The striped roses are either liked or loathed. On the one hand, they are a novelty in the rose world but on the other, the combination of colours may not appeal. This month we feature one of the best ‘stripes’ and one that has led to the development of many of the modern striped roses.
‘Ferdinand Pitchard’ is a repeat flowering Hybrid Perpetual with cupped blooms of pink striped with crimson. Yellow stamens are a feature of this rose as well and it has a moderate fragrance to please the nose. Unlike some other hybrid perpetual varieties, it has a compact growth habit with light green leaves.
The late Ralph Moore, father of the modern miniature rose, used ‘Ferdinand Pitchard’ to create the striped miniature ‘Stars n Stripes’ which was then used by our own Sam McGredy to create his own line of striped roses. These have been used by other breeders to develop their own striped roses in all sorts of colour combinations.
Bred in France in 1921 by Tanne, it is still one of the best stripes to grow and its relatively compact habit makes it ideal for even smaller gardens.
