Some have accused this writer of being an Anglophile for featuring so many English roses. Well, here’s one for the French. The story of the rose, ‘Peace’, is well known to rose lovers, but always puts a lump in my throat and hope in my heart. The Meilland Family of France have been growing roses […]
I love roses. There’s nothing quite like walking through the garden in May and feasting on a bonanza of beauty, color, form, and fragrance. To get a bounty of flowers, besides sun, water and good soil, roses need to be pruned. And now is prime pruning season. Even as an avid gardener, this is not
For Lots of Roses this Spring, Prune Now Read More »
Every year the All America Rose Selections (AARS) tests new rose bushes in gardens across the U.S. After two years of testing, they select the best varieties for disease resistance, growth qualities and overall appeal. The only AARS winner for 2010 was ‘Easy Does It’. It is distinctively delightful, and as its name implies, super
You’ve been pouring over catalogs, making lists, seeing how many new roses you can squeeze into your garden. Now it’s time to decide about actually buying the roses. There are a few things to decide before you go any further – What should I be looking for when choosing a bare root rose? Does the
Buying New Rose Plants Read More »
‘Memphis Music’ is a sport of ‘Memphis Magic’. It has a very striking deep red color with yellow stripes. Because it is a sport, it varies considerably in the variegation and may revert to all red as found in its parent, ‘Memphis Magic’. It is successful in exhibition, winning many prizes. Many people think that
You love roses. Visions of bountiful blooms carpeting your garden with color and fragrance dance in your head as you swoon over the catalogs brimming with all too many choices. You want lots and lots of flowers, but you’re limited in space. You’ve already taken over a good part of the lawn, and still, you
Maximize Your Bloom Read More »
Lavaglut, a German word for lava glow, comes from a well-known German family, Kordes. ‘Lavaglut’ was bred in 1978 and introduced to the market in 1979. This eye-catching floribunda is a cross of ‘Gruss an Bayern’ x Seedling. The glowing clusters of deep velvety red seem to continually erupt from a blanket of clean, glossy
Want to give your roses a slow deep watering, but aren’t ready for drip irrigation? A soaker hose might be the way to go. Most often made from recycled tires, the hoses’ rough surface contains millions of tiny pores that allows water to seep into the soil evenly and slowly. Available in a variety of
With severe restrictions on water usage, EVERY DROP counts! Be on the lookout for any drip or leak and find a way to eliminate it. Keeping your roses and other plants healthy, even with water restrictions, can be easier if you have the right tools for the job. Here are some small things that can
Shutoffs, quick-disconnects, timers, and washers can help you save water Read More »
My favorite colors are green and yellow, so what could be a more perfect combination than our Rose of the Month, ‘St. Patrick’? Although this presentation is a bit late for its namesakes’ holiday, still a lovely addition to any garden. I’ve grown this rose for several years and it presents lovely long-stemmed blooms, opening