Hi folks, Rose History Anyone? Check out these

Grey Pearl Rose Pictures

And A Bit Of The History Of Grey Pearl

(Photos shot at Ralph Moore's Nursery in Visalia California.)



Here is a long quote from Harry Wheatcroft's (now out of print) book 'In Praise Of Roses', talking about the beginning of the search for the blue (mauve) rose:

"The first step towards revival was inauspicious enough. The present Sam McGredy's father had produced, just before the war, a seedling obtained by crossing the progeny of two reds, Southport and Sir David Davies, with that of another anonymous seedling from the creamy white Mrs Charles Lamplough, a daughter of marble-white Frau Karl Druschki. It flowered a muzzy grey, a colour undistinguished enough for the newcomer to be referred to by the forthright gardeners at Portadown as 'The Mouse'. And old Sam McGredy himself was so little impressed that he didn't attempt commercial production. Instead, he sent the rose to the United States into the custody of the late Gene Boerner.

Now Gene, as discerning as they come, saw far more in this Irish immigrant than any mere sales possibilities. In fact he was so enthusiastic he called it 'the first major break of our time'. And, in the hunt for the blue, so it was to prove. The name Grey Pearl was given to the newcomer. According to accounts, it was suggested by the celebrated opera singer Helen Jepson while she was visiting the nurseries of Jackson and Perkins, with which Boerner was associated. Miss Jepson was asked what she thought of the Irish newcomer and said: 'Oh, it's like the colour of my grey pearls.' So Grey Pearl it became.

It went into commerce in 1945 but not until 1950 did it come back for production here (England). Constance Spry, a year after its return, referred to it as 'nun-like' and went on to extol 'its subtle, muted beauty, even though it has been received with disparagement by the critics.' Grey Pearl, in fact, proved to be rather a turncoat. It could look lavender grey. It could equally look pale tan or weak olive green or even a horrid brown, according to the weather. Whith its short centre petals and its tendency to winter dieback, it was inevitably quickly doomed as a garden plant, as Sam McGredy had feared. But for Gene Boerner, the idea was there. This one 'had something'. And Grey Pearl was to herald the rebirth of the blues.

Boerner used Grey Pearl crossed with Pinocchio to create Lavender Pinocchio. One American lady described this as a 'very sad rose'. But it was the first blue break into the floribunda class as we know it today. Gene used his Pearl again to give us Lavender Garnette in 1958 and by a Lavender Pinocchio cross the next year he gave us yet another floribunda, Lavender Princess, in the new colour range. And he went on, using the same blood lines, to give us further advances."

Grey Pearl


Notice the Quartered Center. Here it is showing itself to be more coffee brown than gray.


Just Opening


Open and flat. Note the short Center Petals.


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