I’ve scanned this article from the 1926 American Rose Annual as it contains information some here may find interesting. Particularly toward the end where mention is made of “dead ends”, directions which were found to be of little to no use. Of course, these lines were combinations of Hybrid Teas and the species stated, but may still have some validity. If nothing else, it’s interesting reading what efforts were taken 76 years ago to evaluate and continue Van Fleet’s work after his death. It sounds quite a bit like Nat’s efforts at TAMU with Ralph’s. Clicking on the images permits you to enlarge them for easier reading. I really enjoyed the Hugonis information!
[flickr_photo src=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6980360951_9536ca485a.jpg nsid=67995840@N04 id=6980360951]carrying on van fleet’s work 1926 (1)[/flickr_photo]
[flickr_photo src=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7193/6980360957_cbb52a9f53.jpg nsid=67995840@N04 id=6980360957]carrying on van fleet’s work 1926 (2)[/flickr_photo]
[flickr_photo src=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7056/6980360961_8c6d5819b7.jpg nsid=67995840@N04 id=6980360961]carrying on van fleet’s work 1926 (3)[/flickr_photo]
[flickr_photo src=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7205/6980360965_21870645a6.jpg nsid=67995840@N04 id=6980360965]carrying on van fleet’s work 1926 (4)[/flickr_photo]
[flickr_photo src=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6980360973_179836a039.jpg nsid=67995840@N04 id=6980360973]carrying on van fleet’s work 1926 (5)[/flickr_photo]
[flickr_photo src=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/6980382773_f8366b6e7a.jpg nsid=67995840@N04 id=6980382773]two new van fleet roses 1926[/flickr_photo]
[flickr_photo src=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6980383461_0fbcbd0235.jpg nsid=67995840@N04 id=6980383461]van fleet hugonis 1926 2[/flickr_photo]
[flickr_photo src=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6980360977_51d366e14d.jpg nsid=67995840@N04 id=6980360977]v f 3 1926[/flickr_photo]
Kim,
Thanks for the enlarged posting. The part about Hugonis is certainly interesting. Now if only Dr.E.M.Mills were readily available. It is interesting that in most of these articles relating to the “end” goal of creating better roses, here called ‘dooryard ready’, which is what we might call ‘landscape ready’, whether it was the turn of the century, or the 30’s or the 40’s, the quest for a more disease resistant rose has not changed much. In fact, it was so derailed in the '50’s,'60’s and '70’s that it is easy to forget that it was an early goal.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jackie. Thanks! Now for the GOOD news! A few years ago, I discovered a rose growing in a botanical garden in Sweden. I had the Bierkreek connection through Paul Zimmerman, so I emailed Hans and asked if he might be interested in obtaining Dr. Mills. He knew the gentleman in Sweden; he obtained Dr. Mills; Dr. Mills has piggy backed on a friend’s import from Hans and is IN the United States, waiting out his quarantine period. I figure we have about another year before he clears and can FINALLY be grown on his home soil once again!
There are photos of him on HMF, all taken by Hans (unless here are new ones since I last looked) and all of the Swedish material, budded in The Netherlands. Is there any wonder why I promote Bierkreek as often as possible in the forums? Hans is a great resource and intensely active in the “green movement” and rose preservation.
Kim, I will comment on this great article after. Just a quick question, from the time it left Bierkreek to America to quarrintine to your garden or someone’s. Time frame seems long, I wonder what it would be to Oz.
Before the latest rounds of restrictions, our period was two years. I’m not sure what they are now, David.
That is really amazing! Thanks for the info. Any idea who might be carrying it?
Not yet, that’s probably a year away and who knows who will still be around by then? If anything develops sooner, I’ll be sure to post it here! Believe me, I want this sucker spread around like mad. I spent quite a while today putting up the information I posted earlier about who introduced it and where it was grown, only to be eventually lost. Amazing how many sources there were, yet no one has seen it here in decades.
Have you ever talked to Forest Farms?
No, sorry, don’t know them. I’m not hatcheting my counts before they chicken. Once the thing successfully comes out of quarantine and I have it in my hands, I’ll start that process. Thanks.
I hope Dr.E.M.Mills gets out of quaritine for you. Thanks for posting these articles. They have been interesting.
After reading this article I went to hmf and looked at all of his work. Van Fleet certainly breed several really good roses. Not many roses but the few he did breed many are still around. His ideas of what makes a rose a good one may have not been popular but it certainly stands the test of time. I love the beginning of the first article when they compare his roses to named varieties of the day.
Heart of Gold by the name it would sound like a yellow rose. But anyways after the shock from the coloring it seems like an interesting rose.
I hope Dr.E.M.Mills gets out of quaritine for you. Thanks for posting these articles. They have been interesting.
After reading this article I went to hmf and looked at all of his work. Van Fleet certainly breed several really good roses. Not many roses but the few he did breed many are still around. His ideas of what makes a rose a good one may have not been popular but it certainly stands the test of time. I love the beginning of the first article when they compare his roses to named varieties of the day.
Heart of Gold by the name it would sound like a yellow rose. But anyways after the shock from the coloring it seems like an interesting rose.
I found Proof of the Pudding reports from 1930 for Dr. Mills and Sarah Van Fleet. Both have been posted to HMF.
Dr. E.M. Mills. H Rug. (Van Fleet, 1926.) A.R.A., 1926; P.P., 1928. Preston reports that it blooms two weeks in June and has a few scattering flowers in mid summer. The plant is vigorous and ornamental, even when not in bloom. Webster also had a few flowers in midsummer and healthy, vigorous growth. Cross considers it a valuable shrub whose early bloom, fragrance, good foliage, and tendency to improve each year are excellent points. He claims that it must be carefully pruned to produce a shapely bush. Yeager states that it winter-killed severely in South Dakota, and that it is not of much value for his region. Isham found it a rampant grower and shy bloomer, and very disappointing, which is to be expected in the warmer California climate. We think that its chief merit lies in its early bloom and its dwarf, spreading, shrub-like habit. It blooms only once at Breeze Hill.
Sarah Van Fleet. H. Rug. (Van Fleet, 1926) A.R.A… 1926; P.P., 1928. With us this has been a very find shrub, with large, fragrant flowers of clear color, much more desirable than Belle Poitevine which it resembles in many respects. Cross calls is desirable, with good foliage, sweet perfume, and clear pinK color. Hamblin says it is very good, deep rose-pink, darker than Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, and not so rampant. Yeager states that it killed back in winter in South Dakota, but has produced fairly good blooms each year.
It’s interesting how similar Tom Silver’s Rugosa X Xanthina is to Van Fleet’s New Yellow Seedlings.
