Hi, I’m new, please go easy on me.
I adore remontant damasks in general, and Portlands in particular. I want to breed them, but am aware of the problems involved. I’ve read prior discussions on that subject here, such as this one: http://www.rosehybridizers.org/forum/message.php?topid=8915&rc=33&ui=2273436792
What I’m envisioning is a pink, moderately double, at least slightly remontant, middle-of-the-road damask type that is healthy, fertile, and otherwise just… generic. I’d like to be able to perpetuate the genes of my Duchesse de Rohan, for example, but if I’m going to completely denude her of flowers in return for a curmudgeonly few milligrams of pollen, I’m going to want to know that it won’t be so hard next time, that some of the offspring will bear a reasonable resemblance to her, but with better reproductive chances. I’d imagine that our 18th-19th century predecessors had such roses, or my Duchesse wouldn’t exist – having to cross a barely fertile damask perpetual with a centifolia twice would have been too much for anyone to endure.
I know that the HP referred to as “Corner, Church and Main” does quite well at sexual reproduction, and is a generally admirable plant with a very strong damask heritage. The same could be said for “Van Houtten Red HP” and a few others. From what Paul Barden’s written, I get the impression that Marbree is also somewhat fertile. You can see where I’m going with this.
Does it sound wrong-headed? If so, please set me straight. If not, I’m prepared for the attempt to take quite a while.