Sweet Aftons blooms blew within 24 hours here... I did not care for the scent either. Blackspotted really bad here! In a no spray garden I had to shovel pruned it! Bloom size was on average 3" ...
Hi Jim! I had ordered this because the relatives of Charlotte Armstrong agree with my nose so much. I'm SO curious about the scent. She hasn't arrived yet but I'll be sure to keep the shovel handy, LOL!
This rose is an enigma to me; yes exactly as goncmg states, large bush, clean sparkling color, blows quick in heat but great cool weather. But the scent seems extremely variable in my garden. At times, almost no scent. Other times, so strong with an almost bitter creosote note that I can't stand it. Then at times so sweet and citrusy it makes me fall in love with it all over again, and lives up to its legendary reputation. However, I haven't found any rhyme or reason to when it's scents are different; other roses it seems to be dependent on temperature or photoperiod, but this one the differences don't seem to line up with any external factors. Granted, I have only had this rose for 2 years, and moved it over the summer. Maybe it just needs to get established first for the scent to stabilize? Anyone else experienced this?
In 6a, Columbus this one gets pretty big both wide and tall. This one came SO CLOSE to being a LEGEND.........the color is clean, the scent is divine, the health is generally good, it is quite hardy. But yes, the bloom blows fast, has too few petals, and generally the bloom is a little small for the size of the stem or bush. It is a VERY GOOD rose, had it been marketed possibly at a different time or place, maybe it would be more highly esteemed.
