Many of the roses in the garden here have come from CK Jones roses in the UK. Keith and Rachel are lovely people and always more than happy to give you lots of information on roses, as well as sell you some new ones. The trouble with standing there talking is that your eye wanders round the sales table and you always see something that you just can’t leave the show without!

They had two new roses on the stand, as cut flowers. You can almost see ‘Golden Delicious’ (behind the man with the rucksack) and ‘Snazzee’. ‘Snazzee’ (WEKzazzette) is a Christian Bedard hybrid introduced in the USA in 2012. It is sold in the USA as ‘Ketchup and Mustard’ but because selling names of roses can be changed from  country to country it was thought that, in the UK, since we are not big hot dog eaters, ‘Ketchup and Mustard’ might not be the best selling name. Keith says it has average disease resistance and I am not surprised. I am no rose expert but I am sure this colourway is derived from Rosa foetida var. bicolor and this is a martyr to blackspot. The red petals with golden reverse have been seen before – notably in the old but popular (once) ‘Picadilly’ – but here they are very bright. You can’t ignore the colour on this one though and though I have to admit it is not one for me, I am not typical since Rachel said she was busy taking orders all through the show. So if you fancy something ‘Snazzee’ in your life get your order in quick. *

Rose ‘Snazzee’

And now the exciting one! Move over ‘Vidal Sassoon’. Rachel told me about a new rose they were introducing and, because she and Keith know I love the ‘weird’ colours, when Rachel went home that night (their nursery is fairly local) she said she would bring me in some flowers from the fields. ‘Koko Loko’ is a creamy milk-chocolatey confection that is quite peachy pink in bud and then has a clever trick up its sleeve because it turns lavender as it ages. It is a cluster-flowered rose (Floribunda) and has bigger flower clusters than Vidal. It is also a better grower and healthier too according to Keith. He has found that the young foliage is sensitive to some sprays but because it shouldn’t need spraying that hardly matters.

Rose ‘Kokoloko’

Keith introduces roses from Weeks Roses in California and this is one of those, introduced in 2012. Bred by Christian Bedard ‘Koko Loko’ (WEKbijou) is compact and has a pleasant perfume. It is rather fruity with hints of tea but, to be honest, it doesn’t have a really strong ‘rose’ perfume. It is pleasant enough though and it IS scented.

I took these photos in sun or shade over two days, outside, at the show and the photos (like all on this site) have not been retouched so the colours are real.

In shade the flowers appear to have more of a lilac tinge. I can’t wait to get this one in my beds.

* Don’t forget its ‘Snazzee’ in the UK

http://www.jonestherose.co.uk/?option_one=hybrid_tea&product_id=426

and ‘Ketchup and Mustard’ in the USA

http://www.weeksroses.com/_Roses/KetchupAndMustard.html

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