A Walk Through The Garden, 2008

'Dorothy Perkins'

Multiflora/Wichurana Rambler, 1901, Jackson & Perkins

Or, at least, I'm pretty sure that's what this rose is.

"Dotty" was here when I got here, and I'm told she has been here since at least 1955. She grows on the east side of my house in a little flower bed that never, but never, gets any water. Has this ever stopped her? Nope, not at all! Dotty produces canes up to seven meters long that will even grow through cracks in the window casement and into the house. Her tiny flowers have about one hundred petals each, in clusters of two dozen or more. They open a medium pink and quickly fade to nearly white, and every spring put on quite a display, starting when everyone else has decided to call it quits for the year.

But she is not without her drawbacks. A more mildew-prone plant I have never seen; and rather than shatter her flowers and form hips, she simply dries the flowers on the stems, so one is left with a huge mass of ugly, brown, dead flowers until one cuts them off. And, worst of all in my opinion, there is no fragrance whatsoever to make it all worthwhile.

Yet I do appreciate her for her hardiness. And something nice has to grow in that pathetic spot!

Note: When I was looking up specifics on this plant, I was very surprised to see that the ARS lists her as a Wichurana rambler. This makes me wonder if I really do have 'Dorothy Perkins' because the rose I have is so very Multiflora-like in habit and frilly stipules.

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