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Judith's Corner - February, 2003
Here in the Grand Valley, we have a spectacular rose bloom in late Spring/early Summer. All of a sudden, nondescript clumps of shrubs in yards, alleys, abandoned lots, and along ditch banks will burst into an orange and yellow display of “single” blooms scrambling along stickery, pliable canes that shoot out several feet in all directions. These are R. foetida, a variety called Austrian Copper, and are a Species rose. That’s the class of rose at the top of your list (last month) of Old Garden Roses, and “single” means that it has only one row of petals, which open all the way so the center of the rose is exposed. I don’t know why there are so many old Austrian Copper rose bushes in the Valley--perhaps I’ll make that a research project--but I moved here in the late Spring of 1992, and I noticed them immediately. Have you ever smelled one of these shrubs? The fragrance is a strong, complex, citrus/rose fragrance that makes your nostrils twitch--fabulous! The range and intensity of the colors is spectacular--each bloom may be completely different from the other, especially as the shrub ages. I had no idea that the shrubs were rose bushes. They bloom once a year--their “season” lasts two weeks at the most. The older shrubs aren’t neat. They’re leggy, twisty, prickly, and dull --the leaves are negligible. When not in bloom, they look like big, mean, weeds, if you notice them at all. I suppose their canes could be cut for arranging, but only by the truly dedicated, and I don’t think the blooms would last long. The shrubs don’t lend themselves to shaping--about all you can do is remove dead canes, or whack the whole thing back now and then. They certainly don’t seem like a rose for today’s garden. An Austrian Copper is no Hybrid Tea, but it is a glorious rose, and in its own way, a signature rose for the area. I haven’t recovered from my first encounter, and an Austrian Copper was the first rose I bought for our yard. They like full sun and can take harsh conditions--mine is in too much shade, so the colors aren’t as intense as they could be. I’ll move it, or plant another one in a better spot. Four years later, my Austrian Copper is smaller than it would be in full sun, but it still thrills me every Spring. Oh, those colors! In late afternoon, canes full of blooms are ablaze in citrus/sunset shades--it’s beautiful thing! The fallen blooms remain colorful and fragrant in potpourri--they’d be gorgeous sprinkled fresh on frosting! Austrian Copper introduced me to the wide world of roses and rose varieties, as well as to Grand Junction. It’s been a love affair ever since. Check them out this year--you’ll be amazed by the numbers of Austrian Coppers you’ll see! Judith Curtis-Mardon
Back to Judith's Corner This page last modified: November 22, 2003 |
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I noticed that most of the
Valentine’s Day roses sold in grocery stores this year had no fragrance, or
smelled like aerosolized “rose”. I’ve also listened to discussions about the
problems of soil destruction, pesticides, and worker deaths on South American
farms, where more than 50% of America’s imported flowers come from. Hmmm. I’m so
glad I can grow my own roses--anything else comes with too much guilt!
