I chose Hot Cocoa because of its unusual colour. It is unique in that regard. The catalogues describe it as smoky chocolate orange or, alternatively, as deep rust. I would go with a velvety brick red.
I have a bed of apricot roses and I have planted it in that bed as the earthy brown/rust overtones blend in perfectly with the apricots. Whatever description you use, it is a lovely coloured rose.
Hot Cocoa is a floribunda rose, released in 2003. The bush is quite short (mine is about 90cm tall) with healthy, glossy leaves and is disease resistant.
It is a prolific repeat bloomer.
When looking up Hot Cocoa in my books, I found it under the heading: Plant in groups for effect, rapid reblooming with exceptional bush performance and colour range. That sums it up, really.
Beautiful, Glenda! I don’t see a lot of brown in it though, I wonder how they come up with these names?
Hi Celia
Thanks for reading. I was trying to think of a better description than in the catalogues but couldn’t. It certainly is on the brown side of red and does work in well with the apricots (which red wouldn’t).