Could anyone tell me how old seedlings derived from crosses between Damask perpetual
From what I read (at least, from what I remember)
Crosses with the Damask Perpetuals don’t freely repeat their roses. You get two flushes in Spring and Autumn. (Like Gertrude Jeckyll)
Yet, Gertrude’s parents-- Wife of Bath and Compte de Chambord-- freely flowers.
Compte always has a flower in my garden if its being treated right. And from what I remember of the Wife, its reliable in its repeating.
I think Joan said that it may be a difference of repeat blooming genes.
I have used ‘Comte de Chambord’ in breeding and 100% of its seedlings wait until year two to start flowering. Even then, it appears many of these are non-remontant. Austin must have grown a heck of a lot of seedlings to find ‘Wife of Bath’!
My work suggests that very, VERY few seedlings of Damask Perpetual X Modern Rose crosses are remontant, and nearly all will bloom only year 2 onwards. This makes work with them very slow and tedious. However, I have had the most favorable results using ‘Rose de Rescht’, with some very remontant seedlings. Its drawback is that it sets VERY few seeds, so it is better as a pollen parent. (It has precious little pollen either, but it is a bit faster to work this way)
Regards,
Paul
I would concur that Damask Perpetuals (Portlands) despite their own willingness to rebloom do not pass on the trait very well. My Comte de Chambord (pollen only) seedlings from the summer of 2004 have not yet bloomed. The same is true for my Indigo and Marbree seedlings. Both Indigo and Marbree set hips and germinated well for me.
I have saved a few Rose de Rescht (hip) seedlings that have bloomed from the first season, however all the Rose de Rescht seedlings seem slow to gain size, if ever. Marchesa Boccella has not worked as a parent at all.
Many of my seedlings from Damask Perpetuals/Portlands also have a propensity for mildew and blackspot.
This current season will probably be the last that I use them. But I said that last year too.
John