As much as I just love the roses themselves I also love the marketing and I suppose sociology of the mid-centuries. My little band of Mexicana just bloomed, absolutely lovely, very close to LOVE, 1980, but actually more refined and slightly more "clean" on the bicolor. Being "Rose of the Year" for J&P was some SERIOUS marketing, arguably as "notable" as an AARS award. This one won the year I was born! And yet by the time I was 8 or 11, it was GONE! Red/white is not that common----the first one I can think of is Bajazzo. Then Trade Wind(s)....then Mexicana.........I am guessing that SNOWFIRE is what squashed Mexicana since Kordes assigned it to J&P just a few years later and it ALSO got HUGE press and was/is, when it comes through (rarely) a velvety deep rich true red with that weird and notable white edge to each petal............I can see how marketing got distracted and overly excited for sure..............but while Mexicana did not prove to be a SUPERIOR variety, SNOWFIRE actually proved to be rather POOR.........and I suppose by the time THAT "debate" was over, LOVE appeared............which at least is rather "reliable" in health and hardiness and IRONICALLY all of those who remember the 70's, IRONICALLY LOVE was deemed to be the Grandiflora although it rarely EVER sprays and Mexicana flip-flopped between HT and GR because it almost ALWAYS sprays.............the 70's were crazy for roses.......I thought I was imagining it but was not, so many came and went MUCH faster than they come and go now........FIRESIDE (rose of the year 1970), Comanche, Lucky Lady, Matterhorn, Mexicana.......late 60's MAJOR releases..........not really available at all 6 or 8 years later..............to wrap this up, Mexicana just gave me a bloom which stunned me. It is very delicate but yes, very close to LOVE. I can talk roses forever..................