Margaret Merrill is one of my very favorite roses. The fragrance is stunning and I love her as a cut flower. White roses are not my favorite but Margaret Merrill is an exception. I have her on the front side of our entrance to our home. When she blooms people look around and wonder where the fragrance is coming from until their eyes fall upon Margaret Merrill!

This rose arrived in beautiful condition and quickly produced lovely fragrant blooms. However the blackspot was so bad, she spent most of the season leafless. Even with spraying, I could not get it under control. So after 3 years of struggling, I finally had to remove her. So if you live in a hot humid climate as I do in Northern VA zone 7b, I would pass on this one. I only grow disease resistant roses now and my rose garden is lush and beautiful and fragrant.

I have my rose in a pot. It leafed out very rapidly and to my surprise it immediately produced a bud. The rose is gorgeous. Is a tight bud with the slightest shade of soft pink at tip. Ounce it opens is amazingly beautiful. The beauty has really surprised me. It now has three more buds. It’s been only five weeks planted. Already a top favorite.

Rose plant arrived nice and healthy. Leafed out in a little over a week and has a rose bud already about to open.

Where has this incredible rose been hiding from me all of my life?

Admittedly, white roses are not my favorite when it comes to color. Color aside, I am a sucker for fragrant roses, and if they are award winners like Margaret, even better. While some reviewers state she does not have much scent, its pretty normal for a new rose to be a bit stingy about perfume. I was delayed a bit in getting her in the ground, as she arrived in the middle of a BRUTAL heat wave. A scorching thermometer on the heels of a cross county trip seemed to be a bit much to ask of a fledgling rose. One month after planting, she bloomed. While the scent was modest, it was noticeable and a good portent of things to come. Otherwise, what a stunning beauty! The flowers were far larger than I expected, held up well in a vase, and were charming proof Margaret was a wise choice.

For those who expect fragrance, give your roses at least a year to fully perfume. In addition, shove left over onion trimmings near the plant. For some reason it enhances the aroma. The relevant chemicals are present full force in the papery skins too. It also seems that most critters do not like onions.

It is rare for me to duplicate roses in my garden, but for Margaret, I might make an exception.

Zone 7B, Ft Smith AR metro