The Mad, Mad Pernetianas

I wonder if I will ever run out of excuses for disappearing from the blogosphere for such long periods of time. :) A new school year has begun (too soon!) and kept me busy and anxious for a while.

Still, I somehow managed to add another ornamental oregano, "Amethyst Falls", to my no longer small collection

 In the garden, I was trying to decide whether I could possibly acquire a few more Pernetiana roses while they are still available.

Angelita Riaux, one of several Pernetiana roses no longer sold commercially. Photo taken at the Heritage Rose Garden

I corresponded with a local nursery (Burlington) about their availability and grafting options, waiting all the while for a final sale at Vintage hoping they would release some rare beauties from their collection (they didn't).

Àngel Guimerà, another Pernetiana that has disappeared from commerce. Photo from the Heritage

At the same time, I was trying to whittle down an order from a third nursery from the 9 roses I would really like to about two that might, if I allow myself to be wildly optimistic, still fit into my garden. And then there is the fall rose sale at the Heritage garden to look forward to...

Duquesa de Peñaranda

 On top of it all, I was forcing myself to come to terms with the fact that, if I am really honest, I have no options left to grow any more roses well.

I have resigned myself to a permanent pot ghetto after I ran out of room in the ground. Discovery with Intermezzo in the background

 In (admittedly rare) moments of depression I think the only way for me to expand my rose collection would be to become a caryatid and stack the new ones on top of my head.

At Hearst Castle

But back to the roses. Among rosarians, the word "mad", when not applied to rose collectors, is most often used in describing the colors of gallica roses. They are called "mad" because their blooms can be striped, mottled, and spotted in various shades of purple and pink (see my post on gallicas).

Alain Blanchard (gallica) at the Heritage

 Lately I have begun to wonder whether the same adjective should be applied to Pernetianas....

'Lundy's Lane Yellow', a found Pernetiana shows muted colors in cooler weather

 ....and for the same reason.

'Lundy's Lane Yellow' becoming much more vibrant in the heat

 Pernetianas, named after the French rose breeder Pernet-Ducher, come in flame colors, and, in my mind, they certainly rival gallicas for  truly mad color combinations.

Heinrich Wendland

However, unlike gallicas, which usually have the good sense to produce blooms in complimentary colors, Pernetiana blooms are rarely color coordinated.

Hot terracota orange combine with cool pink on these blooms of Mme. Edouard Herriot

 As Pernetianas in my garden mature and I have more time to observe them, the bursts of color in their blooms often make my head spin. I wonder sometimes what a typical flower really looks like.

Heinrich Wendland. Each bloom is different

Someone on a gardening forum once asked why we grow roses. My answer would be because they are the most changeable and unpredictable of plants in my experience.

Condesa de Sástago

My camellias are just as beautiful as my roses, but year after year as they come into bloom I know exactly what they will look like. With roses I never know for sure.

Étoile de Feu

Pernetianas are the epitome of this changeability, for which I have come to love them.

Heinrich Wendland

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