Administration:
Consulting Rosarians
History of MRS
Officers
Bronze Medal Awards
Membership:
Join Us!
Newsletter sample
Upcoming Events:
Programs
Directions to MAGC
Rose Culture:
Diseases
Fertilizing
Garden Good/Bad Guys
Great Roses
Planting
Pruning
Watering
Annual Rose Care
Monthly Rose Care
Rose of the Month
Rose Purchasing:
Buying Roses
Mail Order Sources
Rose Shows:
Latest Show Results
Previous Rose Shows
MRS Trophies
Misc:
Poet's Corner
Rose Books
Join the ARS
What's New?
Rosey Links
Site Map
ROSE CARE FOR MAY
by Lydia Treadway, Consulting Rosarian
by Lydia Treadway, Consulting Rosarian
Tales of 'Sally Holmes'
Three years ago last November, Frank and I stopped by Armstrong Nursery to look over the roses. We did not find anything exciting with the exception of a lovely plant named ‘Sally Holmes’. On an impulse we bought this small, shrubby looking plant for our garden. For weeks it remained in its container being moved back and forth in the garden while we tried to make up our minds where to plant this new rose. We settled on the shadiest part of our garden on a fence that pretends to keep out the deer. The first twelve months the new rose did not do much for us. Mildew and minimal growth was discouraging. Then in the second year, I do not know what got into ‘Sally Holmes’ to make her shoot out new canes with great vigor up to ten feet. It rapidly took over that fence and smothered all in her way. She incorporated herself beautifully with a ‘Graham Thomas’ nearby. We enjoyed her abundance of flowers!
We have had many roses in our garden over the years but none with such excellent growth and vigor. We knew that she was rapidly outgrowing the area we had for her. As a climber we had to find a good place for her to shine and spread out her splendid new canes. So last November we decided to reorganize our front patio where we grew our miniatures and found a perfect place for ‘Sally Holmes’. Actually it was a big project in that the large trellis was inhabited by jasmine and potato vines that had put down a huge network of roots that were choking out the nearby miniatures! We dug these vines and all their roots out and put in new soil and amendments. Sally did not know what was in store for her.
I was stubborn not to cut back Sally’s canes but just to move her out and up the hill to the upper patio. This enormous plant was a big job that took two of us to attempt to dig out. We had to cut the roots severely and pry her out of the ground. It was a sad picture with her long branches entwined with the fence and then skimpy roots in a tight ball severed from the many deep roots left in the ground. Her long canes caught on every plant she passed as if she was struggling to remain in her old home. We had to tie her up and wrap a tarp around her to make the passage up the steps and the long trip to her new place. Frank and I began to feel guilty about possibly destroying such a wonderful rose. I had a serious talk with Sally as we proceeded on our journey about her new home with its room to grow, no competition from other plants, and I promised her that she would be the Queen!
We planted her immediately and tied her long canes laterally on the trellis and did our pruning to shape her. We knew she was exhausted by this time but still she looked lively and actually magnificent in this new location. Every morning as I looked out my bedroom window on this patio, I was eager to see Sally’s progress. It was nothing, nothing, nothing. Several months went by and I would check the tips of the canes to see if they were still green. They were OK and showed signs of life.
February brought swelling buds and I knew Sally liked her new place. Now she is full of new leaves, buds, and blooms just opening. In just a few more weeks she will explode in color and display her great vigor and beauty. I truly think that serious talk I had with Sally as we carried her up the hill to her new home promising her to be the Queen in the garden of minis kept her going!
A YEAR OF ROSE CARE:
January
Return to the Main Page
gail@marinrose.org
All Rights Reserved
Last Modified: 5/20/08