Latest Photos of Bright & Healthy Prospects

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Pink Gruss an Aachen (Irene Watts?) - 6 ft x 5 ft wide

Gruss an Aachen - 6 ft x 5 ft wide (You’re right, Kim, they look the same!

Happy Child - 5 ft x 5 ft

They’re just about in full bloom now. It’s been nice cool weather with some warm weather mixed in. The bushes are over 10 years old.
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They look spectacular, John!

Beautiful John! How are both Aachen roses as parents?

I’m just starting to test the Aachen pollens recently, Rob. The pollen is there and I believe it is viable. This year I had concentrated on using the pollen from my Apricot Hillingdon, and I’m getting the results back from it now. I have 60 or so crosses in gallons now and I’m putting some in the ground or into 3-gallon pots. I’m looking at several crosses from the pollen of Carefree Copper X Shockwave that Larry Davis sent me. I’m busy repotting seedlings and trying to keep my energy level up, mixing potting soil and all that.

I started a Gruss-an-Aachen this past winter and hope to use it (if it ever gets big enough to produce buds-I am impatient) this yr. It has long been on my list of plants to use. Nice photos, love the fragrance of Gruss-an-Aachen.

Sounds like you are a busy guy. I hope your Post treatment recovery is going well John.

My experience with Gruss an Aachen, Pink Gruss an Aachen, and Happy Child has led me to believe that they set fewer seeds to maturity, so I will be using the pollen for crossing. With Happy Child, the pollen is hard to get out because it is wrapped in the petals. Pollen would be easier than trying to set the seeds. The shape of the bushes is excellent, well-shaped, shorter bushes that have prolific blooms. Ralph Moore advised hybridizers to start with the shape of the bush.

beautiful!!!

The shape, health and vigor of the bush. “Make a good plant first. It’s always easy to hang a pretty flower on it later.” That was something he followed for more than seven decades.