I saw him from across the rose garden, and he was so brilliant that he made my heart pound. Handsome and elegant, he stood out from among all the others, and I knew I needed to have him in my life or I would miss him forever more. As I approached him he took on even greater clarity, and I breathed to my companion, “Who IS that?” She told me his name, and I said, “I’ve got to have him!” She smiled back at me and said, “He’s quite the looker, isn’t he?”

That was years ago, now. My companion was my dear friend, Donna Fuss, and the gentleman of subject was a rose in Elizabeth Park named, ‘Cary Grant.’ Cary came to my garden that same year. Another friend, Irwin, who owned the ‘Rose Man Nursery,’ brought him to my house because he knew I was pining for this showy bloomer. ‘Cary Grant is a hybrid tea with a huge bloom, and he is pictured above. He has bright orange petals with a creamy reverse like a rosey creamsicle. He has deep green, shiny foliage that sets off his unabashedly sexy blooms beautifully. Every time he blooms, I fall in love with him all over again!

More Celebrities

In another garden resides the hauntingly beautiful rose, ‘Marilyn Monroe.’ She looks like porcelain to me…an apricot-peachy-pinkish blend with absolutely perfect form. Her petals have so much body and substance that it is no wonder generations have been in love with her. She rarely produces side-buds; rather, she sends up enticingly long canes with one perfect blossom atop each one. But, beware the beautiful ‘Marilyn’! She is mightily armed with huge protective prickles which protect our star from harm! She has a friend in one of my gardens, but this gentle white rose, ‘John F. Kennedy,’ is planted in a distant garden to prevent garden mischief…

‘Barbra Streisand’ resides in a garden not far from ‘Marilyn’ and her fragrance sings out loud! ‘Barbra’ is a lovely purple rose that smells heavenly, and when she is in bloom her perfume wafts onto the screened-in porch and into our dining room. She makes her presence known wherever she goes…it is a pleasure to drink in her scent, and she is another really showy lady!

Rose Garden Blooms

Good thing we have ‘Pope John Paul II’ to temper all this celebrity with his sparkling white blooms! It takes awhile for this rose to become established in the garden, but once it does, it is just heavenly! PJP is the purest white, and in the sunshine, diamonds sparkle from his petals. His fragrance is a rich damask incense. Most white roses look like balled-up used tissue after a rainfall, but this rose has real substance and can stand up to a shower. Good thing he’s praying for the rowdier roses in my garden…

How many celebrities reside in your rose garden?