GARDEN FANATIC:Singular roses for summer pleasures

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."— Jane Austen, opening lines to Pride and Prejudice.

"The rose is a rose, And was always a rose."

— Robert Frost

Conventional wisdom generally acknowledges that a single man or woman may consider a mate after a due course of time. Such thinking doesn't always apply... nevertheless, many opt for a relationship, either because we have become smitten or been persuaded that it is no longer fashionable to be a permanent public temptation.

The earliest of roses bloomed with single flowers... brightly colored, with five to eight petals and hips that provided medicinal qualities. These precursors to our modern roses needed to develop prickles (thorns) to survive in the wild. It is generally agreed that the early species were so beautiful and scented, that the Chinese began to introduce them into their gardens more than 5,000 years ago.

Today's single roses are at their peak, and can be selected for their singularly attractive bloom and delightful fragrance (something you can't do during bare root season). Your favorite nursery is able to introduce you to climbers, antique roses of yesterday, and today's disease resistant shrub roses... all with single flowers.

Given the opportunity to share my favorite singles, I am hard-pressed to choose (although LeCarre's "Single & Single" is my favorite book on singles). There are simply so many wonderful roses. However, I admit that as always, beauty, fragrance, and resistance to disease influences my selections.

The China rose, Mutabilis, was once Jana's favorite, until others discovered its virtues (to her credit, Jana has always been willing to share). A true old rose, its multi-colored pink and red blossoms brighten gardens almost the entire year.

One of the most rewarding of any rose is the single, blood red bloom of the climber, Altissimo. Very fragrant and excellent as a cut flower, this rose blooms freely throughout the summer. Its dark green foliage is particularly resistant to disease. This is the strongest red climbing rose for Laguna.

I believe that Sally Holmes, another climber, has produced more flowers than any of my other roses. Its apricot buds mature into white blossoms and I have found the flower sprays may be cut long stemmed that last for days.