I have the five roses of Ralph Moore's Persian series and Harkness' Euphrates, and although it's true that the foliage and canes are "wispy," as this author says, the ones he describes as "real garden rose type plants with much more traditional foliage" have been a disappointment to me. Bull's Eye isn't a complete disaster, but Eyeconic Pink Lemonade is so prone to black spot that I rarely see any foliage on it.

Here are the hulthemia hybrids we have in our database:

Hulthemia hybrids

I am not surprised, Zuzu. The species for hulthemias grows naturally in a more arid climate than yours and I am guessing your soil is not sufficiently alkaline for the plants to thrive. They are not drought tolerant, but they do have soil preferences.

You already know that an unhappy rose is more prone to disease. That's one of the reasons I've never bothered to grow any of these roses because I knew that with my heavy rain season and that my soil isn't right, I felt the plants would never be healthy enough to shrug off any kind of disease.

There are so many roses that do like growing in my conditions, it just doesn't make sense for me to even try a rose that needs special care no matter how much I may like the bloom.

I think they really are not suitable for all gardens and are being marketed as a novelty roses. Great plants where conditions are right, but otherwise, not so much.

Smiles,
Lyn

I think you misunderstood me, Lyn. The Moore and Harkness roses, which appear to be closer to the species, are growing beautifully in my garden. It's the "improved" ones that are a disappointment to me.

Zuzu ... you are right. I did misunderstand.

Geesh, that sure makes me take another look at my assumptions. Thanks for the info.

Smiles,
Lyn

Jacqueline de Pre has wine colored stamens and a strong fragrance.
http://www.davidaustinroses.co...

Raspberry Kiss (floribunda X Hulthemis persica) AKA Eyes on Me

http://www.worldrose.org/trial...
There's a beautiful pic of this rose in the rose database

Margie