There she sits with “large shapely buds”, all fragrant and glossy, but nobody’s paying attention because it’s Knock Out® and Double Knock Out® that are getting all of the attention this year. They are all disease resistant, so what’s going on?
I’m talking about roses.
The Pink Double Knock Out® Rose
People just can’t seem to get enough of Knock Out® Roses. It has been one of the most requested plants in recent years and they seem to be everywhere. According to the Knock Out® website, it “has broken all records for sales of a new rose. Today The Knock Out® Rose is the most widely sold rose in North America”. The City of Baltimore even has Knock Out® Roses throughout its street plantings.
Knock Outs® are not only the best series of roses to ever come on the market, I believe they are some of the very best performing plants. They bloom from beginning of summer until frost and they do not require trimming for continuous flowers. Here in Baltimore I have witnessed Knock Outs® bloom every month but January and February. I have, however, found a few outcasts in the Knock Out® family; Rainbow, Blushing, and the newest Sunny Knock Out®don’t retain the qualities of the rest of the series. If you stick with the other varieties you will be assured of having colorful, disease resisant plants that will want to give and give.
While Knock Outs® certainly live up to their name, I caution gardeners to not forget some beauties that got us to this point; Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand , Marilyn Monroe™, Julia Child, and Rosie O’Donnell, still deserve a second glance.
NC State University fact sheet for Rosa ‘Dolly Parton”, CLICK HERE.
The Knock Out® Family of Roses, CLICK HERE.
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Joel The Urban Gardener 