Rose Honors Oprah’s Legends
April 30, 2008 The evaluation and final selection of the ‘Legends’ rose, a new ruby red hybrid tea garden rose that was chosen to pay tribute to women honored during Oprah’s Legends Weekend, involved Oprah Winfrey herself.
In the garden, ‘Legends’ is a full plant with enormous rich red flowers sitting atop long stems with proportionally large, reddish-green leaves. Tom Carruth of Weeks Roses hybridized ‘Legends.’
“‘Legends’ is a rose that every gardener will want to grow,” Carruth says. “It’s a rewarding plant because it brings such great satisfaction to the grower. It is attractive in the garden, where the unique coloration of the foliage contrasts elegantly with the deep red of the blooms. But at eight inches across, it’s the humongous flowers that will make every gardener a legend.”
‘Legends’ has already been mentioned on “Entertainment Tonight” and in the spring issue of O at Home magazine. It will be the cover story in the May issue of O magazine.
Some of Oprah’s legends include Maya Angelou, Shirley Caesar, Aretha Franklin, Nikki Giovanni, Dorothy Height, Coretta Scott King, Patti LaBelle, Toni Morrison, Rosa Parks, Diana Ross, Naomi Sims, Alice Walker and Dionne Warwick.
‘Legends’ roses won’t be available until the 2009 planting season, when they’ll be available at nurseries and garden centers nationwide. To learn more about the ‘Legends’ rose and the women it honors, visit the ‘Legends’ Web site at www.legendsrose.com.
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