, new ones did come out and the plant bloomed just fine later in the summer.
The other problem was with the Happy Chappy rose. It had a black stem between the roots and the green branches. The ends of the branches were also black. I planted it next to the trellis, since it had a large root system and new growth in several places; it is a ground cover type rose that grows a couple of feet tall, and I wanted to plant vines on the trellis without the rose interfering.
Unfortunately, there was some settling next to the trellis. Happy Chappy sank a little into the low area, likely causing it to become overwatered. I can't tell you whether its death was my fault or if it was already on its way out before I planted it. I lean toward the latter, but I can't prove it. I have a before picture of it that I took alongside the Lovestruck rose - I wanted to compare the large root system on the Happy Chappy and the skimpy roots on the Lovestruck. Lovestruck grew just fine.
Even though the rose company is reputable, the flower bed was prepared well, the planter was seasoned and the roses appeared to be developing well, not every plant will live. The J&P roses do come with a guide to planting.
If you are in the market for roses this summer, I can tell you from experience that this is a good group of roses. The Pope John Paul II rose is now in the Vatican private garden, and 10% of the net sales go to charitable causes. It produces pure white, 50 petaled blossoms with a strong citrus fragrance. It is disease resistant and grows over 4 feet tall.
I am going to buy a new Happy Chappy, because it wasn't only the right size for the spot, it is one of the wonderful roses that changes color as the flowers mature. They start out orange, fade out to yellow and finally to pink. The plant is covered with flowers when it is in bloom. Each flower is five-petaled and 1 inch in diameter.
Remember the Good 'n Plenty candy? I wish the rose by that name was licorice flavored, but instead it is a bright pink and white. The five-petaled flowers are bright pink on the outer edges and white at the center of the flower. A large cluster of yellow stamens adds to the interest. This is a shrub rose that is cold hardy and disease resistant.
There are three new floribunda roses from J&P. Mardi Gras is a tri-colored, 20-petaled flower that has a pink and orange blend that shifts down to a yellow base. This one is special because it is an All-American Rose Selections winner for 2008. Few roses win this coveted prize - this is one of the best roses anyone in the country can grow. It reaches 4 feet tall and has a light fragrance.
You may fall in love with Lovestruck. It has the look as if each petal has been hand painted by air brush with a dark pink etching on a light pink background. The 4-inch blooms have 25 petals, a light fragrance, and the plant grows around 3 feet tall.
Of the three floribundas, Laura Bush was my favorite. It has dark orangy-red flowers that are splashed with yellow, and a nice fragrance. There are up to 25 petals on the 4-inch flowers and the plant is around 3 feet tall.
If you want a grandiflora rose, Catalina may fit the bill. The almost 5-inch, soft pink, 40 petaled flowers look like the classic rose. The flowers are formed in clusters of three to five per stem on a 5-foot tall plant.
I saved the best for last, according to J&P. Each year they pick the rose they feel is their best new one. This year it is called April in Paris, which is a hybrid tea rose with large, 30-petaled white flowers and pink edges. They have a strong fragrance and the plant grows to 5 feet tall.
I wish I could grow every new plant from every grower in advance so I could tell you how I like the plant; however, that is the job of botanic gardens and test gardens. My yard isn't quite big enough, although I can dream.
E-mail questions to Jeff Rugg, Kendall County unit educator, University of Illinois Extension at jrugg@uiuc.edu.
