A Grand Grandiflora: About Face Rose
Written: Apr 10 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful orange blend blooms, moderately fragrant, disease resistant, zone 5 hardy
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: About Face deserves, and has received, a prominent place in my garden.
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| cmaw63's Full Review: Grandiflora About Face Rose |
I have planted over 40 different types of roses in my yard during the last four years. Some have flourished, others were destined to fail from the beginning. I enter my fifth growing season with only two of the original plants surviving. One I have to baby, plead and nag to good health. The other, About Face, makes rose growing seem simple.
The Experts Say...
This 2005 introduction is an orange blend with a mild to moderate fragrance. About Face has double, old fashioned blooms and is disease resistant. It has an upright growth, 5' to 6' tall X 4' wide. Its growing zones are 6 through 9.
This Gardner Says...
I am not an expert on roses. I just know what I like and go for it. I'm lucky enough to have a plant nursery near my home that promotes new introductions, as well as the older variety of roses. I went there looking for one, new in 2005, rose. I came home with a different one, About Face.
If someone had told me that an orange rose would be my favorite I would have laughed at them. But, the upper orange/gold and lower deep rust/orange petals with their ruffled edges are beautiful. Since its second growing season I have never seen this plant without blooms. At times there are only a few flowers, other times many. When it is at its best, with a full flush, standing next to it gives my nose a tickle of its scent. I enjoy it more when I take cuttings into my home for a bouquet that lightly perfumes my kitchen.
The leaves and canes stay a healthy green making a nice backdrop for the blooms. The only problem I've had with About Face is a mild case of blackspot last year. It was nothing compared to most of my other roses that need a dedicated spraying regimen.
My zone 5 garden tends to keep plants from reaching their reported growth capabilities. About Face comes the closest to reaching its full potential. For the last two growing seasons it has been approximately 4 to 4 and 1/2 feet tall with a top spread of about 3 feet. If I had left it alone the first two years it probably would have been the same. I kept digging it up to move it to a more prominent place in my garden. Luckily, it is tough and not only survived each move, it thrived.
My Overall Favorite
I wish all rated zone 6 roses did so well in my zone 5 garden. I wish all of my roses were as beautiful, healthy and fragrant as About Face. I know my garden will never be without one.
More Roses in My Garden:
Carefree Delight
Chicago Peace
Love
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
cmaw63
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 in Pets, Home and Garden, Books |
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Member: Julie
Location: Illinois, USA
Reviews written: 307
Trusted by: 73 members
About Me:
Looking forward to my first grandbaby. She's due November 24!
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