Just have to vent here: WHAT IS THE APPEAL? Single pink roses are a dime a dozen, strong or not, delicate or dainty or not. I have heard the maroon/purple stamens/anthers are a hugely recessive trait which ostensibly sets this one somewhat apart, but even that being said, this one has surely appeared 50,000 times and more over in the seed bed of every professional and every amateur hybridizer........nothing about this rose appeals to me...........this is all personal. If single pinks ring your bell, well, this somehow has been your only choice for over 80 years with no end in sight................
Well, it is a fabulous shade of pink, the stamens re gorgeous, and it is a magnificantly formed single, as singles go. That being said, I don't grow it :P
I have and enjoy plenty of single roses, but Dainty Bess is not one of them. There is something about the color of the stamens that doesn't appeal to me. However, I have to say with respect that this rose is a survivor. I have spent decades rose rustling and searching for older roses within my community and DB is a very tough rose and was quite common until a decade or so ago when the the Knockout roses started appearing. Now most of the old roses like Dainty Bess and Aloha are gone replaced by Knockouts.
Dainty Bess does come in a climbing form but it is happiest where the weather is warm. The size of the pot is okay but In your zone make sure you protect it well in the winter so it won't suffer too much dieback.
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#2 posted
25 FEB 04 by
Anonymous-797
I am not aware of Dainty Bess as a climber. You can check with the Nurseries listed at this site. Yes, It can be planted in a container. I currently have started 2 Dainty Bess in 2gal. pots that are starting to bloom. They will be transplant to 20" plastic containers next winter. A 20" container is optimal for roses. The advantages of container planting are: weed control, fertilization, and better soil condition. Also the ease of moving a plant to another location if it doesn't work out in the original location. Search this site for container planting for more info.
