ROSE GARDEN

Growing Roses from Cuttings

2010-07-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

Attempting to grow roses from cuttings may not be not as easy as it sounds, but it is something that rose growers at all experience levels can achieve. With some basic knowledge about the process, you can be successful with mere stalks as long as you choose them wisely and take excellent care of them. Ordinarily, gardeners cultivate roses from cuttings in a greenhouse where temperature and humidity are kept at consistent rates. Even without a greenhouse you can still generate new roses by incorporating some everyday plastic wrap or Ziploc bags and wrapping your cuttings in order to control the amount of air to which they are exposed. A simple heating pad can also ensure the constant heat source your clippings need. Some gardeners have actually had success when attempting to generate new growth from a florist stem, although they aren’t considered the best choice of cuttings. You have a better chance of achieving new growth from the firm young stem of a repeat-flowering variety that has recently shed its first bloom or petals. Cuttings from spring roses when they are just past full ripeness are also viable contenders. Finding youthful cuttings should be a priority, but there are limits as to how young your cuttings should be. Avoid stems that have not yet lost their first flower, or those whose buds have produced no color yet. A certain amount of biological activity must be taking place within your cuttings to generate new growth, which is why wilted and dry plants are such poor contenders. Roses love warm and humid climates, which creates a real challenge to germinating rose cuttings outside. They have a heightened vulnerability to predators and disease outside, so bring your cuttings indoors to get their root formation started. Leave some green foliage on the stems, as these are important in accelerating the natural chemicals within the plant that stimulate root growth. Continuously spray your stems with water to keep them moist and supple. You can’t let them dry out or wilt or your project will end before it even gets started. Once rose cuttings wilt, the failure to root rate increases substantially. Sunlight is necessary for any plant to survive, and your rose cuttings will do well if they are placed by a window that provides at least four hours of sunlight daily. Be careful to check in on them often, as overexposure to sun rays can scorch them, which can kill them. It may take a month or slightly longer for your new plants to finish rooting, so patience is your good friend in this process. If you’re looking for instant gratification – or at least, significantly less time than large roses take to root, try miniature rose cuttings which generate quickly. You can start with miniature roses and then graduate to other varieties, a great way to learn about each type’s uniqueness. By learning the best steps to follow and nurturing your rose cuttings, your return on investment will be obvious when you’re enjoying your flourishing new roses.

Growing Miniature Roses

2010-07-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

Growing miniature roses is a great choice for gardeners at all levels of experience, especially beginners looking to enhance their yard with roses, without sacrificing hours in the process of growing them. Like their full sized counterparts, miniature roses are grown in all shapes and colors, but unlike their larger counterparts, they require much less upkeep. Do miniature roses grow better inside or outside? Miniature roses adapt well to both indoor and outdoor cultivating, so before you begin decide which works best for you decide where they are going. Some experts say minis are easier to care for outdoors, where they have natural protection and nourishment in their normal environment, something lost to those plants grown inside. Does it matter if I want to plant my miniature roses in a pot outside, rather than in the ground? Many gardeners will tell you that growing miniature roses in a large pot is the better choice, whether you’re growing them inside or outside. The reasoning is that potted minis can be moved easily and without trauma when necessary, whether it is to relocate to a sunnier spot, or purely for decorative aesthetics. If the plant succumbs to aphids, black spot, or any other invasive element, restorative care is more effective when the plant can be lifted off of ground level, where air circulation is improved and the the risk of recontamination is lessened. Potted miniature roses can be a lovely addition to your outdoor garden or landscape, often adding an architectural element with the planters. What size pot should I buy for my miniature roses? When choosing a planter for your miniature roses, look for something large enough to accommodate the plant for at least one year. Make sure it measures between 12- and 15-inches wide so it can manage your plant’s excessive root system. What soil should I use when I pot my minis? Potted miniature roses require a high nutrient soil with good drainage. The usual garden soil has a habit of becoming packed, which can interfere with drainage. Adding peat moss to existing soil can help improve drainage. Give your plant’s roots a boost by incorporating compost at first spring feeding, plus a natural fertilizer like fish emulsion at first flowering. Are the rules for sunlight exposure different for potted minis? Only slightly, but minis definitely need plenty of good direct sunlight. After planting your mini roses in the pot, give them a good soaking of water and set them in a place that receives at least four hours of direct sunlight every day. If you can find the right spot, morning sun is great for minis, followed by afternoon shade. How often should I water my potted minis? Do a touch test on the soil in your minis pot every day to confirm that it isn’t dried out. You may have to water on a daily basis to keep the soil moist. Follow the rose watering guideline, which is 1- to 1.5-inches of water per week. Do I need to prune my minis? Luckily, miniature roses require very little pruning. All you really need to do is cut the flower from the stem after it blooms, then cut back the stem at the next bud facing out. Only after they have completed blooming will you need to prune them. This post-bloom pruning improves air circulation for the plant, promotes flowering, and keeps the plant healthy. Thanks to Pat Sheriden for this article.

Knowing About Symbol of Roses

2010-07-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

Flowers have become a very popular type of gift used around the world. In the Philippines, flowers have also been as much popular in other countries. Some of the most popular types of flowers in the market are roses philippines. Why roses? Roses have long been known as gifts around the Philippines. Flower shops often feature these flowers as their main item. In popular events such as Valentine's Day, roses, particularly the red ones, are always in huge demands across the country. In other events such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and many more other events, roses have also been a popular choice. However, other than just gifts, roses have also been known across the world as a symbol. Although roses philippines are popular in the country as a gift, many countries around the world have come to consider the roses for its significance in their history. Floriography Floriography or the language of flower is a popular practice which became popular in Victorian era. This practice involves the use of flowers as a way to convey a feeling or an emotion which is usually more appropriately seen than heard. Roses have also been popularly used in this practice. Although the practice has now been widely forgotten, there are still several flowers used in this sense. One of them are roses. Roses are still used because of their meaning and symbol in floriography such as the red roses which still symbolized love and deep respect. The reason why red roses are still known for its symbol is because of Valentine's Day in which highlighted the use of red roses as their primary gift. This is also the reason why many couples would give red roses as gift. As symbol of socialism Other than love and respect, the red rose have also been known as the symbol of socialism or social democracy. It is used by the British, Irish, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Brazilian, Dutch, Bulgarian and other European labour, socialist or social democratic parties, mostly adopted in the period after World War II. As symbol for goddesses Roses are ancient symbols of love and beauty. Because of this long understanding, the rose became sacred to a number of goddesses, including Isis and Aphrodite, and is often used as a symbol of the Virgin Mary which is why many Filipinos offer roses philippines in Mother Mary's day. This article written by Deirdre Gonzalez

Removing Blind and Vegetative Growth of Roses Plant

2008-11-07T11:28:00.000-08:00

I considered omitting a discussion of blind growth because it's so difficult to describe, much less conquer, but I couldn't stand the thought of your worrying why something that looks so right doesn't bloom. Who knows why, but every now and then growth develops that looks as if it's going to result in a bloom but doesn't. It's called "blind" when it keeps developing without producing any buds. The problem is determining whether growth is indeed blind. Some varieties are trickly and show buds late in the stem development. Others produce buds at funny angles or at spots where you're not used to looking. The best thing to do is to compare carefully what you think is blind to what you know isn't. If a budless stem has developed that is distinctly longer than all the other stems on the bush that already have buds, pinch it back to a set of leaflets pointing in the right direction.

Roses Plant Finger Pruning

2008-11-05T22:08:00.000-08:00

In response to the loving care just suggested for promoting growth, rosebushes have ways of overreacting. Some of what they do will thrill you, some won't. You must learn to spot the differences between clues to good growth and clues to bad growth as soon as they're detectable. Well-grown rosebushes are optimistic. In the giddiness of spring, they throw out more promise of bloom than they can realistically support. The remedy, "nipping in the bud," requires no equipment other than your fingers. New growth is so supple that you won't need tools to remove it; just rub it off with your thumbs. Bud unions need attention first. Red swellings develop and promise what you most want: main canes. But there will be too many of them. Ten or twelve new canes appearing on a bush you just pruned to six are too many. First, rub off any buds that are growing in the middle of the bush. Next, try to anticipate whether those you leave will interfere with others as they grow. If you think everything will not be able to co-exist, rub some off. In previous post I recommend making "knobby cuts" when you don't know where else to make a proper cut. The places where these cuts are made harbor lots of dormant eyes. When eyes start to develop, the wisdom of knobby cuts is substantiated. As with the bud union, however, there are usually too many sprouts to leave them all. Remember that the lateral on which stems grow will have to support everything you leave. If three buds appear right next to one another, it's easy to rub off the middle one and hope that the outer two will grow away from each other. If more are massed in one spot, rub off at least half of them. Shortly after I served as a consulting rosarian for the first time, I had an experience that made me seriously wonder if I had done roses right by agreeing to give advice on them. We had pruned the roses at Garden Valley Ranch in two weeks of rainy weather and were taking off for a well-earned vacation in the sun. Just before leaving, I helped my first student prune and told her I'd call sometime during the next month to see how her bushes were bouncing back. When I checked in, she told me she had been so alarmed when all the new growth on her bushes came out crimson that she had cut away all the red she could see and then fertilized. I almost dropped the phone. I had become so accustomed to the new growth on rosebushes that I had forgotten I once didn't know it was red. I felt so terrible about not forewarning her that I went over as soon as I hung up the phone. Fortunately she had removed only the first growth, and the bushes recovered. Rosebushes present seasonal colors out of order, with shades of red on spring growth that look like a New England fall. Even mahogany red foliage will green in plenty of time before blooms appear.

Promoting Growth Rose Plant

2008-11-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

With roses there's always something to do. Above all else, they must be watered. If you want more and bigger blooms, you must also fertilize. If certain flower formations are what you're after, you must watch for them as they form and help them along. Some of the techniques in this chapter may seem disconcerting, even unnecessary, at first, but the benefits will become obvious and soon enough overcome any reservations you may have at the start. Once their winter dormant period is over and rosebushes are ready to grow, they literally have at it. To realize their full potential, they must be helped along and properly coaxed toward the kinds of blooms you're after. Unmounding When leaflet sets begin appearing on exposed wood and the danger of frost is past, it's time to unmound. Lots has been going on under the mounds that cover newly planted bushes, and mounding materials must be removed carefully to keep from damaging tender new growth. Slow trickles from a water wand are perfect; clumps of mulch will fall from the canes, causing no damage.. If you can't use water, remove the mulch carefully with your fingers, not with your hands or a tool. New Growth can be snapped off with a single false move.

Containerized Bushes

2008-08-24T23:32:00.000-07:00

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about Containerized Bushes? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about Containerized Bushes. Already-planted rosebushes come in two kinds of containers: rigid (metal or plastic) ones that must be removed or biodegradable ones that are planted intact. If you buy one in a metal container, have the nursery cut the container before you leave unless you have a can cutter at home. Don't pull the bush out of an uncut can; it will damage the roots. If the soil around the roots is loose, try to get it all into the planting hole with as little disturbance as possible. If the soil is compressed into a ball of roots, rub and loosen it. You can't go so far as to spread out the roots, but you can make them more pliable and head them in the right direction. Cones won't be necessary, but planting techniques for fertilizing, watering in, and soil compression are identical to those for bareroot plants, as is bud union placement. How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything. Bushes in biodegradable containers are planted intact, but use the bud union, not the container lip, as the landmark for planting depth. If the bud union has sunk below the rim of the container, you will just have to live with the unsightly lip of the container until the biodegradable material disintegrates (usually within the first growing season). Since their leafy growth has already developed and shouldn't be covered, container bushes don't get mounded, but they should be planted with mulching in mind and with the bud union placed to the right height. Once bareroot or containerized bushes are planted, they should be left alone. Keep them just on the wet side of moist. Nature may help you with periodic rainfalls. If not, water bushes and get ready to maintain them. If you've picked some pointers about Containerized Bushes that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.

Mounding

2008-08-23T23:31:00.000-07:00

You should be able to find several indispensable facts about Mounding in the following paragraphs. If there's at least one fact you didn't know before, imagine the difference it might make. I can't overemphasize the importance of this next step. Will you ever be sorry if you don't follow my advice! Unless newly planted bushes are mounded, all previous efforts will have been in vain. Bareroot rose canes left uncovered will dry out, and cold winter winds will parch them. Truthfully, the only difference between you and Mounding experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to Mounding. Any of the materials you've just been working with can be used for mounding; a combination of them would be ideal. Mix the leftover soil from the hole you dug with any of the suggested organic materials. Heap the combination over the bush until at least half of the plant is covered. Water it down, not away, and turn your back to the well-planted bush. When word gets around about your command of Mounding facts, others who need to know about Mounding will start to actively seek you out.

Dry Fertilizers for Rose

2008-08-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

The following paragraphs summarize the work of Dry Fertilizers experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of Dry Fertilizers. Heed their advice to avoid any Dry Fertilizers surprises. At planting time and once a year thereafter, bushes require dry fertilizers that break down gradually throughout the growing season. At all other times fertilizers are applied in liquid form so that nutrients are immediately available. Commercial chemical fertilizers now have precise extended-release qualities which work wonderfully well. Marketing is by formulas expressed numerically for the basic elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. The three elements are always expressed in the same order--nitrogen first, then phosphorus and potash. The best blend I've found is 18-6-12, formulated for a nine-month slow release. It really does work the way it's supposed to, and the release is triggered by soil temperature, so that the nutritional material won't go to work until growing conditions are right. The fertilizer is in the form of small granules about the size of coarse sand. You will need one-half cup per hole, distributed evenly around the base of the bush. Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following: Several different organic fertilizers can be used, but I prefer hoof and horn (14-0-0) and bone meal (.5-30-0). Two cups of each one should be sprinkled right over the chemical fertilizers you just applied. I have used bone meal and fish meal as satisfactory substitutes for hoof and horn, and super-phosphate instead of bone meal. Dry fertilizers should be applied and watered into place before the remaining soil is added to fill the hole. Once water has drained, fill the hole and tamp down everything. Water again. There's no doubt that the topic of Dry Fertilizers can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Dry Fertilizers, you may find what you're looking for in the next article.

Placing the Bush

2008-08-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

When you think about Placing the Bush, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Placing the Bush are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge. With the cone mounded to the right height and the bush readied for planting, it's time for placement. Rose growers argue endlessly about which way the bud union should face. Since plants tend to grow toward the source of light, some claim that the lopsided portion of a new bush should be planted to the north. Others state that the bud union should face the greatest source of sun, no matter how this might affect the overall bush placement. I once experimented with placing bud unions of bushes of the same variety at every point I could within 360 degrees. I didn't detect one hoot of difference. Plant them facing the direction you like. If the bud union, with its tarred heart, bothers you, plant so you don't see it. If you like to see the bud union as a landmark against which to measure new growth, plant so you can see it. Now that we've covered those aspects of Placing the Bush, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered. Set the bush directly onto the tip of the cone, carefully spreading roots outward and downward. Then, holding the bush in place, begin filling in the rest of the hole, pressing down the soil mixture firmly enough to avoid air pockets, but being careful not to break any of the fragile roots. Use your hands, not your feet, to tamp down the soil. When half of the filling is completed, water to soak thoroughly and assemble the dry fertilizers while the hole is draining. This article's coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

Forming a Cone

2008-08-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

When most people think of Forming a Cone, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to Forming a Cone than just the basics. If you look at a bareroot rose plant, you'll see that although all the roots come from just beneath the bud union, they go their separate ways as soon as they leave and fan out their growth. If you consider that a bush should be planted to accommodate the way its roots seem to want to grow, it's hard to improve on a cone-shaped mound. With the bud union placed on top of the cone, roots can be draped over the broader base and spread out comfortably to rest. How high the cone extends above ground level will be determined by bud union placement. If you follow my instructions for adding three to four inches of mulch after planting, the cone will have to rise above ground level by that amount. If hard freezes are a factor or if you refuse to mulch, the top of the cone will be at or just below soil surface. Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to Forming a Cone than you may have first thought. A sturdy cone is best formed by gradually placing handfuls of the planting mixture and patting them down to eliminate large air pockets. Think of it as a teepee of soil rising out of the hole. Form it bit by bit. When at the right height, formed and compacted, it's ready to receive the bush. Check the right height for the bud union by laying a shovel handle or stick on the ground and across the hole. Don't limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about Forming a Cone. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what's important.

The Bud Union

2008-08-19T23:20:00.000-07:00

When most people think of Bud Union, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to Bud Union than just the basics. Bushes of modern roses are really a grafted combination of two separate rose varieties. "Rootstock" is the part underground. It comes from older varieties known not for their blooms, which are usually insignificant, even ugly, but rather for their capacity for massive root development. To this rootstock a graft is made of the rose variety desired to grow above the ground: the hybrid. Where the graft of the two varieties is made, globular bulbous landmark develops that forever bears testament to the marriage. The bud union is the heart of the rosebush. It is from there that major new growth will develop when conditions are right. Also, it is the point from which planting depth is measured. Assuming you mulch after planting, and I'm going to try very hard to persuade you to , the bud union can be placed above ground, level with the height to which you plan to mulch. Mulching materials will still cover the bud union sufficiently to protect it from freezing. Is everything making sense so far? If not, I'm sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place. If, however, you live in an area where winters are hard and temperatures are extreme (below 20 degrees F.), you can't afford this luxury; for you proper planting usually requires the bud union to be at or below soil surface. Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Bud Union. Share your new understanding about Bud Union with others. They'll thank you for it.

The Almighty Hole

2008-08-18T23:12:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered if what you know about soil hole for rose is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on soil hole for rose. I don't like to think about the time and fertilizers I've wasted by digging holes that are too deep. As a novice, I was informed that holes had to be two feet deep and two feet wide. Two feet is too deep for rose roots, which don't often get longer than one foot. I understand the supposed advantage of nutrients deep in ;the ground that roots eventually grow into, making the bushes act as if they have hit paydirt. But even if nutrients are placed there, they will have leached out from watering by the time roots reach them. I compromise and dig holes eighteen inches deep and two feet wide. As you'll learn, I prefer to do most of my fertilizing above soil level anyway. I've stuck to digging holes two feet wide, though, because I've seen the advantages. If you dig up a bush that you've planted some six months earlier, you'll find masses of tiny hairlike growth projecting from all the roots you stuck in the ground six months ago. These "feeder roots" are the real workers, supplying bushes with nutrients, and they're everywhere within a two-foot radius of the center of most bushes. To develop massively, feeder roots must grow in friable (easily crumbled) soil. Examine the soil you get from digging a hole eighteen inches deep by two feet wide. If you know or have been told that it's decent garden soil, save it. If it's too compact or reveals that it lacks nutritional value by being all one pale color, get rid of it and use one of the commercially available products. Packaged soil, such as Supersoil, is just what you'd like your basic soil to be--a loose, friable medium that mixes easily with additives. Where I grow roses, the soil is almost pure sand from an old riverbed. It has some nutritional and grace elements and willingly accepts additives. If you have anything resembling garden loam, you're even better off. In fact, unless you're dealing with clay or heavily compacted soil, you can probably use what you have as half of what you need to refill the hole. The remaining half, in equal portions, should come from: 1. Aged manure. Cow and steer manures are the most readily available. Chicken is better, and rabbit better yet, as they contain higher percentages of nitrogen. Whichever you use, aging is important because fresh manure burns new roots with the intense heat it throws off during its early decomposition. Aged manure is sold at most nurseries in soft plastic forty-pound bags. For each hole you fill, you'll need about twenty pounds, or 7I/2 gallons. 2. Organic materials. Here you have a choice of several wonderful sources. One is peat moss, although it will probably be more expensive than anything else. Composts made from redwood shavings, fir bark, or other shredded woody sources are cheaper. Since any of the organics will do, either singly or in combination, for the 12I/2 gallons (1I/2 cubic feet) you'll need per hole, watch for local nursery sales. How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything. Don't overlook local sources of compost. We buy compost from a nearby mushroom farm. The soil mushrooms grow in is good for only one crop. Afterwards, it's spent for mushrooms, but nutritional for roses because it's composed of all their favorite foods. If you use peat moss, you should be aware that because it is compressed for packaging, it will unrelentingly shed water if used straight from the package. To take advantage of its absorbing qualities, break up the compressed material and put it to soak in a large container that will allow total submersion (I use trash cans the day of garbage pickup). Soaked in water for twenty-four hours and then squeezed, peat moss will perform properly from the start. If you use an organic material made from a wood derivative, remember that it should be in compost form. Raw sawdust, while of the right texture, needs nitrogen to break down and will rob the bush of any available sources of it. You might also look for one of the wood products available to which nitrogen has already been added. These products will break down on their own without usurping nitrogen needed by the bush. Mix well the soil you saved, aged manure, and one of the organic materials, using a wheelbarrow or other large container if available. (If not, mix the soil in the hole itself.) After combining materials, fill half the hole and water well. The next step is to create a cone of mounded soil over which the bareroot bush will be placed. But, first, an anatomy lesson. You can't predict when knowing something extra about soil hole for rose will come in handy. If you learned anything new about soil hole for rose in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

Getting the Rose Bush Ready

2008-08-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

So what is rose bush really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about rose bush--info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you. If you plant bareroot bushes soon after you get them home from a reliable nursery or shortly after you receive them from a shipper, they will be in good condition. If planting has been delayed because of bad weather, bushes may have dried out. Moisture can be replenished if you submerge the bushes in water, covering all roots. Depending on how dried out the bushes have become, they can be soaked for up to twenty-four hours. After this treatment, the dried parts will plump and fill out nicely. Some rosarians soak their rosebushes for two hours before they plant them no matter how quickly they arrived from the supplier. "Who knows how long ago they were dug up and left in cold storage?" they ask. These same clever gardeners suggest that you add some household bleach to your soaking tub, thereby cleaning up whatever unwanted bacteria might be hanging around. They'll also mention that a shot of all-purposes liquid fertilizer or Vitamin B-I wouldn't hurt either. How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything. Next, all broken stems and roots must have their damaged sections cut out. Using sharp shears, make a clean cut into healthy growth a quarter inch from the break. Many people cut off one-quarter inch of all root tips, claiming that this will help to stimulate new growth. I think it makes sense. Whether or not you clip everything, at least cut out damaged areas--they are a haven for disease. If canes are damaged, they too must be cut. Take off as little as possible at this time. Wait until after new growth appears to cut off anything else. The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about rose bush.

Rose Planting

2008-08-16T23:02:00.000-07:00

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding Rose Planting. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about Rose Planting. I wish I had met the man who said, "I'd rather plant a two-bit rose in a four-bit hole than a four-bit rose in a two-bit hole." He was a smart cookie: no matter what the quality of a rosebush, it can only live up to the hole in which it's planted. But before you dig and prepare the almighty hole, choose the site carefully. Basic Site Requirements Roses must have sun. According to most experts, the minimum is five hours per day. If the climate is temperate, full sunlight is preferable. In areas of intense heat, shading will be necessary, as roses suffer from temperatures over 100 degrees F. If you must choose between morning or afternoon sun, go for morning sun with shade in the afternoon. Look for shelter from the wind; it damages both blooms and foliage. Plant near, but not against, fences and garden wall. Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Rose Planting? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs? Don't plant roses near trees or large bushes where they will have to compete with other root systems. Rosebushes are voracious feeders and don't like sharing their nutrients with neighbors. Since roses are always thirsty, choose growing sites in reasonable proximity to water sources. Drainage is just as important as water. Although rose roots require steady amounts of water, they don't like to sit in it. Root damage occurs when water can't drain quickly and thoroughly. An easy way to determine if drainage is adequate is to fill a hole with water and see how long it takes to drain. If more than an hour is required, drainage must be improved by digging holes six inches deeper than you otherwise might have and filling them with six inches of coarse gravel. The more claylike your soil is, the more concerned you must be with creating good drainage. Sandy soils drain well inherently. In fact, they may even require additives such as peat moss to provide water retention. Space planting holes far enough apart to allow for both bush and root growth. I plant all hybrid teas and grandifloras three feet apart. Floribundas known to be diminutive in their growth habits can be planted closer together, as can any variety with which you want to create an impenetrable hedge (cheaper than most fences). Now you can be a confident expert on Rose Planting. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Rose Planting.

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 3

2008-06-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

You can go back to previous posts:

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 1

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 2

Roses of the Year

Some growers annually declare a "Rose of the Year" award on their own. Be wary of them. Often such "winners" are being pushed on you because the grower invested heavily in planting the variety while it was under consideration for All-America Rose Selection and got caught with a surplus when it lost.

In defense of the growers, we must admit that sometimes their selections do pan out. When the great American hybridizer Bill Warriner came up with Pristine and had it available for introduction in 1978, Jack & Perkins, for whom Warriner works, knew they had a real winner on their hands. They could have endured the two-year test period imposed by the All-America Rose Selection committee with confidence that Pristine would emerge a winner, but why? Instead, they named it their rose of that year and hoped the buying public would endorse their decision. It did. Pristine now enjoys the number-two spot on the list of top exhibition roses in the United States.

All-America Rose Selections are hardly the last word for identifying great varieties, but they're the best guide we have short of testing everything ourselves. So learn the difference between them and "roses of the year"--titles growers pragmatically confer themselves. All-America Roses have emerged triumphant from test gardens authorized by All-America Rose Selections Incorporated.

When to Order

When you place an order for bareroot rosebushes, you get to choose the delivery date. It can be ASAP or at the tag end of the shipping season, depending on when you think you'll feel like planting and when it's safe to do so where you live.

There's a move afoot among rosarians for fall planting, based on the theory that roots put in the ground in November have a chance to settle in before they have to start growing in the spring. We match with this group, but we can afford to because our winters are never severe enough to damage new, tender growth that's bound to appear soon after we stick a bush in the ground. If we lived where temperatures plummet regularly, we’d ask for rosebushes to be shipped after dangers of hard frosts are past.

Regardless of when you want plants to arrive, order them early to make sure you don't end up with substitutions, especially if a variety you like is "in short supply" or a catalogue specifies "one per customer, please." If you dilly dally, you'll get your money refunded or you'll be placed on next year's waiting list.

After you order whichever roses you decide on, dig holes at designated sites and prepare to do some planting. If you want to begin pampering your roses, dig planting sites early and give soil additives a chance to mellow. It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on Rose Suppliers and Rose Catalogues. Compare what you've learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of Rose Suppliers and Rose Catalogues.

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 2

2008-06-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

You can go back to previous post:

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 1

Or to next post:

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 3

Grading

Bushes being marketed by growers and suppliers must be graded according to specific standards. For the most part, you shouldn't consider any grade but 1. For hybrid teas and grandifloras, this means that bushes, after having been field grown for two years, must have at least three vigorous canes (main stems), each of a specific length. Floribundas are required to have the same number of canes, but they can be shorter. Grade 11/2 denotes fewer canes, but may be acceptable if no grade 1's are available. Never buy grade 2. Most suppliers sell only grade 1 to the general public, so you'll never have to make the choice between 1 and 11/2 unless you are notified that only grade 11/2 is available, at a lower cost.

If you don't have accurate details regarding Rose Suppliers and Rose Catalogues, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don't let that happen: keep reading.

As for those wax-coated, packaged rose plants available in supermarkets, we can't honestly tell you never to buy them, but we’re tempted to. First, one rarely receives a guarantee as to variety or replacement (such assurances are routine from suppliers). More important, the waxing, while theoretically a sound procedure that permits prolonged and safe storage, is actually problem-ridden. Plants that are wax coated tend to dry out, and later growth and root development can be inhibited. Finally, the sun is supposed to melt the wax, but you may very well be planting long before heat from sunlight is going to be anywhere near intense enough to melt wax.

All-America Rose Selections

Each year since 1940 (except for 1951, when nothing seemed worthy) the AARS (All-American Rose Selections) has granted its ultimate award to one or several roses by declaring them the All-America Rose Selection for the following year. The selection is, of course, of great importance to a variety's likelihood for popularity. Hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribundas are all candidates. For the most part, this designation is to be heeded; the majority of the roses we’re suggesting for you in great modern roses post are also All-America Rose Selections. But for one reason or another, some real duds have earned this title; we'll talk about several of them. For the record, a list of the winners chosen since the award began appears on the opposite page.

All-American Rose Selections need not originate within the United States. Rose varieties from anywhere are eligible if an American supplier decides to introduce and subject them to the whims of the AARS standards committee. More than one-third of the roses listed as "Best Bets" in great modern roses are from abroad. The rest are American, though that has no bearing whatsoever on my choosing them.

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 1

2008-06-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

The following paragraphs summarize the work of Rose Suppliers and Rose Catalogues experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of Rose Suppliers and Rose Catalogues. Heed their advice to avoid any Rose Suppliers and Rose Catalogues surprises.

We hesitate to recommend a bareroot supplier with whom we've not personally dealt, so my list of American nurseries is limited to the four from which we have purchased. They are :

Jackson & Perkins, Box 1028, Medford, Oregon 97501; Roses by Fred Edmunds, 6235 S.W. Kahle Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070
Spring Hill Nurseries, Box 1714, Peoria, Illinois 61656
Stocking Rose Nursery, 785 N. Capitol Avenue, San Jose, California 95133.

Suppliers such as these have lots to recommend them--they have wide selections of rose varieties and efficient shipping methods that assure healthy plants, timely in their arrival. If shipment is unduly delayed or stock is beneath your expectation, most suppliers will replace plants with no questions asked.

Catalogues can be misleading. They sometimes suggest that certain varieties have highly desirable qualities (powerful fragrance, extreme vigor, disease-resistance, bountiful bloom), which, if you grow them, you're apt to find they don't have at all. Color photos can make a variety look better than it looks in real life or lend a hue to which it can never truly aspire. Others are pitifully unjust and either rob the poorly depicted variety of its true color or fail to capture its exquisite form. Order catalogues anyway. They're free, and you can compare them for varieties on which suppliers agree. Above all, learn catalogue lingo. "Tender" means the variety is likely to freeze. "disease-prone" suggests rampant mildew. "Powerfully fragrant" describes roses from which you can safely count on scent. "Light fragrance" may very well mean no discernible aroma.

Visit your closest municipal rose garden. There you can see numerous varieties and decide for yourself which appeal to you and which obviously perform well. Also, you can usually preview new introductions not yet rated by the ARS.

One catalogue we believe you should have will cost you two dollars.

Roses of Yesterday and Today on Brown's Valley Road in Watsonville, California 95076, specializes in old roses, though they carry some modern ones too. Varietal descriptions are accurate and charming. When we first grew roses and didn't yet know of this wonderful supplier, a woman we met, who grew not a single rose, lent us her copy. After a week, when we were still reading it with delight and calculating how many varieties we could squeeze into our yard the next year, our friend called us. She wondered if we might return her catalogue soon, confessing that, although she wasn't actually doing any planting, she missed it, since she read it from cover to cover at least once a week.

If you live in the United States, you are permitted to import plants directly from Canada with no restrictions. Importing from Europe is quite another matter. Permits are necessary, and you will be required to plant any imported bushes at least twenty feet, farther in some areas, from anything else. Representatives of government agencies responsible for this area of agriculture must visit you yearly and attest to your compliance. Don't even consider such a hassle for anything you can buy within the United States or Canada. For some few rare varieties, you may decide it's worth the trouble.

As long as Canadian bushes are allowed into this country without quarantine restrictions, let we give you one final recommendation. There is a perfectly wonderful rose nursery in Pickering, Ontario. Before writing to Pickering, though you should know some things.

First, only a fraction of the available varieties are pictured in the catalogue, so you need to know exactly what you want to order. Second, the bushes are shipped during two periods. If you live in a temperate climate, you may have rosebushes for fall planting from late October through November. Otherwise, shipments for spring planting are made in March and April. Third, bushes bear little resemblance to those grown in Wasco, California, where the majority of bareroot bushes sold in the United States originate. Canadian bushes are diminutive compared to their American cousins. When we received the first plants we ordered from Pickering, we questioned the soundness of our choice of suppliers. They were tiny, not half the size of those from Wasco. They had, however, vastly more developed root systems. While we were dubious at planting, all doubts were long gone by the end of the first growing season. The Canadian bushes became as large as any from American suppliers. We’re convinced that their complex root structure, including masses of hairlike roots, is the reason.

Finally, prices are cheaper than those here, but Pickering will send to the United States only roses whose patents have expired. The nursery adheres to this regulation in recognition of royalties due American hybridizers. So don't ask for any new varieties, even if they're offered for sale to Canadians. There are, however, numerous worthy non patented varieties, as you'll learn in great modern roses post later.

To receive its list of available roses, including a large selection of old varieties, write to Pickering Nurseries, 670 Kingston Road, Pickering, Ontario LIV IA6.

A devoted rosarian specializing in rose-plant availability can tell you where to find obscure varieties. Beverly Dobson annually compiles an exhaustive list of rose varieties, with a coding system telling where they can be bought. Her lists are invaluable, for they include European sources and instructions on how to obtain importing privileges. Her Combined Rose List can be obtained by writing to Beverly R. Dobson, 215 Harriman Road, Irvington, New York 10533.

Continue to next posts:

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 2

Rose Suppliers and Their Catalogues Part 3

Buying Roses in Bareroot or in a Container?

2008-06-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

The following paragraphs summarize the work of roses planting experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of roses planting. Heed their advice to avoid any roses planting surprises. If you find yourself confused by what you've read to this point, don't despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

We bought no bareroot bushes the first year we grew roses. We started too late in the season to buy them, and we had an uneasy feeling about them besides. Handling fistfuls of sticks just didn't feel comfortable, and we weren’t optimistic that they'd amount to much. We got over our worries, and so will you when you come to appreciate the advantages of bareroot plants. First, aiming at your practical side, they're cheaper. Bushes in containers cost more than bareroot plants, not just because of the containers themselves, but because of the labor required to put the bushes in them. Also, roots must be compressed to fit within container constraints. Finally, container roses have to readjust to the soil in their new home after they are either removed from their cans or grow through their biodegradable containers. Bareroots, however, can be planted exactly as you want them to grow, as you'll learn in our next posting.

Now you can understand why there's a growing interest in roses planting. When people start looking for more information about roses planting, you'll be in a position to meet their needs.

Rose Nurseries

2008-05-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed. Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Thank goodness for the local nurseries. They're indispensable when you suddenly discover that you have some insect you're not equipped to spray for, when your roll of expandable tape runs out and you have a huge branch to tie up, or when a bush needs a particular kind of food that you don't have on hand. We frequent nurseries for all these reasons and more, but we don't buy our roses from them. First, nurseries rarely stock bareroot bushes, and we prefer avoiding all containers. Moreover, the selection isn't wide enough. Nurseries tend to deal with only one supplier, usually a grower who limits varieties to those his staff has hybridized. You might get something wonderful, but chances are you will miss out on some great roses if you depend on a single source.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on rose nurseries. Compare what you've learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of rose nurseries.

Buying Roses

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The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant. You may as well begin with the right roses if you mean to give them the care they deserve and to reap for yourself the many pleasures of successful rose culture. What you buy depends on where you live, how much space you have, whether you plan to exhibit, and, of course, on what you like.

In posting at great modern roses we suggest some great modern roses you should consider. Hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras are included. It's true that most are hybrid teas, but that's because varieties of this type vastly outnumber the other two. Assuming that you can have more than one bush and that you don't already have a strong, preconceived preference, please treat yourself to all three. If one is your present limit, start with a hybrid tea.

Winners

Unless you're an ardent pioneer, go with proven performers. Besides those we suggest in great modern roses post, there are two good ways of identifying them. First, the American Rose Society (hereafter called simply ARS) identifies star performers in its annual publication Handbook for Selecting Roses.

Here's how the system works. First, roses are classified as to type--for our purposes, hybrid tea, floribunda, or grandiflora. Next, there is color classification with seventeen categories, including blends and shadings of major colors. Finally, there is the national rating, representing the collective opinions of voting rosarians from all districts in the United States. Now, we know that certain varieties do better or poorer in various sections of the country, but those regional differences have a way of evening out in the final analysis, generally making the average score a safe one.

Each year the voting ARS members rank new introductions and thereafter reconsider merit with periodic reviews called "proof of the pudding." The final results, a numerical assignment on a scale of 1.0 to 10.0 for each variety, are published annually in the Handbook for Selecting Roses. The one score represents an average of values for garden bloom performance and for exhibition value. The national scoring rating are:

10.0-------------------Perfect
9.9-9.0---------------Outstanding
8.9-8.0---------------Excellent
7.9-7.0---------------Good
6.9-6.0---------------Fair
5.9 and lower-------Of questionable value

The best time to learn about buying roses is before you're in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable buying roses experience while it's still free.

The Handbook can be had by sending one dollar and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to American Rose Society, Box 30000, Shreveport, Louisiana 71130.

The second way to discover which roses to grow is to join the ARS and your local ARS chapter. If you are even casually interested in roses, I strongly suggest that you consider doing so.

If you not sure what you want to know, you should talk with the woman there. And then buy a copy of Growing Roses in your chapter, a 120-page booklet published by local ARS Chapter. The five dollars it cost you will be the best single investment in roses you've ever made.

There is no substitute for getting a handle on what happens in your immediate area, and no easier way to find out than through the ARS. Anyone, member or not, can write to the society and ask for the names of consulting rosarians in his or her area. The roster is free. Long before you run out of questions to ask the listed expert(s), you'll probably be eager to join the local society. Even if you don't want to join, you are perfectly welcome at monthly meetings and will be cordially treated to a lot of interesting information.

Other advantages of ARS membership include receiving regional publications; a national monthly magazine, which occasionally has helpful articles and always contains commercial information; and a yearly Rose Annual, which includes truly useful articles and the very latest information.

If you decide to contact your locally appointed rosarians, have some specific questions in mind. You might be after strong rose fragrance, specific colors, high bloom yield, varieties with few thorns, blooms that close at night, or long-lasting cut blossoms. Seeking local advice will help you avoid varieties that do poorly in your region. After this initial call, don't throw away the telephone number; you're sure to want to use it again.

Consulting rosarians are the very same people you should contact if you inherit some established rosebushes. It would be helpful to know what they are, in order to give them optimum care or to learn if they're worth keeping at all.

Don't hesitate to call; your inquiries will be more welcome than you might imagine. Often when we asked this favor, people spend most of the conversation apologizing for requesting my time when, they say they know we have so many "better" things to do. Truth is, we love it, for what else can one do with this storehouse of rose trivia?

By the way, it would be helpful to call when there are some flowers on the bush. The best of us have real trouble when there are no blooms for clues. When word gets around about your command of buying roses facts, others who need to know about buying roses will start to actively seek you out.

Can You Grow Roses?

2008-05-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

So, can you grow roses? The answer is of course you can! If you follow only most of the advice in this blog, you will certainly be able to grow the queen of flowers. If you follow all of our suggestions, you will have exhibition-quality blooms by the score, assuming, of course, that you can provide the right conditions.

As you will learn in planting category, roses have some basic requirements. You can get around some; others are impossible to circumvent. For instance, water, if you haven't a ready water supply or if you won't use what you have, don't plant roses, for they're insatiable drinkers. If you get little or no sun in your garden, roses probably aren't for you either, although we have seen people manage to produce sensational roses with what must surely be minimum direct sunlight.

If you have inherited rosebushes without knowing their history, the first thing you should do is find out what varieties they are. Plan to get rid of whatever you don't like and to coddle those you want to keep.

In some country, most modern rosebushes come with a metal I.D. somewhere near their bud union. Look for it. If the tag has been exposed to the elements for a long time, the paint may have weathered off. Even so, you can usually feel the letters, since most are stamped into the metallic disk. If there's no identification whatsoever, wait until the bush is in bloom; then either look it up in a blog or, better yet, if you live in America, ask an American Rose Society consulting rosarian to have a look.

Do not make the mistake of keeping varieties that you do not like. It makes no sense to give rosebushes the care they deserve if you are not swept away by their blooms. After all, the least expensive part of growing roses is buying plants. Bushes cost far less than the nutrients and spray materials they require, to say nothing of your valuable time while ministering to them.

Starts taking good care of whatever you keep, applying the tips from maintaining category, especially those on fertilizing. Regardless of when they were last fed, it's safe to assume that roses are hungry. They will be thirsty too.

Drastic measures might be necessary at pruning time, just to correct mistakes that someone else made. Neglected rosebushes have gnarled grayish brown wood that you should hack out without a second thought. Even if you have to lop off half the bush, get rid of wood that's past producing. Bushes that are too tall should be shortened and thinned; those that have been pruned too enthusiastically should be left alone to reach heights where they will bloom comfortably. Local rosarians will advise what to do to which, but start by taking pruning category to heart.

You just may have inherited some old roses in addition to modern varieties. We did. When we bought the property where we grow roses commercially, some dilapidated Victorian buildings came with it. The first time we looked at the old farmhouse, we noticed a huge rosebush on its west side. At first, we thought it was a hedge, but when we got closer we realized it was just one overgrown shrub. Even though we had no idea what variety it was, we made a mental note to take it out and replace it with something more civilized.

When pruning time rolled around and we stripped the bush to get a better look at it, we realized that we had better leave it just where it was since it camouflaged drainage and water pipes, and, more recently, propane flex-lines. We shaped the bush and left it alone. We have since learned that it is Rosa laevigata, better known as the Cherokee Rose-Georgia's state flower. It has five-petaled, white flowers and apple green foliage, and it is a sight to behold every May and early June (in subtropical climate).

Old rose varieties make their contribution to the garden, mostly in landscaping. We'd never give up our modern roses for them because we need a succession of blossoms from spring through fall. Most old garden roses have only one bloom-early, abundant, and spectacular-after which they're occasional repeaters.

If you are ready to add roses to your garden, we will suggest varieties to suit your particular landscape, tell you about growing roses in containers (a nice solution for those with limited space), suggest how to crowd in more rosebushes when you seem to have run out of space, mention the advantages of mixing varieties or sticking with one or two, and make some general comments about probable size and height of bushes, though you will learn that where you live makes a huge difference.

If you are an aspiring rosarian and have not yet established bad habits, you are the ideal reader of this blog. You can buy, plant, and maintain roses properly from the start. If you already grow roses, but aren't satisfied with them or their yield, you will find that it's not too late to adjust techniques. If nothing more, concentrate on the category on cutting and at least get extended life from the blooms you're already producing. Or if your bushes are disease ridden by midsummer every year, you might give in to trying chemical sprays, using the safe but effective spraying methods we suggest. If you're never going to be satisfied with the roses you have because they're the wrong varieties, it might be wise to replace some of them with surefire winners we propose in modern roses category.

Everyone has some place to grow roses. If nothing else, there can be a potted miniature on a window ledge, though we are going to try to talk you into much more.

Growth and Bloom Forms of Roses

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Hybrid teas are bred to produce one showy rose per stem.

Floribundas are low-growing bushes that bloom in sprays of small, usually decorative, blossoms.

Grandifloras are similar to floribundas, with sprays of blooms, but their blossoms are formed like hybrid teas.

Miniature roses are diminutive versions of other rose forms. Minis grow on their roots, so they have no bud unions.

Climbers are distinguished by the way their bushes grow; they’re hybridized to sprawl, but must be trained to ramble where you want them.

Standards, or tree roses, are bushes that bloom atop a length of rosewood that has no growth along its sides.

Rose Classifications

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While this blog is all about roses, it's not about all of them. Today there are more than forty-eight official rose classifications in commerce in the United States, including ancient varieties. We don't profess to be an expert on all of them, but we do understand those called modern, more particularly hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras. These three types of modern roses, plus miniatures and climbers, which we'll also consider, make up more than 90 percent of the rosebushes sold in America. These are the roses with which we'll discuss in this blog.

Are you wondering when did roses become modern? All but the grouchiest of rosarians agree that it was with the introduction of La France by Guillot Fils in 1867. This rose, the prototype of what we now call the hybrid tea, was just what the nineteenth-century rose breeders were looking for-a large, double (sixty petals) flower with a long, pointed bud. But the real find was La France's enviable habit of producing blooms with the fabulous form that we now call classic formal. It was a welcome shot in the arm for developers of new rose varieties, who scrambled to include pollen from La France on their hybridizing palettes.

Modern roses are so different from those now called old that it's impossible to lump the two together. Some older varieties flower only once per season, while most modern rosebushes bloom repeatedly. Growth habits differ too, with modern rosebushes being more bush-like than the shrubby older ones. Mostly, though, it's in the form of the blossoms that they are so different--older roses are essentially more decorative. Less importance is placed on the form of individual blooms. With the modern varieties the form of the bloom is vital.

Before you can be expected to appreciate varying forms, you must learn the basic differences between the three types of modern roses we'll be talking about. While there are several ways of distinguishing between hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras, the easiest pertains to blossoms and blooming characteristics.

Hybrid Teas

These are the classic one-to-a-stem roses. Hybrid teas are capable of producing clustered blooms--and will if you don't follow the disbudding (bud removal) procedures described later--but aesthetic perfection for this variety is one bloom per stem. And should you care to exhibit your roses, hybrid teas must almost always be shown this way.

The "hybrid" portion of the name refers to hybridizer's efforts to mix rose lineage and come up with something new. "Tea" refers to the fact that they are descended from the tea rose, which originated in China. Also, the fragrance of hybrid teas is thought to be similar to that of fresh tea leaves.

Floribundas

These are roses hybridized to grow in clusters. The disbudding tactic is the opposite of that for the hybrid tea, as it is aimed at producing multiple blooms at the end of one stem. Though there are great exceptions, floribunda bushes are usually low in stature, making them perfect for foreground planting.

Grandifloras

These are the newest roses on the scene. Continued hybridizing of the floribunda resulted in seedlings that had the blooming characteristics of the floribunda (with multiple blooms on one stem), but whose blossoms were formed more like those of the hybrid tea. That's why, the new category of grandiflora. Though some are low, most grandifloras tend to be tall growers and to make majestic background plantings.

Classification of roses in the United Kingdom is far more sensible than in the United States. Recognizing the inevitable danger of confusion with the floribunda, the British never adopted a grandiflora class. They've even dropped the use of hybrid tea and floribunda classifications for rose exhibition. Instead, they refer to either "large-flowered" or "clustered-flowered" blooms. There are sound reasons behind the English classification. Americans, however, must still deal with the three categories just described and do their best to understand the differences among them. It's not always easy.

For instance, it's downright confusing when varieties of one classification grow so disparately. If you see bushes of Angel Face and Sea Pearl growing next to one another, you'll wonder how they both could possibly belong to the floribunda class. On the one hand, Angel Face grows very low, virtually hugging the ground. Sea Pearl, on the other hand, has lofty aspirations and won't stay down.

Rather than expecting varieties of a given classification to perform like their siblings, you will need to learn to consider each variety on its own, allowing also for regional variations that can markedly affect growth habits. Roses can climb, sprawl, hide the ground, grow erect, be trained as a pillar, or cover a wall. Bushes may be small, midsize, or enormous, depending on their natural habits, how they're pruned, and the care they're given. They all, however, possess anatomical similarities with which you might want to familiarize yourself.

Of course, it's impossible to put everything about rose classifications into just one article. But you can't deny that you've just added to your understanding about rose classifications, and that's time well spent.

Rose Prologue

2008-05-13T22:47:00.000-07:00

I remember the first rose I saw.

Can you grow roses? Of course you can. If you have love then you can grow roses. Why? Because with your love to roses you will spend your times, your effort, your money, anything to make sure your roses grow nicely. Remember when you falling in love with someone special? Beautiful isn’t it? That’s the same feeling when you success grow your roses. I never forget that experience.

Looking over the categories headings in this blog makes us cringe as we remember our mistakes. We made almost every one we will warn you about. We fell for misleading catalogue descriptions and ordered roses that proved to be flops. We planted bushes too deep and didn't fertilize them at all the first year because someone at a nursery said we shouldn't. Our idea of maintaining bushes was to water them a lot when sunny weather made us want to be outside, and practically not at all when it was dreary. At first, we didn't spray, period; when we did, we launched a random and totally ineffective program. We cut every bloom with as much stem as we wanted, in a casual disregard for the need to shape bushes. Pruning to us meant removing only what was visibly dead.

One thing is certain roses are a lot of trouble. But they sure do make up for it. There's always something to do. Perhaps a new variety is blooming for the first time, and we have to decide if it's anything like what we were hoping for. Or new growth appears in a strategic place, and we want to train it in the right direction with some early staking. And then there's the delicious agony of what to cut, and for whom.

Our purpose in writing this blog is simple. If you already grow roses well, we want you to grow them better. If you don't grow them well, we want to improve your chances for success. If you don't grow them at all, we want to encourage you to start.