Multi-colored Roses in the Garden

Ever since many of us gazed upon our first Double Delight rose, perhaps in Mom’s or Grandma’s garden, we were likely smitten by the intrigue of multi-colored flowers (‘multis’). 

Even if you have a perfect pure pink, brilliant red or other saturated single-colored rose in your yard, the delight added by blended shades of color swirling about in a single rose can add even more interest to your landscape.

In recent years Weeks Roses has added several new ‘multis’ including some All-America Rose Selection (AARS) winners.  Dream Come True won this honor in 2008 due to the passionate hybridizing efforts of Dr. John Pottschmidt in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

His dream was to not just create a rose that others could enjoy, but to claim the pinnacle by capturing the AARS award.  With a golden yellow center edged with blushing ruby hues, this grandiflora’s blooms borne on long strong stems captivate visitors in your garden with its contrasting colors.

While we’re talking about AARS winners, the Dick Clark rose captured the eye of the judges in 2011 with its classically formed mixture of cream and cherry blushed with burgundy. The ever-changing colors atop super shiny green foliage will keep both your garden and your bouquets interesting the entire growing season.

About Face does multi-color in an entirely different way.  Two-faced, but not in a bad way, the lighter golden-orange petal inside is distinctly different than the darker, bronze-red petal outside.  With superb disease resistance, plenty of vigor and unique color mixing, About Face turns heads as well.

When it comes to using a myriad of colors in a stunning way, few artists approach the talents of glass artist Dale Chihuly.  And when it comes to roses, it’s hard to compete with his namesake rose Chihuly. 

An amazingly floriferous floribunda, each cluster flower and individual petal showcases a unique wash of colors.  Yellows, oranges and all the colors in between get into the mix, blushing to red when kissed by the sun.  Even the foliage gets into the multi-color theme with its deep mahogany new growth. 

If you are looking for a rose with contrast overload, Ketchup & Mustard definitely creates this by contrasting these two colorful condiments.  Deep, ketchup-red inside petals are backed by bright mustard-yellow outside petals set atop shiny apple green leaves. 

With a nice medium sized growing habit you can fit this two-toned attention getter in smaller spaces in the landscape, in colorful containers or even atop a rose tree.

There is no need to settle for mono-coloring with your landscape roses when you can live in stereo with Watercolors…a new version of the beloved old Mutabilis. 

The dark red new growth matures into clean green leaves to provide the stage for a symphony of pink, ruby, cerise and yellow toned single-petaled lovelies.  Hardy & own-root, this shrub will dot the landscape with butterfly-like blooms of many hues.

As for climbing colors, Jacob’s Robe spreads a wall of continually changing color, from attention-getting yellows to blushing pinks and reds. 

This obvious improvement on Joseph’s Coat has natural resistance to disease, glossy deep green leaves and impressive vigor.  If you want to take color to new heights, this full-sized climber will bloom and repeat bloom in the very first year.

Although there is nothing wrong with roses of a single color, can you tell our hybridizer, Tom Carruth, is partial to multis?  Colorific is Tom’s favorite…at least for this month.

Visit the multi-color rose pages to learn more about over two dozen different multis.