My plant of Fragrant Plum would have every reason to file a Rose Abuse
lawsuit against me. First it was callously given away. Then in its new
home it was watered inconsistently, then buried in a heavy layer of silt
deposited by a flash flood. By the end of that summer it was smothered
and dying.
Finally I took pity on it and rescued it, removing the silt and nursing
it back to a degree of health. When it went in the ground a year later
things looked pretty bleak. But step by step it has recovered in an
amazing manner, and two summers later Fragrant Plum is building into wonderful plant.
Last year it produced some promising blooms in singles and threes. This
year it has healthy candelabras of bloom. Fragrant Plum seems inclined to
grow tall and narrow, and the plentiful blooms hold well in the sun. As
befits its name, the fragrance is intense. With a couple more years of
growth, I expect this rose to be a stand out. I think it has forgiven me!
