PhotoComments & Questions 
Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria  rose photo courtesy of member Eric Timewell
Discussion id : 75-720
most recent 27 DEC 13 HIDE POSTS
 
Initial post 27 DEC 13 by Patricia Routley
Good photos Eric.
Do you see any differences in the bushes of 'Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria' and 'Kootenay' at Maddingley Park?
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Reply #1 of 5 posted 27 DEC 13 by Eric Timewell
Patricia, there are many. Kootenay has more clusters. The flowers open (if they open, both are given to terrible balling and bud-rot) with a Malmaison heart which turns yellow. Its buds often have big red streaks on the outside (see my photo from last winter) which Kaiserin never shows. The buds and flowers of Kootenay are often so much of a mess that you can't see which way they face. When you can see, they face close to up. Kootenay has not much scent.
Kaiserin is often disfigured by balling, but less than Kootenay. All the non-white shading of the flower and bud is apple green. When first the sepals fall back from the bud it shows as pure apple green all over, like dyed silk (see this photo). The shading of the open flower begins pale green and in hot weather turns cream (see photo), not yellow. The flowers nearly always face sideways or down (compare Kootenay). Finally, any open flower has detectable scent, usually a strong scent which to my nose is pure Tea — it lacks the woody notes of a typical Hybrid Tea — stronger though less sweet than that of Mrs Herbert Stevens nearby. I'd say its scent is in the top 20 known to me.
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Reply #2 of 5 posted 27 DEC 13 by Patricia Routley
Thanks Eric. I appreciate that. Clarifying:
Kootenay: red streaks on bud.
Kaiserin: apple green buds. Never red streaks.

Unfortunately I have a red-streaked, slightly green-budded, tall rose which came from Mrs. Sheila Gravett named as ‘K.A.V’. The flowers are heavy and nod with the weight. I think it must be ‘Kootenay’, and I have it listed in my garden records as ‘?Kootenay’. ‘Mrs. Harold Brocklebank’ hovers around the edge of my awareness too. I think it will take me a few years yet to really sort out these last two in my mind. But I am a lot clearer now on Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria.
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Reply #3 of 5 posted 27 DEC 13 by Eric Timewell
Well, both nod but Kaiserin nods far more. All its buds are green. Kootenay sometimes shows a greenish bud, but rarely. Any chance of a photo of Mrs Gravett's rose?
Take a look at my Kootenay photo. The red colouring is striking. Could it be a virus? Note, no sign of pale green anywhere.
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Reply #4 of 5 posted 27 DEC 13 by Patricia Routley
The red colouring, I believe, is sunlight hitting the new exposed petals in the bud. Many roses have it (including Bishop's Lodge Precious Porcelain?)

Here are some photos.
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Reply #5 of 5 posted 27 DEC 13 by Eric Timewell
Choosing just between the two, it has to be Kootenay. I've never seen that Malmaison-pink centre on Kaiserin. But it is what you usually see on Kootenay. The yellow centre comes later if the weather is hot enough.
"My best rose in heatwaves." Does this mean one of my worst when there is no heatwave?
Here is a photo of Kaiserin showing the whole bush.
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