Veilchenblau

class: Hybrid Multiflora
breeding: Schmidt, 1909
photographed by Daphne Filiberti in her garden

Veilchenblau glows in the garden, as if ultravioletly, a parade of bees are drawn to the pollen. It is curious to me that the bees see the yellow at the heart of the flowers as bees purple, an ultraviolet. I love these big fuzzy bees that bumble around. They add charm to the flowers. To me the scent is like green apples. Petals are opalescent, opening a deep color then developing a transluscence. The color of the roses fades into an amazing soft, pearlized, blue grey. Veilchenblau blooms for a couple of months around Mother's Day. A unique feature of the rose is that it is thornless. I have planted a clematis named Venosa Violacea with the rose. It is a late flowering variety that I like because it adds a continuity of color to my arbor. I have added a picture of the clematis (see photo top right). When Veilchenblau and my clematis flower together, for a short time, they are very complementary.