There’s something about a rose hedge that cannot be found in a hedge of any other plant material. Its natural, informal beauty appeals to everyone, even when it is not in flower, and when in bloom, it is delightful beyond expression. It’s true, of course, roses may take a little more care than some other … Read more
Every gardener wants roses, of course. And, after 30 years of growing them, I am prepared to swear every gardener can have them without much trouble. That is if he buys a good stock, locates plants, winter-protects, prunes, feeds them properly, and takes action against pests and disease. This sounds formidable, but it is not. … Read more
All too often, the rose catalogs use the word “hardy” to describe roses that cannot survive the average northern winter without careful protection. Unfortunately, this is likely why many gardeners decide they cannot grow them. They buy rose plants described as hardy, then the plants die the first winter, and so the conclusion is that … Read more
In most of our areas, hard frosts have come by mid-November. Mild weather sometimes holds until Thanksgiving, leaving some hardier annuals such as snapdragons, stocks, sweet alyssum, lobelia, verbena, and petunias still in bloom if they have been protected. Garden mums and roses can be expected to supply great colors right up to a general … Read more
The memorial rose (Rosa Wichuraiana), one of the parents of the modern hybrid rambler roses, is the only truly procumbent rose species. This native of Japan, Korea, and eastern China was first introduced into North America about 65 years ago. And even though it has been grown here for over half a century, it is … Read more
In recent years I have been experimenting with both hardwood and greenwood cuttings of roses. I have successfully used two modifications of the old-fashioned fruit jar method, and believe that the plants’ development is greatly aided by avoiding disturbance of the roots. This is made possible by rooting the hardwood cuttings where the plants are … Read more
Roses are fragile. Handle roses with care. Bruises will show, so avoid striking the heads against a hard surface. With a sharp knife (not shears) cut the bottom inch from stems, cutting on a slant to expose a large surface. Place the stems in deep warm water (about 100° degrees Fahrenheit) to which a good … Read more
Garden roses vary in their endurance to winter conditions. Shrub and rose species are generally the hardiest and require no protection, even in the coldest sections of the country. In regions where the temperature is likely to reach zero, growing the bush roses will likely need protection. If the temperature goes below zero, then protection … Read more
Which bloom better roses planted in the spring or the fall? Many gardeners prefer the fall, but many still insist that spring is the proper planting time. There are always those whose first desire to grow roses may occur during the winter or early spring. For some their planting blood, does not begin to flow … Read more
One of the loveliest pleasures a rose garden offers is its appeal to our sense of color. Yet many gardens are less effective than they would be if the color were more carefully considered. Color Nomenclature: State of Confusion Certainly, color nomenclature is in a state of confusion so far as roses are concerned. Various … Read more