I haven't read through every thread, but I am wondering if anyone knows about whether Lullaby typically produces masses of hips in the fall? I usually prune mine down to size at some point in late summer after major flushes of bloom seem over. I did not have a chance to do that this year and have the most beautiful hips! I will post a photo.
My mother's birthday was a few days ago. She is currently in PT Rehab, as her broken hip heals. So I made her an arrangement, which included a 'Hot Cocoa' and 'Lullaby'. For a few days, I could not figure out what the potent scent was. I never expected 'Lullaby', since it has never been fragrant outside. But it WAS 'Lullaby'. Extremely potent carnation scent. But only after being cut and taken inside. Go figure, right?
This rose is virtually sterile. Attempts at using it as a seed parent, for about 4 years, has resulted in zero hip set. This year, I noticed it actually had pollen on it. The first time in its 8 year life. Unfortunately, each bloom had 1-2 kernels of pollen each. 30 blooms later, I might have enough pollen to pollinate one bloom of another rose. Talk about work!
I am in the process of figuring out a seed parent. It will be a hard choice. I think that I can do this once more, in about a week, due to how many blooms this plant pumps out. But they have to be at the right stage -- right after they pop, and the apricot begins to fade into white.
(Yellow Brick Road x Golden Eye) x Lullaby hips are swelling and not yellowing, so the pollen is likely fertile. Well, not the parent I ever imagined for Lullaby, but its more fertile than most roses.
I think I told you, but I did keep a seedling from this cross. Blooms look like Etoile de Mai. Plant is vigorous, but not huge. Looks like it will be a mounding shrub, like Red Drift. Likely very resistant.
