Rosa 'Laguna' (Kordes, 2004)

I planted it as a bare root from Pickering in January of 2008. Until this year, almost no flowers, just green growth and a lot of it. This climber has been fairly easy to train to a fence. The canes remain flexible for months and months. They have plenty of nasty thorns, making safety goggles and gloves mandatory. Worth all the work? Yes! I have two 'Laguna', as a matter of fact. The other is about to collapse its support.

The foliage is glossy. I have seen no Powdery Mildew at all on my two 'Laguna' plants. The old foliage got some rust and anthracnose this winter, but the new foliage has been clean and clear of rust. Kordes says it is fragrant, but not to my nose. This doesn't mean it isn't fragrant. I'm just saying my nose can't detect it. It could be that it becomes more fragrant in the future. It has a big job going from small plant to climbing monster in three years. It may take a little extra time for the fragrance to switch on--I have had roses do that in this garden. Or my nose is simply missing out.