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kgs 
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Double Delight isn't a bad plant, and there are much better actual plants out there, however the coloring of DD just can't be beat in the realm of bi-colors. And, they smell amazing. In Houston it may get a touch of mildew in the spring, or a little blackspot. Nothing tragic.
Double Delight is a garden staple and it's easy to see why it has stuck around so long. Everyone stops to gawk at it, everyone has to put their nose in it, and everyone loves it. It's a bit like having an antique car...sure, there are more reliable and more comfortable newer cars available, but the style and cache of this "oldie but goodie" just can't be beat. IMO, they certainly don't make them like this anymore.
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Cherry Parfait here resembles Double Delight very much. It doesn't have any scent to compare, but it grows without the fungal issues and keep pushing new flowers when Double Delight stops. If you love the Double Delight coloring and don't have to have the scent, but want a stronger grower with healthier foliage, try Cherry Parfait.
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Where does this colour changing ability come from? Would it originally have been inherited form a China rose like 'Archduc Charles'?
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Quite possibly. Some China roses deepen with age, heat and UV. European (and American) types fade.
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#4 of 9 posted
15 FEB 17 by
jedmar
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I believe an important element is 'Rosa foetida bicolor' which is found in the ancestry of many (if not all) red/yellow bicolor roses. This rose has a high concentration of anthocyanin pigments (for red) on the upper side of its petals and an equally high concentration of carotenoid pigments (for yellow) on the lower side. These pigments are then found in varying combinations in its descendants. A good example is 'Rumba', where the red components deepen with time. It is thought that with UV light, biosynthesis of anthocyanins progresses in the direction of higher frequencies of light absorption (darker colours), while biosynthesis of the carotenoids progresses towards lower frequencies of light absorption (orange to light yellow to almost colourless). The resulting effect is that the rose seems to become redder with time. "The Chemistry of Rose Pigments" (1991) by Swiss chemist Conrad Hans Eugster gives a detailed description of these pigments and processes as relating to roses.
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That's very interesting, thank you Kim and Jedmar.
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Thanks for that. Interesting to know, and explains how the 'Charisma' in my garden works.
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#8 of 9 posted
17 JUN 19 by
kgs
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I hear that a lot (about Cherry Parfait being similar to Double Delight) but after comparing both roses in their glory at the International Test Rose Garden in Portland, I see why people say that and yet there's something about Double Delight's coloring that is more complex than Cherry Parfait. Maybe it's that there is more yellow in it.
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For me, Cherry Parfait has not personality or charm. The flowers and color change on Double Delight are much more elegant. It's strange how some roses have that indescribable something, while others of very similar coloring lack.
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What a pleasure to have this one. It has beautiful disease-free glossy foliage, holds well to the plant and never defoliates in hot weather. Not at all bothered by rain or bad weather. Buds stay full for an extended period of time. They don’t shatter for 5 days, so the bush can end up filled with half open and fully open blooms at the same time. It has a nice form and naturally spreads out yet with stiff, fat canes, so as to not overcrowd or cross branches. Stays relatively stout, never achieving over 4’ tall here, and they tend to grow extra large in Hawaii.
Wonderfully abundant in flowers, it surprises every year as it will spit out random flowers every blooming month for me, which is just about every month except January. Fragrance is a combination of damask, raspberry, and a hint of cinnamon, which is apropos for this particular color, imho.
I would highly recommend this for the novice gardener and the pro alike, especially if you’re like me and do not spray. Just keep it fed, and it will supply abundant fragrant richly red, well formed and well-fragranced blossoms throughout the growing seasons. There is absolutely nothing bad I could say about this 5 Star Winner! ...except that it’s a must-have if you love red and love easy!
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Thank you for your review on the Sweet Spirit. I am in 9b and just had a very humid and blazing hot Summer. Most of my roses didn't perform as well as they did. I am in search for some really heat tolerant roses whose color and fragrance don't fade in hot temperature and are relatively healthy and easy to care for. Based on your review, Sweet Spirit sounds like a good candidate, and I will get one this coming Fall.
Since you are located in 11b, do you have some recommendations of nice heat tolerant roses similar to Sweet Spirit? Thank you in advance for your opinion.
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#2 of 5 posted
7 FEB 22 by
kgs
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I have to say all the reports about Sweet Spirit being disease-free surprise me, because last year (my first with this plant) it had really bad rust--in a garden of close to 30 bushes where other roses either had no rust or in one or two cases had a tiny amount I was able to eradicate by removing leaves. (I had never seen rust in my garden before, and I wonder if Sweet Spirit became a vector.) I am giving it a second chance because I was not good about any preventative treatment the previous winter and spring (cleaning up leaves, dormant spray, copper spray, etc.). But this year I'm back to good habits, and I'm giving this bush extra attention. If Sweet Spirit turns into a rust bucket again, out it goes. It stayed small and my guess is the extent of disease played a role in that. I'm not disbelieving the folks who have had good luck with this rose--no two plants are ever identical, and who knows what mutations might be at work. It definitely is Sweet Spirit and the handful of blooms it produced once the rust went away were lovely.
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Try increasing the water to the plant. It is often VERY easy to induce roses to mildew and rust by water stressing them.
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#5 of 5 posted
13 FEB by
kgs
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Belated reply, but after battling rust again in 2023, despite spraying and whatnot, in early spring 2024 I sprayed Sweet Spirit once with copper and never saw rust again. I appreciate the guidance about water, but I suspect it was just "going through a phase" and then outgrew being prone to rust, as I water even during our short winters. It has stayed on the small side, but that is more likely to its location, and it has a nice "peeping" habit, as I call it, where perfectly formed blooms framed by glossy foliage poke through the picket fence to greet the neighbors.
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Initial post
12 FEB by
kgs
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This rose is stunningly beautiful three weeks out of the year. It does not have repeat blooms. I would say it is the location, which has some shade, but there is an EVS across the street in full sun that has the same habit. It's very pretty when it blooms, and the fragrance is par none. Also -- the blooms are so soft that I love to rub my face against them. They feel wonderful! I don't prune or at most (in winter) prune lightly, it gets lots of food and water... not sure if this once-a-year bloom is expected behavior or not. I had potted it originally but it's been in the ground for three to five years.
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What a lovely review. Thank you
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Would you be willing to share the provenance of your lovely rose? It is unusual for a polyantha to be once blooming.
The photo from Rosepat in 2009 shows a huge plant which the owner states does repeat throughout the season.
How big does yours get?
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#3 of 3 posted
12 FEB by
kgs
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This EVS (if that's what it is!) came from Russian River Rose Company, in Healdsburg CA. I would bet the EVS (or EVS imposter) that is across the street -- actually two plants, over an arch -- came from RRRC as well. My plant is currently about 4.5 feet high and about 7 feet wide, supported by a small trellis. I posted a photo to the gallery yesterday. I have been meaning to visit RRRC, which is about 15 minutes north of my home, to buy a couple more roses for my garden, and when I do, I will ask them about the habits of their EVS in their display garden.
Edit: I just checked the list of roses for the display garden for RRRC, and EVS is marked with two asterisks, meaning a "reliable repeat." I'll still ask them directly, to find out what that means. Perhaps I, and my neighbor with the EVS, are not giving EVS what it needs. I give mine lots of water (it's on the same line as a veggie bed) and feed it several times a year.
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This one has everything going for it. If you’re one for a good sturdy hybrid tea, with a powerhouse of fragrance that will TKO you when you walk in the door, this is your ticket. Heaven. From 1-10, I would rate the fragrance a 14. Though it’s so intense, you’ll either love or hate it. The fragrance is like a big vat of fresh sliced Pink Grapefruits, like 100 of them. It is Dee-Lish like you want to eat it, but the number of names given to this sweetheart of a rose is nothing short of ridiculous! That’s the one thing ONLY I can say bad about this rose. Its a HT lover’s dream. Fights off BS and mildew like an angry truckdriver. Robust and vigorous upright grower, it’s fragrance defies the need to put it in the back. This one BEGS to be front and center. Even by the front door so you and your guests can enjoy and appreciate it’s unforgettable fragrance. The bees never stop trying to pollinate it. I’ve seen them even landing on the shattered petals on the ground.
I acquired it some time ago as Sweet Parfum de Provence. Imagine how gobsmacked I was to discover that it was Dee-Lish, interchangeably. Shame on whomever didn’t stick with one or two names at best. This isn’t a rose that deserves such ambiguity.
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#1 of 8 posted
16 JUN 19 by
kgs
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We just had a sudden heat wave with temps up to 100 degrees -- unusual for June in this area (Sonoma County, CA) and really hard on a lot of plants, roses and otherwise, particularly after our long, wet winter and delayed spring. Roses with delicate petals such as Gentle Hermione had completely frizzled blooms, and most of the plants had smaller buds afterwards, as if they were recovering from shock. Dee-lish was a notable exception: it didn't have a problem during or after the heat wave. Agree on its strong fragrance (which I like) and disease resistance. Due to the strange weather this spring some roses that normally shake off disease are experiencing mildew or BS, but not Dee-lish. Its blooms also last and last on the bush and as a cut flower.
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#2 of 8 posted
16 JUN 19 by
HubertG
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I have decided to get this rose next season after reading these comments. Thank you both for your reviews.
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HubertG you're very welcome. It certainly is a fantastic performer. Make sure you give it plenty of room, as it's very upright and seems to have settled at a fantastic 5-6 feet tall, where all the flowers are in perfect nose and eye range for being next to a walkway or where a medium shrub is needed.
It likes to throw random single flowers between flushes, which is really a nice attribute so there's not really any time it's completely barren. I believe it would appreciate a place where it gets lots of water on the roots. It does very well in heat, but can't tolerate drying out, and in fact does just fine in a little wet soil.
But when you sniff it the first time, you realize you won't want to be without it. Ever.
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#4 of 8 posted
9 JAN 21 by
HubertG
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Eighteen months after my previous comment I finally got around to buying this rose. I missed out last season and saw it by chance in a local nursery where it's sold as 'Forget Me Not'. Its first flower is deliciously scented. Yes, I can definitely smell the pink grapefruit component but there are other more subtle layers in addition to this. I'll be interested to see how it develops over time. The colour reminds me of 'Lorraine Lee'. Planning on growing it in a good size pot for now as the label recommends this and there is a great photo here of a potted specimen. Already very glad I got this, thanks to your reviews.
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I bought it recently and the one problem I am starting to see with it is the bloom. Although large and beautiful, petals feel rather delicate and the bloom seems to shatter/come apart relatively quickly.
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I’m glad to hear you have the ability to enjoying Dee-Lish! Patience with allowing it to develop, as it has Austin parentage, and those are always rewarding when given proper care. It’s truly worth the patience to allow its root system to develop. Some of my DA’s take 3 years before they’re in their full glory.
I can suggest to possibly make sure you’re getting some wood ash and fish emulsion to the soil on occasion. I’ve found that with certain roses, the petals will not be as robust and as able to stand up to sun, rain, temperature fluctuations, dry roots as well as when it’s got a nice robust root system and the nutrients it needs to develop good petals. I also use Bone Meal and Blood Meal depending on the plant situation.
I can tell you I get over 100” of rain each year and this rose holds up to it. However, it is an old fashioned form, so the petals are not thick like many HT’s like Mr L. or Angel Face. It’s definitely not a fast blow in my garden. It will hold its blooms for at least 3 days in extra hot weather, yet with fragrance.. and up to 5 days in ideal weather. I have some that blow overnight. This certainly isn’t one of those. Though I grow all my roses in the ground, so I’m not sure how this one does in pot culture, since it has quite an extensive root system for me. Seems too much for a pot, IMHO.
I truly hope this helps you problem solve on what might cause this rose to underperform, where it should do much better.
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Thank you for all the tips, Planetrj!
My Dee-lish is growing slowly but surely. Not a prolific bloomer yet but I do love the bloom.
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#7 of 8 posted
9 MAY 21 by
kgs
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Roseforest, I have the same issue with my Dee-Lish. The blooms go very fast, particularly in warm weather, and it's not pretty, either. I'm not surprised to see it has DA lineage. I have tried to grow several DAs but the only one who hasn't had to be rehomed is Carding Mill. Sonoma County CA, 9b, is not England.
My plant is now several years old and I'm going to rehome it this fall. It's lovely in early spring, but I only have room for ca. 30 roses and this one just doesn't cut it.
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