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'Always & Forever' rose Reviews & Comments
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I don't see why people keep making new red roses that are similar but inferior to Olympiad? Opening Night was pretty good (great vigor, repeat, very clear color) relative to Olympiad, very few other red HTs have come close. This one looks like it has even less to offer (no offense to those that like it). Or one could go with Grande Amore, which has performed amazingly everywhere I have seen it -- superior to Olympiad, in my opinion, and it is not a 1900s yard-eating skyscraper HT, too, which is a bonus to most of us.
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Because people keep buying them in hopes they are superior, or just because they like collecting red roses.
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I think so. If so, I'd go with some older ones or their modern, fragrant replicas.
I think what I wrote was snarky. I do admit that. I wrote it because I was annoyed to see this rose in Weeks 2014 line up. It was a huge step down for me, personally, and it only made me mad, because I was thinking about all of the nursery losses.
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I think it was Captain Thomas who wrote that there were enough mediocre roses already. (I have no personal experience of the rose you're writing about.)
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It's the same case with virtually every product. There has been and probably always will be a continuous supply of mediocrity.
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Or some people (such as this one) buy them knowing they won't rate up there with the best, but still enjoy the variety and uniqueness of each rose, perfect or not. I'd hate to be stuck growing only the best example of each color! Growing in my garden is a rose that might indeed be the worst example of a red rose that exists, but I keep it. I love roses for what they ARE and don't focus on what they are not.
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I do agree why weeks choose this variety over other good pure reds. I wish they re produce "Black Magic" instead. Definitely sell out on store shelves. Some oldies roses like Ingrid Bergman, Kerdinal, Veteran's Honer and new Love's Magic are my favorite up to date.
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I agree with your list of the best reds; in fact, I grow at least two of each. Perhaps Weeks chose this rose because most people who want to grow roses don't want the same ones available everywhere, every year. That tends to be too true anyway.
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I just noticed that it doesnt have a patent. Based on the flower form and odd quirks, I would guess it is related to 'Opening Night'.
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I think it more often boils down to patent royalties. This rose may not be patented, but it's new and Week's would have a virtual exclusive on it until someone else either licenses it for sale or begins producing it if it isn't patented. The others you listed are likely patented and they would owe someone else those royalties if they sold it. For them to remain viable as creators and introducers of new roses, and to recoup some of their R&D costs, they must continue introducing new varieties. The older ones may well be superior, but they will make more money on their own newer rose, at least initially.
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This red HT rose was part of the 2009 J&P HT Test Rose Panel. It was introduced as an own root plant and most rosarians had no luck getting it to break dormancy before it dried up and died. I didn't have much problem though it was slower than most. J&P has now introduced it on Dr. Huey rootstock and it seems to break dormancy much better and they have of course named it Always & Forever.
My two own root plants continue to grow quite well. The plants are vigorous enough and the foliage is a dark green but a bit sparse and will get a bit of BS unless sprayed. The plant gets about 4 1/2' tall maximum. The flowers are a nice deep velvety red but the form is a bit ragged and really not exhibition form, but still pretty. The plants could bloom a bit more in my opinion but the repeat is pretty fair. Overall this is a decent garden rose but not an outstanding one for me.
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