NOTES ON HYBRIDIZING

 So, I pruned my roses in test field, I must say, this year it was even worse. Many rambles pruned down to the ground. (frost damage). These roses were more or less ok: – Ännchen von Tharau – Erinnerung an Brod – Perennial Blue – Perfume Dreams – Guirlande d Amore – Christine Helene – R. multiflora  Terrible frost damage (pruned almost back to the graft, so all building–up growth was lost): – Geschwinds Schönste – Thor – New Dreams – Blushing Bride / Scarman – Pink Prosperity – Pierre de Ronsard (never gets above 50 cm height, never seen a single bloom since 3 years) – Ali Baba – Dentelle De Malines – The Pilgrim – Perennial Domino – Alaska – Autumn Fire – Vanguard – Purple Skyliner Medium size shrubs, floribundas, tea hybrids – all are ok, but pruned very very hard. This is how I usually do it, so no surprise here. Protection I use for winter: about 40–45 cm new soil, piled upon the plant and about 5–6 fir branches on the top, covering the soil pile completely. —————- Of my o...

 It is a priority project to prune and fertilize my roses in test field. The last “frost” risks were about 10 days ago, so now full speed prunung is well on the way. I already pruned about 70% of my roses in field. With just a little extra effort, I will soon be able to plant my daylily seedlings. The bed is ready. I fear, this one will not be enough, so we prepated another one, which will also get some current seedlings of roses. My lilac varieties begin to bloom. Not all bloom at the same time. But these four definitely are simultaneous bloomers. It is odd enough, but while the roses get prunned in my test field, at home I have already performed about 25 crossings. And… last, but not least: I spotted a wonderful field of poppies a couple of days ago:

 …of my selected seedlings which are currently in a test phase.

This time I will make a lot of hybridizations with ‚blue‘ or coffee–colored roses. I started with a few crosses a couple of days ago. By the way, here is a comparison of my seedling (Florence Delattre x Charles de Gaulle)  – on the left with a commercial variety ‚Chateau Myrtille‘ – on the right: Another new rose I am using for breeding is ‚Distant Drums‘. The blooms are easy to work with, I hope it can „take“ pollen well. The bush looks rather upright, I would like to cross it to some rose which is more overhanging in shape.  Next rose I am working with is ‚Love Song‘. Really big bloom. Pollen is resleased with ease. No idea how it ‚takes‘, but we will see. And of course, a „classic rose“ I have been using each season — ‚Blue For You‘.   Now, to seedlings. So far, there is only one seedling from the cross  (Claire Marshall x Blue for You) x For Your Eyes Only which was able to show at least a slight blotch: I will keep this one to see what‘s next. A bonus photo for ...

 First roses to bloom at home: Blue for You and Marie van Houtte. My rootstocks bed (plus some seedlings from the last year) was finished. Finally, I can proceed with other urgent projects. This is Picea glauca ‚Starlight‘. It has a very attractive new growth of white color.  A couple of recent pictures from Schönbrunn; just by chance I was nearby and decided to walk through the park.