Intrigue Red Rose
Red Rose Intrigue
When I painted the cottage green, I bought some red roses for its little front garden. Green and red - a lovely colour combination. So two new shrubs of the compact red rose Intrigue were duly planted. And yes, in case anyone is already doubting my memory, my Intrigues were definitely red (note the warning in the last paragraph).
They flowered for a few years, but it was a struggle, as more and more shade covered the cottage's garden from late spring onwards. Finally I took pity and whisked the surviving one (oops - just one) out. It's replanted in the Allotment Garden where it is thriving. Must be all that sunlight and fresh air...
Such fun!
Choosing roses is such fun. One drools over a catalogues, or clicks and scrolls through a website, seeing such wonderful images. But choosing appropriate locations doesn't always follow.
Cluster of Intrigue Red Roses
One rushes out to plant the new roses, and of course in autumn or winter there are lots of suitable gaps, here there and everywhere. One forgets things - like the growth of neighbouring perennials, and the leafing out of the overhead trees. Roses need more than being dunked with water and choked with horse manure. They need space and light. Not at all intriguing, just plain and simple, really!
And the rewards are obvious. Intrigue is covered with healthy leaves, sturdy stems, and rich clusters of red-black flowers. 'More flowers than leaves', says my local rose nursery.
Image warning...
A word of Google warning. All the Intrigue roses that Google images show are a plum-purple shade, cultivar: 'JACum.' Plant Patent# 5,002. The only exception (in Google) is the deep blood red Intrigue stocked by my local rose nursery, South Pacific Nurseries. Are there are two roses so named? More detective work is required.