** Blue Rose (not) Outta the Blue

By barrie

Blue roses are nearly always in fashion, although there is no true blue rose. Blue roses tend to be lavender or magenta (magenta is also the color of many red roses as they age). Which leads us to the modern antique rose Outta the Blue (aka Out of the Blue). If modern antique seems an oxymoron, we have David Austin to thank and this is a sincere comment on my part.

If we move past the most obvious fact that Outta the Blue is not a blue rose, what, indeed, about this rose? Well, Outta the Blue has blooms that are a dark purplish color when in bud and open to various hues of lavender and magenta as the rose matures. Just Our Pictures has an excellent representation of the different coloring of Outta the Blue roses at different stages of maturity.
Fragrance is excellent and disease resistance is claimed as excellent by the originator, Weeks Roses. Your mileage may vary; let me know. Introduced in 2000, Outta the Blue grows vigorously to four-six feet tall and is hardy Zones 5-10.