"Kathy Newton's White Rose"

One day in early May, back in the dim distant days when I was a rookie rose rustler, I was making my way to the ranch where the Peaceful Habitations Rose Gardens would soon be established. It was 1995, and my new found love of old roses was quickly becoming an obsession.

 

 

As I turned off the Main Street of Boerne and headed for the Sisterdale Road, I saw Kathy Newton's White Rose growing on a fence beside the road. It was a near disaster. I swerved, braked, gasped, and jumped out of the truck almost before it stopped. I took some pictures, and then made my way to the house, where I met Kathy Newton.

 

The rose had been on her fence "for years" and it was one of her treasured possessions. Nonetheless, she was more than willing to share cuttings.

 

It took almost two years to positively identify "Kathy Newton’s White Rose" as ‘Gardenia’, a vigorous onece-blooming white Wichuriania rambler with butter yellow buds. Although it blooms only in the spring, it is well worth the wait. We now have "Kathy Newton’s White Rose" (A.K.A ‘Gardenia’) along the entire front fence at the entrance of the Peaceful Habitations Rose Gardens, and it is a real show stopper in the spring.

 

For more information, contact -

Joe Cooper
E-Mail