Comment on the rose Red Ribbons from Christine. Red Ribbons is quite a good plant here in Reno NV - it blooms early, and then blooms on and on throughout the season in a good clear red. I have two
plants - one with quite a lot of shade and one in full sun. In my
experience, it is the rare rose that doesn't mind some shade, and might
actually look better with it. The red glows in a compelling way when
viewed from the shade toward the sun - and it is absolutely never out of
bloom. Red Ribbons in the sun also performs well. A very adaptable cultivar.
The growth habit is different in these two sites - the exposed plant is
just under three feet tall and five feet across
, so far. The
shaded plant is now three plants as it tip roots readily. It is over
five feet tall, and since it is now multiple plants, the width is always
expanding - maybe seven feet at this time.
Red Ribbons is also well armed. The shaded plant was allowed to grow on
a few years unattended, by which time it had accumulated dead canes down
low. Whittling out this undergrowth was a long and bloody process.
Though one at first assumes the rose Red Ribbons was named for its compelling clear red
blooms, in truth I think the name describes what one's body looks like
after crawling around underneath it.
Be sure the ground you plant it in is very well weeded first. Though it
is called a "ground cover rose", and though that might describe its
habit when grown in the sun, any hard to deal with weeds which come up
underneath will seriously try your patience and your unarmored skin.
