I bought this from Northland Rosarium in April and was pleased by the vigorous and healthy plant I received together with comprehensive care and planting instructions. Within a few weeks the first bloom arrived and, yes, it was the color of Honey Dijon sauce with fragrance on the strong side of moderate.
Initial impression is that this will be a difficult color to blend in a controlled color scheme. The graying from its parent Stainless Steel (WEKblusi) that makes it unique, also (in my opinion,) rules out placing it among other yellow roses, it simply looks dirty. It may work as a brightener or punctuation mark in a mixed bed of white and yellow to pink blends.
A month later the temperatures are cranking up, triple digits for the last week and high winds hot enough to dry the leaves off a young willow tree but this rose is completely unaffected & happily finishing its second flush of blooms.
While I am impressed with its hardiness I am not so thrilled with the flowers; specifically, they fade as they age to a most unattractive ashy tan. The color of dead fish floating belly up. I would not want to use it in a cut flower arrangement!
I would be interested to know if this is specific to our climate, the time of year, age of the plant or where I have it planted. Meanwhile, I conclude that despite the novel color this is unsuited for a specimen plant for anyone who does not deadhead at the point the flower opens fully.
