Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The sweetheart rose


Cécile Brünner, introduced in 1881, is a petite Polyantha rose with pink buds that have a pointed, classic Hybrid Tea Rose shape in a miniature size. The petals look absolutely perfect as the buds unfurl. This rose was often worn pinned into a buttonhole or in a boutonniere.

Known as "The Sweetheart Rose," this lovely rose was named for the daughter of a Swiss rose grower named Ulrich Brünner. Her loveliness lives on in the shell pink-with-blue-undertones coloring and delicate spicy-sweet scent. No wonder Mademoiselle Cécile Brünner continues to be popular with those who favor antique roses.  

Like many of these old roses, Cécile Brünner is low maintenance and highly disease resistant. She tolerates a variety of conditions, but for the best display give her full sun and regular monthly feedings of well composted cow manure. One feeding of Epsom salts in late spring seems to please her as well. Sprinkle two tablespoons around the drip edge of the rose, lightly scratch into the soil and water well. 

Some of my flowering plants are beginning to look bedraggled this late in the summer, but Cécile Brünner is kicking up her heels and will continue to put on a show for another month or more.


Source: 100 Old Roses for the American Garden, Clair G. Martin and Saxon Holt

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