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ben_tso

My California Rose Garden 2024

We have an a nice wet winter and a mild spring, terrific year for roses!

Comments (71)

  • Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
    16 days ago

    I too liked your voice as it was, Ben.

    BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
  • Feiy (PNWZ8b/9a)
    16 days ago

    Wow, your garden looks amazing, and this is just the rose tour in the front yard. Looking forward to your next video.

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  • pink rose(9b, FL )
    16 days ago

    Wow ! what a feast for the eyes . love everything .


    In my opinion both BenT and Hoang Ton get the Award of growing the best roses :)

    BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) thanked pink rose(9b, FL )
  • dianela7analabama
    16 days ago

    Wow wow Ben spectacular! I watched your garden video and what a treat it was. I LOVE them all. I particularly enjoyed your moonlight in Paris and that giant sugar moon. I may not be able to grow them as well as you do but I am planning on trying. Your voice is perfect and soothing. Thank you for sharing your space with us.

    BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) thanked dianela7analabama
  • rosecanadian
    16 days ago

    Sultry - oh my goodness!!! In retrospect it's funny...but at the time!!! YIKES!!! I love how these guardian dogs know how helpless their charges are.

  • Galadriel
    16 days ago

    Your garden is beautiful!
    I was going through the earlier videos that you shared. And realized that I had decided to get a Golden Opportunity climbing rose after watching your video.
    I hope it grows well in my garden as well :)

  • kentucky_rose zone 6
    16 days ago
    last modified: 16 days ago

    What a treat to visit your spectacular rose garden! Seeing Neptune, Neil Diamond, and Sugar Moon makes me want to try them again. I appreciate the info and details that you provided. What are some of your favorites to cut?

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    16 days ago
    last modified: 16 days ago

    Galadriel,

    I think Golden Opportunity is awesome, with quality repeat like no other, I’m glad you are going to get one.

    Dianela,

    Thanks for the compliement,

    , but your own garden is incredible, especially those magnificent climbers on pillars and those robust groupings of Austins. I feel like we are looking a an arboretum with those beautiful statues too.

    Feiy,

    I love your beautiful garden as well, I think we have the same garden style, squeeze in a riot of color wherever we can!

    Magpie,

    Thanks for the eloquent and kind words, we should do the most and be happy with what we’re given

    Sultry,

    LOL, those dogs have a mind of their own and they are so determined to get their own crazy agenda done!

    Soozie,

    Little dogs make the best garden buddies.

    Moses,

    Thank you, always appreciate your wisdom and humor.

    Pink rose,

    Thanks much, I’m happy for others to see my garden, it is a blessing to be able to do so.

    Carol,

    Thank you , I think you’d like Neptune, it was my Texas neighbors favorite, she just called it that wonderufl purple rose that smells like lemons.

  • pink rose(9b, FL )
    16 days ago
    last modified: 16 days ago

    What a joy it must be to grow roses in perfect conditions where they can show their true potential without disease/insect /weather pressure . Of course you must still put a lot of hard work to produce such amazing bushes .

    I especially love your Neil diamond , Well being , Garden Delight , chipp n dale , parfume Royale .

  • pink rose(9b, FL )
    16 days ago

    Wow so much beauty in one spot !!!!

    Personally I have a soft spot for the modern high centered form roses so your front rose garden is my favorite . But I can appreciate the complexity and variety of the back rose garden , so many colors & forms & growth habits from all over the world .

    Especially love your : Golden Opportunity , Abe Darby , Constance ,The Impressionist , Juliet .

    BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) thanked pink rose(9b, FL )
  • Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
    15 days ago

    Great movie, Ben. Your garden is so well grown!

  • KittyNYz6
    15 days ago
    last modified: 14 days ago

    Ben, Love ypur 2 rose tours! Enjoy especially some unique favorites: Th. Marx, Juliet, Constance, gorgeous Masora-really loved seeing her bush & unique bloom shape. Many of the roses are babies in my garden this spring. Can’t wait to see them perform!

    One of your of particular interest is Barcelona, Kordes ! Are you sure it is not ”Barcelona -Francis Dubrieul? I can’t see any difference. It seems possible to order FD from Rogue Valley when in stock but not the Kordes? Where did you buy yours? Love the deep wine color!

    I also like Black Bacara and Black Caviar! Exceptional dark reddish wines!

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    15 days ago

    Kitty,

    I went to The Huntington last week and they had some wonderful mature plants of Barcelona, they looked to be the exact same variety as what I have. Tom Carruth said he thinks pretty much all the plants in US are Barcelona, not Frances Dubreil.


    I’ve got Black Caviar too, but it’s a little plant, yet to bloom.


    Pink rose

    So many people like the OGR form, but I like the traditional high centered modern roses just as much!

  • berrypiez6b
    15 days ago
    last modified: 15 days ago

    Oh I wish it didn't end - I'll have to watch them again. Absolutely magnificent roses Ben. I'm glad you and Elon have gathered one of the most beautiful rose collections on Earth to enjoy. Thanks so much for giving us a glimpse.

    BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) thanked berrypiez6b
  • rosecanadian
    15 days ago

    Ben - I'm interested to see how Black Caviar does for you. :)

    BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) thanked rosecanadian
  • Karen Service
    15 days ago

    Ben, I love garden tours. Thank you for going to the trouble to do not one, but two, videos of your garden. Speaking as a person who can't walk and chew gum at the same time, I know this took some effort and ability. Everything was so beautiful! What I loved most is that you knew so much about your subjects and weren't shy about sharing your knowledge with the viewer. The only times I've ever been disappointed by garden tours were when the "gardeners" knew nothing about their plants, sometimes not even the identity.

    BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) thanked Karen Service
  • Rosylady (PNW zone 8)
    14 days ago

    Ben...I just got done watching both tours and I am absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the beauty and quality of your roses. They are grown to utter and absolute perfection! This has nothing to do with your climate, because you grew them to perfection in your last garden too, which was in , I believe, Texas. Wow, wow, wow! Truly, your roses are stunning.


    I love how you share your experience and knowledge with each variety. You have one of the best selections of rose varieties I've seen...I'm truly envious. There were many times when I paused the video to go and search for a particular variety. I loved all your Japanese and florist roses.


    I would never get tired of watching your "strolls through your rose garden" videos. So inspiring, so beautiful....thanks so much for sharing your roses with us.

    BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) thanked Rosylady (PNW zone 8)
  • Melissa Kansas 5b/6a
    14 days ago

    BenT what a lot of work you did to create this video! Thank you so much for the tour! Your garden is stunningly beautiful! Sooo many breathtaking roses.

    Now everyone else needs a video as well. I love garden tours and didn’t even have to drive anywhere!

  • mmmm12COzone5
    14 days ago

    Just watched part 1. I loved the narration! I like all the details on how the plants perform. Also like seeing full bush shapes and foliage. Thank you!

  • erasmus_gw
    14 days ago

    Great job! Must be nice to have less bs pressure and no rrd in CA.

  • KittyNYz6
    14 days ago

    Ben,

    It’s sooo wonderful you have Barcelona, Kordes and Bl Caviar! Love to see them both bloom more! I recently decided on adding Black Baccara, from GRF, another wine! Love those wine colors! Awwwwwwwwww!!!!!

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    12 days ago
    last modified: 12 days ago

    Thanks everyone for watching the videos and the sweet words. I’m very lucky to have friends that enjoy roses the same way I do!

    Rosylady

    Your words resonated with me. Even though we live in a more favorable climate , we still stay just as busy taking care of our plants to make them look nice.

    Erasmus

    I am indeed happy to move away from not only blackspot and RRD, but mosquitos, too!

    Karen,

    I love talking about roses, and these videos are a great outlet. I had considered just setting the roses to a music background, but I like to talk too much.

    Melissa

    I’ve been honing up on my video editing skills, I am using an app called InShOt which seems much more intuitive than my old app. I do enjoy learning something new, even if it is frustrating at times.

    mmmm,

    I like seeing the full plant in people’s garden myself! I’m glad you do that in your pics as well.

    Kitty

    Black Baccara seems super popular here, I wonder if it has better burn resistance than other black reds

    Berrypie

    It is indeed Elon’s garden too, I left enough grass so we can play fetch in both directions!


  • Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
    12 days ago

    Elon looks so happy! I didn't know he played tennis too.

  • Melissa Kansas 5b/6a
    12 days ago

    I’m looking that app up now!

  • berrypiez6b
    12 days ago
    last modified: 12 days ago

    Elon has a great smile , he's a hunk ! ( compact one )

  • rosecanadian
    12 days ago

    He seems like a real person...in other words...he has character!! :) :) He's adorable!!

  • KittyNYz6
    11 days ago

    Ben, That smile on Elon is captivating! What a really happy dog! One if the happiest dogs ever! Sweet! Is he thinking about your cooking treats?

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    9 days ago
    last modified: 8 days ago

    Elon thanks everyone for the compliments! He wishes he could jump in his car and visit each of you in person and frolic in your garden. Alas, he is only 3, too young for a driver’s license, and must be relegated to the back in his doggy booster.


    The garden is still looking nice and more roses are coming into bloom, so I am making videos for Part 3.



    English Perfume



    Capri


    Chippendale


    Perfume Factory



    Gertrude

  • berrypiez6b
    9 days ago

    Ben - you couldn't get a better back seat driver . While you watch the road , Elon will take care of the sky.

    From what I have read and watched in videos , Chippendale is an incredible rose. I'm eager to see how it does for you .




  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 days ago

    Hello Elon... :-) Nice rose garden you have Elon... lol...

  • Diane Brakefield
    8 days ago

    Ben, being a kitty person, it's hard to say this, but Elon has got one of the most appealing, happy faces I've ever seen on dog or cat. What a smile, and it made me smile back. Love the special car seat for Elon, and I am thoroughly amazed at how clean and perfect the white human seats are, too. Ben, I see you are growing Capri, a Tantau rose I've wanted to grow for many a year. Sir, you have connections in the rose world. I'm late to comment on your spectacular garden videos. I watched part 1 twice, and will watch again. And now what a treat to see part 2. Right off, I knew what my favorite rose is in your garden....so far. And there was Scentuous my fav at the beginning of part 2. So perfect. So gorgeous. Someday, I'll grow it, I swear. And another favorite was the stunning Madame Isaac Perriere. What a great job you did extending her canes so gracefully over the wire support. And how big she is in such a short time. She's spectacular. The Impressionist was especially beautiful, too, and one I rarely have even seen in photos. Masora's individual blooms are a work of art. In Part 1, Life of the Party stood out to me, and Moonlight in Paris. I loved Augusta Luise, and you got such lovely light colored blooms from her. She will get a lot bigger if you let her. I'm looking forward to your third installment. Will you feature Golden Zest or Bring Me Sunshine by any chance? Thanks for taking such care in bringing us a glimpse of your garden. Diane

  • Diane Brakefield
    8 days ago

    Ben, I'm back because I can't stop thinking about some of the roses in your part 2. I should have mentioned how a couple of roses in your garden got me excited because they were so different, and those two are Beatrice and Edith. What I loved about them was their frilly soft look and interesting coloring, and the pretty scalloping around the petals of Beatrice. She has such a pure, light yellow color, it made me happy to look at her. I think those roses are the next big look in florist roses, if they're not already. I'm sure I'm behind the times a bit. I also got to thinking about Masora and how theoretically lovely she looks, but several things bother me about this rose. She is too uniform in her bloom structure, and the color is also too uniform. What I like about Evelyn is the great variety she displays in coloring and the shape of her blooms. Some of her blooms are deeply cup shaped and some are flatter and more highly quartered. And some of Evelyn's blooms are very pink and others so apricot. Masora has none of this, and I think this rose could become boring for me--though she is beautiful in your garden for sure. Just some late night rose meandering thoughts. Now I want Beatrice. Diane


    Why they'll never be another rose quite like Evelyn.



  • Soozie Q, zone 10b
    8 days ago

    Can't wait for video #3! Thanks for providing info on each rose; I have Firefighter too & didn't know it can grow so tall. I have it at the very front of a border. Next January it will be taken out & planted further back.

  • KittyNYz6
    7 days ago
    last modified: 7 days ago

    Ben, Happy Elon is sooooo adorable & fits sooooo nicely in his car seat. I’d love a car seat for Anastasisbut she takes up the back 3/4 of seat! She’s an extea big standard poodle, Lol! Maybe I will put a long doggie cushion over the leather seat, where she’s now on a towel????

    Video 3 sounds great! Loved all your other videos!

    New Masora is growing well for me-no blooms yet, but glossy leaves & very disease resistant! Love her!

    Diane, Your Evelyn is alway girgepus anf love her many colors! And love that FRF is sending me Rougie Royale! Your rises are soooooo amazing!

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    7 days ago
    last modified: 7 days ago

    Diane,

    Your Evelyns always look so luscious. I was inspired by you to grow the variety years ago, I still believe she is among the very best Austins, especially for hot weather folks like us. Thanks for the kind words about my garden videos.

    Soozie,

    Firefighter is indeed a tall variety, mine is especially tall being on Fortuniana rootstock. But he stays where he is, next to the fire hydrant, that’s his job. Lady Emma Hamilton, for example, seems like rather delicate gal who wouldn’t know what do if there’s a fire!

    Kitty,

    Masora is especially beautiful for me this year, I bet she’ll be terrific for you as well. Last year I thought she was far inferior to Evelyn and Abe, that must have rankled her, because this spring she looks the best.

    I bet Anastasia is just happy she is along for the ride! Elon curls up in his doggy seat and snores, he is very content to be included.

    Berrypie and Jim

    Elon says hi to you , Amara and Gracie!

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    5 days ago
    last modified: 5 days ago

    Roses in massive clusters!




    My fancy Frenchmen, Thierry and Henri strutting their stuff after the rain





    These British gals, Juliet and Beatrice are not to be outdone.



    The Dutch is extra fancy, All 4 Cherry Blossoms



    The Italian enttry, Lila Vidri





    Finally, some ‘Merikun dudes, Neil and Ebb Tide.

    In all cases the rain weighed down the clusters and I used my hand to support them to take the pics.

  • dianela7analabama
    5 days ago
    last modified: 5 days ago

    Ben how were to able to insert your video on this site? I LOVE LOVE your videos.

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    5 days ago

    Hi Dianela,

    At the bottom of the post there is an option to click on ’Video’, which will give you the opportunity to insert a YouTube link. Some other formats might also be acceptable.


    Does this mean you will be sharing videos of your beautiful garden? I sure hope so!

  • Diane Brakefield
    5 days ago

    Ben, I thought you were just showing off your hand. Anyway, I'm in love with Beatrice. She is so different. But Juliet is gorgeous and really reminds me of Evelyn. And, who is Henri? I thought that stunner was Bring Me Sunshine or Golden Zest. These beautiful yellow/apricot roses have got me mixed up. Ebb Tide is always beautiful to me, one of my favorite roses. Thanks for the yummy posting of bunches of beauty. Diane

  • dianela7analabama
    5 days ago

    Thank you Ben. I made a couple small videos after being inspired by seeing yours. Your garden is so phenomenal thank you for sharing it with us.

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    5 days ago
    last modified: 5 days ago

    Diane,

    My hand and arm does serve a second purpose to gauge the size of the roses. Once I saw a sweet looking elderly couple where the husband was taking pics of his wife next to roses. Someone remarked how pretty his wife looked, and the man replied ’I only include her in the pic so I can tell how tall that rosebush is!’

    You asked about Golden Zest and Bring Me Sunshine. Both are very young for me I like Golden Zest very much, it is a cheerful strong yellow and the blooms are high quality. BMS has been super thin toothpick stems, I finally see a few tiny buds at the end. Out of my 160 varieites, right now it ranks dead bottom! Hopefully it will improve. I did see AllSass post some nice pics of blooms.


    Golden Zest


    Bring Me sunshine so far…I have fuschias that are far more upright!

    Oh, and Henri is Henri Delbard. The Japanese call him Orange Marmalade, I do like that name! The rose is a stunner.

  • Diane Brakefield
    5 days ago

    Ben, thanks for your answers and the great little video of a rose that needs to be a best seller. I figured out that Henri was Delbard, and saw his wonderful photos on HMF. He had a variety of looks and colors. I liked the lighter ruffle around the central bloom in some of the photos. It's another gorgeous yellow gold that has that great apricot shading a lot of the time. I saw a few orange Henri, and see the Orange Marmalade in him. I hope your Bring Me Sunshine comes through for you and becomes another stunner. Some Austins take off like lightening for me, and some just poop along getting started. I remember almost giving up on Golden Celebration years ago, and I'm so glad I didn't. But Golden Zest is by far my favorite of these great gold roses, and yours is superb. I still want Beatrice and her yellow is very different from Golden Zest. Diane

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    5 days ago

    Diane,

    Two weeks ago when I was at The Huntington I told Tom that I was so happy J&P finally brought back Golden Zest , it is just the sort of rose that many people would want to grow, like a very beautiful Austin, but with sturdy blooms. He agreed, and said he personally provided the budwood back to J&P from his plant at The Huntington!

  • noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
    4 days ago

    Just came across this. So incredible. Clearly, I live in the wrong place for roses. Although part of that may be BenT's magic touch. Thank you for the narration. I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on the roses.

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    2 days ago

    Noseo, Thanks for the kind words, I’ve seen pics of your garden and think it is very beautiful too.

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    2 days ago




    Jude, Munstead. Gertrude,Camelot, Versigny , Peace ,Larger than Life, Alchemyst, Francis Meilland , Loves Promise, Lila Vidri, Sterling Silver, Purple Lodge , Blue Dress, Cathedral Bells, Osiria, Julia Child, Capri

  • Melissa Kansas 5b/6a
    2 days ago

    I just love your videos! So educational. As a person who is just starting with roses, although I have gardened for a long time, I would love variety suggestions. I have quite cold winters and even now nights are around 40 degrees. The summers are hot. All year is quite dry so I don’t have that dreaded humidity. Most of all we have lots and lots of wind. 25 mph is probably normal coming off the Colorado Rockies. It gets much much higher, particularly in the spring and fall. My garden is protected fairly well. You maybe can’t speak to the winter part but I’m hoping the summers might be like somewhere you have lived. June is usually 80s but July and August can be over 100 many days. Any suggestions?

  • BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
    Original Author
    2 days ago

    Hi Melissa

    I think some roses that hold up to hot sun and wind well are Veteran’s Honor, Cantilly Cream, Fun in the Sun , PJPII. I get nice blooms from them in the dead of summer. For Austins, Evelyn, Abraham Darby, Lady Emma Hamilton, Munstead Wood

  • Melissa Kansas 5b/6a
    2 days ago

    Thank you Ben!!!! 💕