The amazing 'Maman Cochet, Climbing'

It's impossible for me to convey to you in a photo the size of this rose bush. I can't stand far enough back from it to get a head-on view. It is at least 25 feet long, ten or twelve feet across and twelve-plus feet high. But that isn't the only reason I think she's amazing. I have never seen so many blooms on her as in this flush. Our recent rain and a big dose of alfalfa have really rejuvenated her and caused many new cane breaks. More good news is that I was able to keep the squirrels away from most of them with cayenne pepper and an egg and water mixture. This rose was planted in February, 2008 and took off like a shot.

Because of the wide-angle lens, this photo is deceiving. The tips of those farthest canes over the arbor are 25' away, and there's lots of rose bush in between that doesn't come into view..

Lots of frilly muddled flowers with a center knot.

 

I try to keep her trimmed high on my neighbor's side, but she has a tendency to extend herself quickly..

 

She has so many perfectly scrolled flowers. I'm glad I ran out to take these photos.

The trellis is 12' wide and 8' tall. See the bloom on a foot-long lateral? She added 8 or 10 new canes in this growth spurt.

It was so wonderful to stand under her this evening. She is the bright spot in my garden while much of it is in an in-between stage and some of it looks downright bad. 

My favorite nursery took cuttings from this rose last year. Here's the story on that. I just looked, and there's one in stock.

Here's a poor view out my kitchen window through the screen.

This is a great lesson for me. I have often said I could never be without this rose, but lately (before this flush) her foliage was looking very skimpy and barely there. I was wondering what was wrong. Then all of a sudden she leafed out and day by day is adding more and more flowers. I have a feeling that she is coming into her own at 3+ years old and will be putting on great shows from now on.