Over the past several years, I have documented ‘Mermaid’ as a beautiful Old Garden Rose (hybrid bracteata) introduced in 1918. She was up to my roof, and in May of 2006 won “Best of Show” in the Albuquerque Rose Show. You have seen that “The Big Snow of 2006” almost totally destroyed her, and she had to be cut off at the ground. She has very slowly come back. She is not yet up to the roof, but this spring she is blooming as beautifully and prolifically as when she was in her prime.
She just won the ARS Victorian Award for best OGR introduced after 1874, as well as Exhibitors Dream and BEST OF SHOW at the Albuquerque rose show June 5.
‘Mermaid’ is back!