Hybrid Tea
Mister Lincoln
Dark red · repeat-blooming · Zones 5-9
Hybrid Tea Rose
Touch of Class
Exhibition-form coral-pink, an AARS winner.
The Touch of Class is a coral pink hybrid tea rose valued for its reliable repeat flowering and clean, dependable habit. Below you'll find a full profile of Touch of Class — its characteristics, how to grow it, where to use it in the garden, and answers to the questions gardeners ask most.
About Touch of Class
Touch of Class belongs to the hybrid tea roses, a class defined by large, high-centered double blooms, usually one to a long stem. The hybrid tea is grown above all for the individual flower — long-stemmed, shapely, and ideal for cutting — rather than for mass color in the landscape.
In flower, Touch of Class is coral pink and fills the plant with bloom in wave after wave, carrying a light, pleasant fragrance. It is hardy across USDA zones 5-9, so it suits a wide range of gardens with the right seasonal care.
Characteristics and form
Touch of Class makes upright, fairly narrow bush, typically around 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. The blooms are large, high-centered double blooms, usually one to a long stem, large (4 to 5 inches) in size, set against semi-glossy green foliage. Knowing a rose's habit and mature size is the key to placing it well: give Touch of Class room to reach its full spread without crowding its neighbors, which also keeps air moving through the plant and disease at bay.
How to grow Touch of Class
Plant Touch of Class where it will get at least six hours of direct sun a day in fertile, well-drained soil with good air movement around it. In cold climates, set the graft union — the swollen knob where the variety joins the rootstock — at or just below the soil line; in mild climates, keep it at soil level. Once planted, water deeply and less often to encourage deep, drought-resistant roots.
- Light: Full sun, six hours or more; morning sun is best because it dries dew early and limits disease.
- Soil: Rich and well-drained, slightly acidic at about pH 6.0–6.5. Improve heavy or sandy soil with plenty of compost before planting.
- Water: Deep, infrequent soakings at the base rather than frequent light sprinkling; more in heat, sandy soil, or containers.
- Feeding: A balanced rose fertilizer in early spring, repeated after the first flush to fuel the next.
- Pruning: Prune it in late winter to an open, outward-facing framework, then deadhead through the season.
Bloom habit: Repeat (recurrent). Touch of Class blooms in repeated flushes from late spring until the first frost. Deadhead spent flowers to bring on the next wave.
Where to use Touch of Class in the garden
Touch of Class suits cutting gardens, formal rose beds, and specimen planting. Underplant it with low perennials such as catmint or lady's mantle to disguise the bare lower stems. For more ideas, see our guide to companion plants for roses.
Common problems and care
Hybrid teas can be prone to black spot in humid regions, so air flow and autumn clean-up matter. Watch for the usual rose troubles — black spot, powdery mildew, and aphids — and head them off with good air flow, base watering, and a tidy autumn clean-up. See our full guide to rose diseases and pests for identification and treatment.
Touch of Class — frequently asked questions
How big does Touch of Class get?
Touch of Class typically grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, forming a upright, fairly narrow bush. Its final size depends on your climate and how you prune it.
Is Touch of Class fragrant?
Touch of Class has a light, pleasant fragrance; it is grown more for its coral pink color and habit than for perfume.
Does Touch of Class bloom more than once a season?
Yes. Touch of Class is a repeat-blooming rose that blooms in repeated flushes from late spring until the first frost, especially if it is deadheaded and fed through the summer.
What hardiness zones does Touch of Class grow in?
Touch of Class is hardy in USDA zones 5-9. That range describes the winter cold it can survive; gardeners colder than zone 5 should give it winter protection or grow it in a movable container.
Is Touch of Class easy to grow?
Hybrid teas can be prone to black spot in humid regions, so air flow and autumn clean-up matter. Give Touch of Class full sun, well-drained soil, and the ordinary seasonal care any rose appreciates, and it is a straightforward rose to grow.
How and when should I prune Touch of Class?
Prune Touch of Class in late winter to an open, outward-facing framework, then deadhead through the season — see our step-by-step guide to pruning roses for the full method.