Marin Rose Society - Rose of the Month

Midnight Blue
Rose of the Month For July and August, 2008
by Barbara Picarelli

Once again I took my camera to the Marin Rose Society Garden at Marin Art and Garden Center and took this photo in between deadheading! This is a superb rose for fragrance, and it has absolutely lovely form and color as well. I’m not sure my photo produces the gorgeous shade it really has but there is definitely a bluish cast here.

This is another of Tom Carruth’s little offerings, considered a shrub and in the mauve class, ARS rated 7.5. The blooms are a deep velvety purple, with a slightly lighter reverse, double ( 17-25 petal count), 2½ to 3½ inches (the ones in the rose garden were larger than that) and blooms in large clusters. They have an intense clove fragrance and the plant sports medium-light green glossy foliage. It is a compact bushy plant 2 to 3 feet tall. Parentage is a bit confusing, but includes (‘Sweet Chariot’ X ‘Blue Nile’), ‘Stephens’ Big Purple’ x (‘International Herald Tribune’ x R soulieanna derivative) x (‘Sweet Chariot’ x ‘Blue Nile’). No that is not a mistake - that’s how it’s listed in Modern Roses 12. The rose was introduced by Weeks Roses in 2004 and it won the Gold Medal at Rose Hills in 2006.

This rose is available at most nurseries.

Previous Roses of the Month