Evelyn Rose

Evelyn Rose is one of connoisseur David Austin's beautiful creations.  Evelyn Rose is a great mixture of opposites:  she is fragile and sweet smelling; strong and tenacious.  Some say she is difficult to grow while others find her climbing up trellises in giant steps.  She does produce a abundance of apricot pinkish blooms with a myriad of tight small petals.

Evelyn Rose is a diva:  she is picky and prickly, even demanding.  The climate must be just right for her; not too cold and not too hot; however, she does best if she has a chance for a beauty nap during the winter.

Evelyn Rose is a complicated little lady.  She may like to climb or remain a bush.  She will reach out  and grab you, hold on to you , and sink her many small thorns into your skin to let you know she is there and she wants your attention.

I had three Evelyn Roses that I had planted near the pond.  It was in an area with plenty of morning sun and shade during the hottest time of the day.  Heaven help, should this little diva get sunburned!  However, the roses were planted too close to the runoff water from the pond and I lost one.

I moved the other two to the opposite area away from the pond.  I mixed the soil with commercial compost and mulched with pine straw.  In mid-February, I cut away dead branches and gave the roses a good trim.  I wasn't shy about it either and I rewarded them with a healthy helping of fertilizer especially made with roses in mind.

I pamper my Evelyn Roses.  Every day I check for black spots on the leaves and remove them immediately.  I spray the roses with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial oils and soaps.  I make sure that the roses are well watered and well mulched and free of weeds.

Why bother with such a diva?  Evelyn Rose rewards me generously with the beautiful and fragrant pink/apricot orange blooms.  The more I cut the more I get.  For a diva, she is pretty divine.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

I am participating in the A to Z Blog Challenge for 2014.