The “May Gray” has hit solidly, returning the temps to below normal from their nearly triple digits of recent memory. The great thing about high heat, then sixty degrees is how it triggers “once flowering” roses to “repeat”, which is what Banksiae lutescens and Hugonis are doing now.
I’ve been manic about collecting all the pollen possible from lutescens, Hugonis, Fedtschenkoana and my 1-72-1Hugonis as they are either only once flowering, or never produce a ton of flowers at one time. This gray afternoon, I was busily applying the 1-72-1Hugonis pollen to my Sunburn, Gold Badge and Golden Horizon; lutescens to Jim Sproul’s First Impression, Golden Angel and Cal Poly and Golden Horizon; and Golden Wings to 1-72-1Hugonis. I’d hoped Cecil would begin flowering in time for all of this, but he’s taking his time. I began to chuckle, remembering David’s post about his obsession with yellow roses and thought I should share my “yellow”, gray day.
Nothing like working with a bunch of yellows to assuage a grey day. Good luck with the hugonis.
And I don’t mean good luck with just the Hugonis, good luck with all those yellows, but esp., good luck with the lutescens and hugonis. You have an admirable group to work with.
Thank you! I’m hating this “May Gray” as it’s so damp, none of the pollen is drying. So, today, I collected Rayon Butterfed, Lauren and Golda Banks because more neat things are forming buds and a few are beginning to show some color. I’m still amazed how intensely fragrant lutescens pollen is! Intense, cinnamon-Allspice, not just a hint of it, but STRONG! I get virtually nothing from the blooms themselves, but dry a bunch of the anthers, stamen and pollen and take a whiff! The double handful of opening Lauren blooms were amazingly scented, too. Sweet, herbal and strong, my hands continued to smell like them for quite a while after I’d finished removing what I wanted.
Well, that’s going to roil up those allergies! I love the fragrance of pollen, Just another layer of rose fragrance that is seldom appreciated.