Sunday, September 18, 2011

In Praise of Rose Stamens

As with most other things, people either love or hate roses that show their stamens. Such roses are usually single or semi-double and they are either appreciated for their simple elegance or dismissed as not really roses in favor of heavy blooms full of petals.

Mateo's Silk Butterflies, china

I confess that as a rose gardener singles and semi-doubles are not my first choice. I tend to think that such blooms have a better staying power in a cooler climate where their few petals are not burned to a crisp hours after they open.

Dairy Maid, Floribunda

These roses do tend to bloom more but deadheading them is not fun.

Candy Rose, Shrub

It also seems to me that with few exceptions (Secret Garden Musk Climber comes to mind) they are less fragrant than their fuller-petalled alternatives.

R. Clinophylla, Species

However, as a photographer, I delight in roses that show their stamens. Stamens provide an interesting architectural contrast to the petals.

Sweet Viven, Floribunda

They cast beautiful shadows.

Secret Garden Musk Climber, Hybrid Musk Climber

And they don't have to be yellow. In fact, red is my favorite color.

Ellen Willmott, Hybrid Tea

Single and semi-double roses often come with wavy or curlicued petals, which are very elegant.

Souvenir de St. Anne's, Bourbon

I love to watch the soft light filtering through the stamens.

Pink Magic, Hybrid Musk

And often stamens are the only thing left to remind you of a bloom that has been.

R. Clinophylla, Species

All pictures are of roses blooming now at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden.
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53 comments:

  1. AnnetteSeptember 18, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    Du hast wunderschöne Rosen. Ich habe vor kurzem mein Herz für die ungefüllten Rosen entdeckt und mir einige zum pflanzen für den Herbst bestellt.
    Liebe Grüße Annette

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    I agree that singles are not my first choice in roses, but they do have beautiful stamens. The stamens on my burgundy iceberg is almost black... great post

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  3. MashaSeptember 18, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    Annette, danke. I have recently ordered more roses too, and I am looking forward to getting my new acquisitions. Like yours, my heart is never filled either... I can't wait to see pictures of your new roses on your blog.

    RR, thank you. I think Burgundy Iceberg is my favorite of all of them, so I agree with you there..

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  4. Casa MariposaSeptember 18, 2011 at 10:06 AM

    Showing or not showing, I think they're all beautiful! I found a disease resistant rose that will do well in my climate!! How I discovered it is quite the story. Happiness!! Stay tuned for a future (soon) post about it! :o)

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  5. BridgetSeptember 18, 2011 at 10:26 AM

    I never thought about that aspect of single roses. Apparently single flowers are easier for Bees to access.

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  6. ProfessorRoushSeptember 18, 2011 at 10:53 AM

    Agreed Masha. One hybrid tea photographs like another, but the more open semi-doubles are better for variety/stamens/texture, etc. I thought the same recently when I blogged on a similar rose 'Betty Boop'....nice golden stamens

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  7. AlistairSeptember 18, 2011 at 11:05 AM

    Its so true, most people prefer the doubles but in our cooler climate the singles do very well. Dead heading from those clusters are truly impossible. Thanks again for the advice regarding dead heading, all these years we thought that we were encouraging more blooms by doing so. Great pictures and the semi double Souvenir de St. Anne's, Bourbon looks beautiful.

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  8. MarijkeSeptember 18, 2011 at 11:08 AM

    Hallo Masha,
    Wonderfull roses you are showing. I wish had more space to plant more variet's. But I have your blog to enjoy and see them.
    Gr. Marijke

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  9. FlowerLady LorraineSeptember 18, 2011 at 11:10 AM

    I do love seeing the stamens of roses and enjoy taking photos of them too.

    Your roses are beautiful as always.

    FlowerLady

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  10. HolleyGardenSeptember 18, 2011 at 11:10 AM

    And I think the bees like them better, too! Love that china in the first picture. Very delicate looking petals. I've never thought to look and see what color the stamens are! Now I'll have to pay attention!

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  11. b-a-gSeptember 18, 2011 at 11:13 AM

    I like single roses because you can see the beauty of each petal. Silk Butterflies is a perfect description. Am I right in thinking that single roses are not as thorny as hybrid-teas?

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  12. Charlotte WeychanSeptember 18, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    Absolutely stunning pictures! Thanks for sharing!

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  13. sherryocalaSeptember 18, 2011 at 11:32 AM

    Lovely post, Masha. I love red stamens.

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  14. MashaSeptember 18, 2011 at 12:00 PM

    Casa Mariposa, I am very happy to hear it. I can't wait to hear the story!

    Bridget, that's true. They are probably all fertile too, which is good for rose hybridizing, although I do not have any knowledge of that.

    Professor, yes, Betty Boop is a very colorful rose. I enjoyed your post about it.

    Alistair, thank you. I do have a few singles, and they mostly look pretty shaggy because I can't deadhead them fast enough. I do deadhead also for cosmetic reasons, not just for rebloom.

    Marijke, thank you. I have run out of space too, unfortunately, so I know how that feels. I am glad you like these roses, they are lovely.

    FlowerLady, thank you. I was thinking about you when I was writing this post, particularly of your pictures of Penelope and Fortune's Five Colored rose.

    Holley, thank you. Roses have so many facets to them, it is hard to keep them all in mind.

    B-a-g, I agree, the beauty of each petals is more appreciated in a single rose. You know it is an interesting question that I find I can't simply say yes or no to. I think the original Tea roses are generally not so prickly, and the prickliness of HTs comes from the Hybrid Perpetual side of their genes. I do know of a few HTs that are nearly thornless, but not many. Generally I would say that HTs are well endowed with prickles. Singles and semi-doubles on the other hand encompass a much wider variety of genetic backgrounds, so logically I would expect to find more lightly prickled or thornless varieties there just due to the vastness of the gene pool. Some species are very prickly (and some, like r. sericea pteracantha, have very interesting and beautiful prickles which actually are their main attraction). Rugosas are so prickly I hesitate to come close to some of them (lots of rugosas are single and semi-double). My Secret Garden Musk Climber is scary too. Thank you for making me think about this, it would be a very interesting subject to research.

    Charlotte, thank you. I am glad you liked them.

    Sherry, thank you. I like them too. Maybe one day I will actually grow one of them :)

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  15. organicgardendreamsSeptember 18, 2011 at 1:47 PM

    Masha, I have to admit that usually I am not a big fan of growing roses that are showing their stamens in my own garden, with the exception of Scepter'd Isle. But there are some others that I like. Secret Garden Musk Climber is certainly one and I also like Dainty Bess. The photos in your post are great and encourage me to look at single or semi-double roses which show their stamens in a new way and maybe open up to them a little bit more! Thanks!
    Christina

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  16. LOLASeptember 18, 2011 at 2:05 PM

    OHHHH! Unas fotos realmente preciosas... me encantas esas rosas. Gracias!!
    LOLA

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  17. MashaSeptember 18, 2011 at 2:59 PM

    Christina, thank you. I think there are some great ones out there, and yes, I love the look of Dainty Bess too. I almost ordered it a couple of times but in the end didn't :). I remember hearing that it mildews here...

    Lola, gracias. I am glad you liked them.

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  18. Jeannie B.September 18, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    Beautiful, beautiful. Your pictures have made me want to visit the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden. How lucky you are!

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  19. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    Lots of Rugosas in the parks around here, and they are pretty, but I prefer the exquisite beauty of the teas myself. You images of these singles are outstanding. So, so pretty.

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  20. greggoSeptember 18, 2011 at 6:55 PM

    Ellen is my favorite for sure.

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  21. Southern LadySeptember 18, 2011 at 7:38 PM

    Masha, your pictures are so lovely as usual. I have been away from blogging for a while. I hope you are doing well! Carla

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  22. MashaSeptember 18, 2011 at 8:22 PM

    Jeannie, I think I am lucky too. I hope you can come and visit the garden one day.

    Donna, I prefer teas too, and they are better suited for my area. Rugosas are more of a curiosity rose here, and they need a lot of extra care.

    Greggo, it is one of my favorites too.

    Carla, thank you. I am glad to hear from you again.

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  23. Dani P.September 19, 2011 at 4:46 AM

    I like simple roses, and those photos are outstanding, Masha.
    Your blog is full of information - thank you, for sharing your knowledge with us.

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  24. LandbohavenSeptember 19, 2011 at 5:47 AM

    Smukke blomster.
    Tak for kigget.

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  25. Cathy and SteveSeptember 19, 2011 at 6:58 AM

    Masha, as usual you manage to precisely articulate something I've felt for a long time but never managed to put into words. I have the same mixed emotions you do about the single and double petaled blooms, but this year I managed to develop a fondness for many of the species roses and we've started our own modest collection. We're really enjoying them too, and learning to propogate and hybridize too!

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  26. MashaSeptember 19, 2011 at 7:12 AM

    Danit, thank you for the compliments. I am so happy you find this information helpful, you encourage me to keep writing.

    Landbohaven, thank you. I am glad you liked them.

    Cathy, I am so glad to hear about your species collection. I wish I had room for more roses, I would grow them too. My favorite are r. palustris and r. laevigata.

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  27. brookesrosegardenSeptember 19, 2011 at 5:08 PM

    Masha, gorgeous pictures and such lovely single petaled roses. I do not own one, but now have changed my mind. I will start looking at them more closely. Can you recommend a special one that I should look for?
    Also what kind of lens are you using for these pictures? They are so vivid.
    brookesrosegarden

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  28. AndreaSeptember 19, 2011 at 6:53 PM

    These are so lovely, i agree about the stamens because i am a trying-hard photographer too. I find i difficult to get vivid stamens especially because the Image Stabiliser of my camera can't maybe compensate for my handshake when i use the zoom. I know i need a macro lens but still can't afford to, haha! By the way, my mother has a red rose which doesn't have a scent nor thorn, this is not the roses we are familiar with when we are still children. I wonder what those are!

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  29. MashaSeptember 19, 2011 at 8:05 PM

    Brooke, if you have room, Secret Garden Musk Climber is a great rose, huge, very fragrant and always clean. If you don't, Souv. de St. Anne's is a charming smaller rose. Because of my recent leg injury I cannot always get close enough to the blooms, so I actually used tele-photo for these pictures :). Tele-photo works for close-ups too, especially considering its shallow depth of field.

    Andrea, I have been thinking about macro too, and I can't afford one now either :). I don't know what your red rose might be, perhaps you can post some pictures some time, it might be easier to guess that way.

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  30. Roses du jardin ChênelandSeptember 20, 2011 at 11:48 AM

    hello Masha...very beautiful photos . J like to see the dtamens of roses. They are my favorites.
    good day jocelyne

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  31. MashaSeptember 20, 2011 at 1:33 PM

    Merci, Jocelyne. I remember your beautiful Ballerina.

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  32. GigaSeptember 20, 2011 at 4:57 PM

    Są piękne, jak i Twoje zdjęcia ich. Szczególnie podoba mi się ta z czerwonymi pręcikami. Cieszę się, że masz się już dobrze. Pozdrawiam ciepło

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  33. sweetbaySeptember 20, 2011 at 6:08 PM

    I love singles and semi-doubles and you have shown some real beauties here. And shown them beautifully. Pink Magic and Mateo's Silk Butterflies especially appeal to me.

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  34. MashaSeptember 20, 2011 at 8:20 PM

    Giga, thank you for your nice message.

    Sweetbay, you are right, some of them are very lovely. Even I couldn't resist a few :).

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  35. CorinaSeptember 20, 2011 at 9:58 PM

    Wonderfull pictures, and great ideea too, to make a post with single roses. I started loving them one or two years ago, as they reward me with hips too, most of them. And the elegance and gracefullness of those petals is exquisite.

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  36. IsabelleSeptember 20, 2011 at 10:21 PM

    Wouah ! Nice post that I'll share immediately to my Facebook friends. I also love that kind of roses. Among them I have Dainty Bess and Jacqueline du Pré in my garden and they are stunning.

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  37. AnonymousSeptember 21, 2011 at 3:31 AM

    Lovely post: I am one of those who prefers single or semi-double roses, as you wrote scent could be an issue though. R. Clinophylla is amazing! Is it scented? I've ordered some of its hybrids by Viru Viraraghavan (the indian David Austin) I hope they will surprise me!
    Alberto

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  38. MashaSeptember 21, 2011 at 7:01 AM

    Corina, thank you, and you are right, hips are a great attraction (or not, if you don't like frequent deadheading).

    Isabelle, merci. Dainty Bess and J du P are both very lovely, I would love to see pictures of them. Dainty Bess midews here, otherwise I would get it too...

    Altroverde, thank you. I have not noticed much scent with R. Clinophylla, but those grey buds are so unusual. I have heard about Viru (but I didn't know he was India's David Austin). I have seen some Tea roses he raised, they are lovely. I hope more of his roses become available here.

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  39. Nellie from Beyond My GardenSeptember 21, 2011 at 7:29 PM

    That white musk climber is gorgeous. I like stamens and I even like the single petal wild-like roses.
    nellie

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  40. Patrick's GardenSeptember 21, 2011 at 9:41 PM

    I fell in love with single roses when I saw Altissimo, the red climber, in a quaint backyard nursery in Australia. The gold stamens against the burgundy bloom was stunning. It was a delight to grow Dainty Bess.

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  41. MashaSeptember 22, 2011 at 9:59 AM

    Nellie, thank you. That climber is one of my favorites too.

    Patrick, I love Altissimo. If it was fragrant it would be perfect!

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  42. GirlSproutSeptember 22, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    Masha, I don't think I noticed rose stamens before. But after having read your post a few days ago, I see them all over.

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  43. MashaSeptember 23, 2011 at 10:37 AM

    GilrSprout, I am glad you do!

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  44. Wife, Mother, GardenerSeptember 23, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    Beautiful photos!

    I love the salmon tint to Ellen Willmot.

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  45. Jennifer@threedogsinagardenSeptember 23, 2011 at 6:53 PM

    Masha, I had to drag my husband over to the computer screen so he could admire your photography as well. What beautiful roses! Pink roses are my favourites and blooms that are open are my favourite rose form.

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  46. Gabriel gardenSeptember 24, 2011 at 1:31 PM

    Bellissime!

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  47. Beth at PlantPostingsSeptember 24, 2011 at 7:26 PM

    Yeah, I guess they're not my favorites, either, but as you say they make excellent subjects for photography. That Ellen Willmott is a stunner!

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  48. NHGardenSeptember 24, 2011 at 7:29 PM

    Love how you focused on the stamens...Very pretty!!!

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  49. HASeptember 25, 2011 at 11:28 AM

    So pretty! Ellen Willmott reminds me of Jaqueline du Pré that's fairly new in my garden. Usually single roses look great here in Finland, but I think it might actually have been a little hot for it this summer because it din't flower that well, I hadn't even realised that that's a problem for single roses..

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  50. MashaSeptember 25, 2011 at 11:54 AM

    Julie, Pontos, Beth and NHGarden, thank you, EW is such a lovely rose.

    HA, you are right, JduP also has red stamens, very pretty. I hope it does better for you next year.

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  51. GigaSeptember 27, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    :-( . Pozdrawiam serdecznie

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  52. The graceful gardenerSeptember 27, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    Absolutely beautiful roses!

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  53. Sandra GardenerOctober 15, 2011 at 5:30 AM

    Hello, Masha! A great set of very beautiful and colorful flowers! Wonderful captures.

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I am so glad you have stopped by!