Rose, Rhapsody in Blue
The search for a true blue rose continues though I am not convinced it is the Holy Grail it is made out to be. Having seen blue moth orchids recently, bred in Japan, while they may be dramatic, much of the classic appeal has been undermined and, to be frank, they looked much like they had been dyed…
There are beautiful lavender roses, and violet-purples, that are an admirable addition to the rose lexicon. Veilchenblau, a vigorous rambler, can be spectacular. Blue for You, Blue Moon and this one, Rhapsody in Blue, might also have a place in our regular gardens. A clear blue, delphinium-blue rose though…?
The colour of Rhapsody in Blue, in common with many ‘blue’ roses of this hue, does tend to fade to a slate-grey, or even newspaper-grey, after only a very short time. But big clusters of flowers like this, flowers often with a white streak in the centre, will have the richer and more muted colours all together in one big mop-head, as new blooms open and I am quite smitten.
The Teddington Gardener 