In the fall of 1998 I received the Buck rose 'Allamond-Ho!' in a trade. Such a very small, newly rooted plant it was. I coddled it for a year, then put it in the ground. About a half dozen blooms were produced before it died the winter of 2002. It never thrived, though I confess it was growing in a crowded part of the garden. The above photo was taken in the summer of 2001, the only remaining evidence I once grew this Buck shrub rose. I read somewhere that the phrase "Allamond-Ho!" is called out during a square dance, and was chosen by Dr. Griffith Buck as the name of his creation.
--kbk 2003 SEP 16
The following is from the Iowa State website:
"Allamand-Ho! (1984) Pink blend shrub. The ovoid-pointed buds open to double (35-40 petals), shallow-cupped, 4-4.5 inch blooms of a blend of orient pink (RHSCC 36C) and lemon yellow (RHSCC 14C) and margined with ruby red (RHSCC 60C). The colors intensify with age and spread over the petal surface. The blooms are borne in clusters of 1-6 and have a pleasant, sweet fragrance. The abundant, leathery foliage is dark green (RHSCC 139A) and semi-glossy. The thorns are red-brown and awl-like. The erect, bushy plant is 3-4 feet tall and blooms abundantly from June until killing frost. The plants are winter-hardy in Iowa without protection."
"Too often we are so obsessed with the details of culture that we fail to appreciate the true value of roses and rose growing in relation to better living. To be sure, rose growing, like any other hobby, requires the mastery of certain techniques if it is to become easy and enjoyable. However, these are not an end in themselves but merely a means to an end. Roses should be exhilarating and provide a full measure of fun and relaxation."
R. C Allen, Editor, 1949 American Rose Annual