Mutable- ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin mutabalis, from mutare 'to change.'

"The color of 'Mutabilis' varies as it changes by the hour," wrote Janie, one of my blog commenters. Noon sunlight shining and shading these clever blooms called for, not one photo, but nine.

This China (from China) Rose is pre-1894. The shrub couldn't be more modern or more appropriate for today's gardens. A mature plant will weather severe cutting back and no water. That's exactly what happened to ours last year when we built our home addition.

The photo above was taken before I had a digital camera. Yes, this is a 2.25 Hasselblad transparency. (It's fun to show it here, and am I happy I don't have to deal with them anymore!)

I shot the transparency when the bush was about three-years old. The gallon pot is to let you know how small the original plant was. Note the new fence.

Here's 'Mutabalis' at the end of October (this year), after one big rainfall. You can see the  6-foot high fence has aged. Now picture the rose cut back, last year at this time, to five thick canes four-feet high. In the spring the shrub regrouped, and through a long hot summer it was watered, maybe three times (it doesn't rain here in the summer).

Some people call 'Mutabalis' a "glorious weed", because of its vigorous growth habit. The fence keeps ours supported and in check. If you have plenty of room the shrub can reach 7' x 7' or even more. One strong pruning a year is essential, unless it has room to grow wild and free.

BOUQUETS

Few roses find their way into a bouquet of lilacs. My friend Mary gave me these lilacs on March 27, my birthday, and I couldn't resist adding stems from the only blooming rose in the garden. 'Mutabalis' even provided Mary's March wedding bouquet, several years earlier.

At full-bloom stage, 'Mutabalis' makes a great show in a bouquet. Thin stems allow a generous gathering in a narrow vase.