The Baron
Thursday, June 09, 2016
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| Rosa 'Baron Girod de l'Ain' June 9 2016 |
One of the most beautiful roses in my garden (that all
depends on the day!) is a rose that years ago disappeared from our Athlone
Street garden. I was very sad as this rose, Rosa 'Baron Girod de l'Ain, a Hybrid Perpetual hybrized by
Vercheron (I am unable to find his first name) in 1897is a hard to find rose in
our parts. Unlike the Gallicas and other roses that were grown in the 19th
century Hybrid Perpetuals were not once blooming. They were remontant although the
term perpetual is most misleading. This rose and other Perpetuals bloom well
for a few weeks (about now) and then have a few blooms in early fall.
It is a dark purple/red rose with most unusual white edges
on the petals. To my nose it has the scent of fresh raspberries.
And then a couple of years later there was the Baron. I have
no idea how he disappeared or how he came back. The Baron (only my 18 year-old
granddaughter can pronounce the whole name beautifully) was on the top of the
list to make it from the Athlone garden to the one here in Kitsilano. The bloom
you see here appeared today.
My Wikipedia has this about the Baron:
Louis Gaspard Amédée baron Girod de l'Ain (18 October
1781 – 27 December 1847) was a French lawyer and politician who became Minister
of Public Education and Religious Affairs in 1832.
