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'Fred Loads' rose Reviews & Comments
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Does anybody out there grow Fred Loads? In the description tab it says it can be a climber in warmer climates and a tall floribunda (or shrub) in colder zones. I am in zone 5b. I planted Fred in May, 2021 in a sunny spot next to my brick wall of my garage (SW exposure). In 2021 I wasn't sure if the rose I had planted was in fact Fred Loads as my plant grew like the dickens but did not produce a single bloom. It had climbing canes - so late last year I bent these canes to the horizontal (or nearly so) and tried to train it like a climber. Fred overwintered well (the sun beating on the brick garage wall makes it warmer than zone 5b) and behaved like a climber come spring and it did in fact bloom on the laterals (and it was in fact Fred Loads after all). But they were big blooms and not a lot of them. Since then I have just let Fred grow again and it's growing great but there are no buds/blooms in sight.
My Fred Loads can't seem to find it's place in the world. It's a light blooming climber and a non-blooming shrub or floribunda. If I can't figure out how to get more blooms Fred is going to meet up with a shovel come the summer of 2023!
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Reply
#1 of 3 posted
16 AUG 22 by
 Johno
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Fred Loads was purchased a little over twelve months ago in a closing down sale and while growing in a pot it is shortly to be moved into the ground. Fred’s flowers are to be admired and the bees certainly enjoy the open blooms.
I have no knowledge of your soil type or any comprehension of growing roses in Zone 5b but you may care to consider the following factors.
Your Fred Loads is but a baby and needs to be given more time to establish and settle down in the soil. Would not consider shovel pruning it under five years. The rarity of Fred here is one reason for its retention. There is no guarantee that a rose which has been on the market for over fifty rears will continue to be available.
The rapid growth and lack of flowers suggests the plant is putting all its energy into producing foliage. You could try a feed of potash as it clearly has plenty of nitrogen.
One of the HMF references, Botanica P253 states ‘If it is pruned hard to reduce its ungainly height in winter it then produces enormous heads of flowers..’ The reference promises large rose trusses which would contend with Sally Holmes.
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I laughed out loud at your description of Fred not finding its place in the world. How is it doing?
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It's a simple pillar rose. Grows straight up. Doesn't really bend. Blooms large clusters. Very easy rose to grow. Does BS like others from its era, but otherwise a fine, simple, easy rose.
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I cannot ascertain if my Fred Loads will smell or not. High Country says zero FR and HMF says strongly scented. It's only a year old. What FR rating would you give it 0 to 4? And what notes? Thank you
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I must say, my 'Fred Loads' is well-behaved. I have two bushes alongside 'Sally Holmes', the two being products of the same breeder and, in many ways very similar in flower form except for colour and scent. (I have them in a bed which also comtains 'Dusky Maiden' another English single-semidouble rose of the same period more or less.
For those outside Britain I would point out that the rose is named after a head gardener who became nationally famous as one of the team of advisors on the radio programme 'Gardener's Question Time' and as the author of several popular books of gardening advice.
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Initial post
29 MAY 22
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* Posted by unregistered site guest: Pending HMF administrative review. *
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