Paradise

Where to plant. In lavender borders, as an accent among neutral or silver perennials; it needs full sun, as the flush is crimson and brighter in full sun.

Climate. USDA 7b+; in southern Ukraine it can grow in open ground, while in Central, Eastern and Northern Ukraine winter protection is essential.

Care. Full sun; a well-ventilated site; moderate disease prevention; feed 3 times per season; prune one third in spring.

Name. 'Paradise', meaning 'paradise'. An allusion to the mystical lilac-pink colour with a crimson flush, rare among Hybrid Teas of its time. The synonym 'Burning Sky' describes the effect exactly: the crimson petal edges look like the sky at sunset. A poetic marketing name by Weeks.

Breeding. Bred by Ollie L. Weeks at Weeks Roses (USA), one of the leading American rose nurseries of the twentieth century. Code WEZeip. Introduced 1975, AARS-season 1979 (the award is given after 2-year trials). Parentage: 'Swarthmore' × unnamed seedling. In the pedigree: Angel Face, Sterling Silver, Circus, Lavender Pinocchio, the family of classic 'lavender' varieties.

Significance. AARS 1979 (All-America Rose Selections), a prestigious American award. Portland Gold Medal 1979, one of the most important Western rose awards. US Plant Patent PP4552 (1980). One of the best 'lavender' HT XX-century roses, alongside Blue Moon, Sterling Silver and Angel Face. The phototropic colour is a rare trait among roses; 'Burning Sky' in American catalogues. Weak winter hardiness, typical of 1970s Hybrid Teas; needs winter protection in a continental climate.