Graham Thomas was my first. As such, it is owed either a significant amount of credit or a great deal of blame, depending on one’s perspective. Despite some hiccups largely brought on by my inexperience at the time, once established this variety is a resolute monster. There were weeks in its first season in which each cane on this shrub grew as much as four inches per day — you could almost watch them move. In two seasons, I had multiple canes that were 12 feet or more and beginning to arch over the neighbors’ driveway. The scent is a pure black tea — think sweet tea, served on a southern porch.
Pros:
- Glorious growing power — forget mere vigor, this is joie de vivre!
- Smells like a pitcher of fresh southern tea
- Bloom color is the very definition of sunny yellow
Cons:
- Doesn’t repeat as quickly as I’d like
- Addictive AF; should come with warning labels
My Source: David Austin Roses
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