Do you know your hybrid tea from your bourbon? If so, belly up to the yard and drink in all the delicious scents and sights the rose-filled garden has to offer. Those still thinking I’m referring to beverages should probably read on…
Alister Stella Gray rose
‘Alister Stella Gray’ is a Noisette rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Ambridge Rose David Austin Rose®
‘Ambridge Rose’ is a David Austin Rose® with lots of petals and great fragrance.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Blueberry Hill Floribunda rose
‘Blueberry Hill’ is a Floribunda rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Carefree Delight rose
‘Carefree Delight’ is a modern shrub rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Empress Josephine Gallica rose
‘Empress Josephine’ is a Gallica rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
La Ville de Bruxelles Damask rose
‘La Ville de Bruxelles’ is a Damask rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Le Vésuve China rose
‘Le Vésuve’ is a China rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Peace hybrid tea rose
‘Peace’ is a hybrid tea rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Rosa rugosa wild rose
Rosa rugosa is a wild rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Souvenir de la Malmaison rose
‘Souvenir de la Malmaison Rouge’ is a Bourbon rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
The Fairy shrub rose
‘The Fairy’ is a Polyantha shrub rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Tournament of Roses Grandiflora rose
‘Tournament of Roses’ is a Grandiflora rose.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
The difference in roses goes way beyond color and fragrance. These popular plants can be divided into more than two dozen categories based on origin, flower shape, growth habit, number of petals…the list goes on. In 1979, in an attempt to stop the madness, the World Federation of Rose Societies separated all roses into three large categories: wild roses, old garden roses and modern roses. Within these categories are other classifications. Here’s the breakdown:
Wild Roses
This category includes climbing and shrub roses. True wild roses have five petals and are sometimes called “species roses.” Other roses that fit in this category are the ones that look wild but have actually been bred in cultivation. (They generally have small flowers on large, sprawling plants.) Wild roses only bloom once each year, and they have good insect resistance and fragrance. They aren’t grown as much as other types, but they’re important because they’ve been used for centuries to breed new roses.
Climbers: This one really explains itself. Climbing roses have to be attached to their support structure using twist ties, wires or the like. They’re available in every color and range of petal numbers. Use them on arbors or to hide the ugly side of the tool shed. (Climbers are also found in the old garden and modern rose categories.)
Shrub roses: Flowers are produced on large shrubs and tend to cover the outside of the plant. These shrubs are usually hardy and often bloom continuously during summer. (They’re also found in modern roses.)
Old Garden Roses
In general, old garden roses are large, hardy shrubs that don’t need a lot of fuss. They have large, fragrant flowers that bloom once (possibly twice) a year. Types in this category include Alba, Bourbon, Centifolia, China, Damask, Gallica, Hybrid Perpetual, Moss, Noisette, Portland and Tea roses. There are several climbers in this group as well. You may also hear these plants referred to as “antique,” “old,” “heirloom” or “heritage” roses.
Alba: The flowers of these plants are white or pale pink. Most cultivars have many petals and bloom in summer on shrubby plants. They’re tough roses and don’t get black spot.
Bourbon: Bourbons are hybrids of Damask and China roses. The flowers are large and fragrant with numerous petals. They typically bloom in early and late summer. Most are highly susceptible to black spot.
Centifolia: Also called the cabbage rose, these roses have 100 or more petals per bloom. They’re a cross between Damasks and Albas.
China: China roses bear large clusters of medium-sized flowers that bloom throughout the summer in shades of pink and red.
Damask: Damask roses are pink or white with numerous petals. They were bred in parts of Persia, and the crusaders brought them back from Damascus, a city in modern-day Syria.
Gallica: Sometimes called French roses, gallicas are very fragrant with lots of petals. Their red, reddish-purple or pink hues are often described as being “rich” or “intense.” The flowers are flat (not pointed like hybrid teas), and plants bloom once in summer.
Hybrid Perpetual: These plants bloom all summer, primarily in red and pink tones, with large flowers and good fragrance.
Moss: Moss roses make up a large group with varying characteristics, but they’re mostly pink, with some whites and dark reds. They look very similar to Damasks and Centifolias. Most flower only once a year.
Noisette: Generally fragrant, this rose group has lots of white, yellow and apricot varieties and tends to bloom later in summer.
Portland: Named after Margaret Cavendish Bentinck, the second Duchess of Portland, all Portland roses are pink or red, with semidouble or fully double flowers.
Tea: Old tea roses originally came from China and were called as such because they were carried on ships carrying tea leaves. Their color range includes white, pink, yellow, buff, apricot and red – basically all the possible rose colors. Tea roses bloom throughout summer.
Modern Roses
Any rose that was developed after 1867 is considered to be a modern rose. There are five subcategories in this group: bush, shrub, groundcover, miniature and climbing.
Bush roses are grown for their single, large, long-stemmed blooms. They’re not the easiest roses to grow and often lack fragrance, but they’ll bloom repeatedly throughout summer. Bush roses come in four types: Floribundas offer flowers that occur in clusters. Hybrid teas are long-stemmed roses that look like the classic florist’s roses. Grandifloras are long-stemmed roses with medium-large flowers. (They’re a cross between hybrid teas and floribundas.) Polyanthas are small bushes growing only about 3 feet tall and are covered with clusters of small flowers. They bloom throughout the summer and are good for containers.
Modern shrub roses include David Austin Roses® (or English roses), hybrid musk and other shrub roses developed after 1867. David Austin blooms look like old roses, but they were bred beginning in the 1960s. They’re very fragrant, have good disease resistance and bloom continuously throughout summer in every possible rose color (pink, white, red, yellow…). Musk roses originally came from Turkey and have been important in breeding new plants because they’re disease-resistant. Most musk roses available today are hybrids. Their small to medium-sized flowers are very fragrant, blooming in shades of white, cream, pink, buff and red.
Groundcover roses spread out and cover the ground quickly, blooming throughout summer. Plants grow about 3-4 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Some popular shades are yellow, pink and white, and red.
Miniature roses are never more than 2 feet tall and are best displayed in containers or indoors, since they tend to get lost in a landscape. They’re available in all colors.
Modern climbers are just like the climbers listed under “Wild Roses,” except these modern beauties were developed after 1867.
While the range of flower types is extensive, one thing remains the same: Roses are an overall extremely beautiful group of plants – and cherished by many throughout the world. From fragrance to color, size to habit, there’s definitely a rose out there for everyone!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Why Rose Gardening Is So Addictive
For many of us, the act of gardening brings us closer to nature by getting us outdoors and allowing us the opportunity to tend and grow objects that in the absence of our assistance would not be able to survive, let alone thrive. There is a special connection between the growers of roses and their plants, however, which seems to go even beyond the basic instincts of the traditional gardener.
The first reason that roses can be such an addictive plant is the roots it has in our culture in the form of myth and symbolism. The same reason we are addicted to rose gardening is the same reason we are willing to pay a ridiculous amount for a single flower or bunch on Valentine's Day- nothing in our society communicates more than the rose. This cultural phenomenon has been a part of western heritage for longer than anyone can trace. The rose was considered a flower of romance in ancient China, where it was first developed, and was used throughout the Roman Empire. British history is full of roses in every context- the theater where Shakespeare's plays were put on was known as the rose, and some of the most distinguishing events in British history occurred during the long "War of the Roses". Roses were not actually introduced to Europe in the cultivated style until the late 1700s, when they arrived from China.
Perhaps some of the addiction we have in cultivating roses stems in part from the same areas that our ancient forebears found so appealing. Many roses have a very distinctive scent, and the shape of the rose is certainly unique enough in itself to warrant extensive cultivation and appeal. Roses can also be found in many different colors and varieties, and there is symbolism attached to every colour that roses can be found in- red, of course, symbolizes love, but did you know that pink roses carry a message of gratitude, while yellow represent joy?
Roses also represent a singular species which can manifest itself in a variety of styles, and therefore a rose gardener really needs only to focus on rose types to bring all the variety to the appearance of her lawn and garden that could be wished for. Roses can be planted in the miniature style, as bushes, and as climbers. As has been noted above, roses are also available in several different colors which will add to the overall diversity in appearance of your garden. Roses are also available in petals of many different sizes to further add diversity to your landscaping. Species roses grow hips that are colorful and last well into the winter, and can add a further sprinkle of uniqueness to your landscaping by attracting birds throughout the winter months.
Lastly, roses require as little or as much attention as the gardener wants to put in. Pruned bushes look ideal, but roses are also beautiful when allowed to grow freely. Roses also tend to be very hardy and resistant to diseases. The soil composition needs not have too many considerations, and the ground cover is totally up to the gardener.
Growing roses can be an addicting experience because of their history, their beauty, their variety, and their maintenance. Once a person dedicates their garden space to the cultivation of roses, the possibilities are limitless.
The first reason that roses can be such an addictive plant is the roots it has in our culture in the form of myth and symbolism. The same reason we are addicted to rose gardening is the same reason we are willing to pay a ridiculous amount for a single flower or bunch on Valentine's Day- nothing in our society communicates more than the rose. This cultural phenomenon has been a part of western heritage for longer than anyone can trace. The rose was considered a flower of romance in ancient China, where it was first developed, and was used throughout the Roman Empire. British history is full of roses in every context- the theater where Shakespeare's plays were put on was known as the rose, and some of the most distinguishing events in British history occurred during the long "War of the Roses". Roses were not actually introduced to Europe in the cultivated style until the late 1700s, when they arrived from China.
Perhaps some of the addiction we have in cultivating roses stems in part from the same areas that our ancient forebears found so appealing. Many roses have a very distinctive scent, and the shape of the rose is certainly unique enough in itself to warrant extensive cultivation and appeal. Roses can also be found in many different colors and varieties, and there is symbolism attached to every colour that roses can be found in- red, of course, symbolizes love, but did you know that pink roses carry a message of gratitude, while yellow represent joy?
Roses also represent a singular species which can manifest itself in a variety of styles, and therefore a rose gardener really needs only to focus on rose types to bring all the variety to the appearance of her lawn and garden that could be wished for. Roses can be planted in the miniature style, as bushes, and as climbers. As has been noted above, roses are also available in several different colors which will add to the overall diversity in appearance of your garden. Roses are also available in petals of many different sizes to further add diversity to your landscaping. Species roses grow hips that are colorful and last well into the winter, and can add a further sprinkle of uniqueness to your landscaping by attracting birds throughout the winter months.
Lastly, roses require as little or as much attention as the gardener wants to put in. Pruned bushes look ideal, but roses are also beautiful when allowed to grow freely. Roses also tend to be very hardy and resistant to diseases. The soil composition needs not have too many considerations, and the ground cover is totally up to the gardener.
Growing roses can be an addicting experience because of their history, their beauty, their variety, and their maintenance. Once a person dedicates their garden space to the cultivation of roses, the possibilities are limitless.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
How To Culture Rose Flower
Look here for interesting information on rose gardening. All you needed to know, and will need to know on rose gardening is found in the following article. Don�t hesitate to start reading. For All-Season Blooms Plant Floribunda Roses We have included some fresh and interesting information on rose gardening. In this way, you are updated on the developments of rose gardening. The name 'Floribunda' is of Latin origin and means "many flowered" or "abundance of flowers" and this variety of rose certainly lives up to its name. These roses have been described as some of the most colorful of the modern rose types. Typically, their flowers are arranged in low-growing large clusters. The Floribunda rose is the result of crossbreeding a Hybrid Tea and a Polyantha in the 1920's. The Floribunda is considered by many to be a better breed than the Hybrid Tea because of its capacity to produce many blooms over an extended period of time. Many people grow them for display rather than to use as cutting-flowers. They're a beautiful landscape plant that can produce an abundance of color season after season. Patience was exercised in this article on rose gardening. Without patience, it would not have been possible to write extensively on rose gardening. We take pride in saying that this article on rose gardening is like a jewel of our articles. This article has been accepted by the general public as a most informative article on rose gardening. Floribundas, much like their ancestors, come in a large assortment of colors and styles. The difference is, however, that these flowers are much more vigorous and hardy than Hybrid Tea roses. Generally, Floribunda plants can grow up to four feet tall. A notable plant of similar size that has become increasingly popular over the last few years is the Rob Roy. Its roses, which offer a sweet soft scent, bloom in a deep red color. The flowers will bloom continually from spring until late fall provided there aren't any severe frosts. They're extremely bold in mass planting. Prior to planting your roses, you should pick a garden location and get your soil prepared. Add a nice compost of manure or other organic matter to your soil. It's worth mentioning that active blooming roses flourish in a few inches of organic mulch. It's also suggested that you plant your flowers 18 - 24 inches apart from one another. You want to provide ample space for them to grow. We have not actually resorted to roundabout means of getting our message on rose gardening through to you. All the matter here is genuine and to the point. We can proudly say that there is no competition to the meaning of rose gardening, when comparing this article with other articles on rose gardening found on the net. Dig a hole that will be deep enough for roots to spread without any restriction; about 8 - 10 inches deep is fine. If you wish, you can add bone-meal to the soil, as it is high in phosphates. Now you're ready to plant. Remove your plant from its plastic container and gently place it into the ground. Backfill the hole with loose soil and then pack any loose soil firmly with your palm. Repeat this process for every plant. When you're finished, water your new plants thoroughly. For the first couple of weeks, you should water your new roses on a daily basis. After that, a weekly irrigation should be sufficient. Basic pruning should be done in late winter months. Most gardeners choose January or February, depending on their climate. Remove all debris and dead foliage from the plants and their flower bed surroundings. Snip any dead bark-like canes. Old flowers must be removed in order to promote new growth for the coming season. Quality is better than quantity. It is of no use writing numerous pages of nonsense for the reader. Instead, it is better to write a short, and informative article on specific subjects like rose gardening. People tend to enjoy it more. We worked as diligently as an owl in producing this composition on rose gardening. So only if you do read it, and appreciate its contents will we feel our efforts haven�t gone in vain. Although you should try to maintain some shape to your roses, be gentle with the cuts. It's been noted by many horticulturists that Floribundas under one year of age flourish with a cane length of 6 inches. If it's warm enough you'll want to fertilize the ground during this time. Add organic matter to your soil and watch your flowers bloom beautifully in the months to come. Once I learnt more and more about rose gardening, I fostered a desire of writing on rose gardening. Now that my desire has been fulfilled, I hope your desire for its information too has been fulfilled.
________________________________________
________________________________________
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Chinese Rose Flower
So you are tired of searching for information on rose gardening? Don�t fret because your search ends here with this article. 62) It would be difficult to think of life without rose gardening. They play an important part in some place or the other of our livesIt would be difficult to think of life without rose gardening. They play an important part in some place or the other of our lives Preparing for the end of season There is a lot of jargon connected with rose gardening. However, we have eliminated the difficult ones, and only used the ones understood by everyone. Ignorance is bliss, is it? Isn�t it better to learn more than not to know about something like rose gardening. So we have produced this article so that you can learn more about it! Go ahead and read this article on rose gardening. We would also appreciate it if you could give us an analysis on it for us to make any needed changes to it. The months of November and December can be an awkward time for many rosarians. While the growing season is coming to and end, the winter hibernation season has not yet begun. Some of us just don't know what to do with ourselves or our rose bushes during this period of time. Because your bushes are not yet in hibernation they still require some attention from you. Water continues to be a prime need, so make sure that the soil around their roots continues to remain moist. Give them a good soaking as need be, but, as always, don't over-water. Water is an important part of your roses' winter survival requirements and properly hydrated roots will help them stay protected when the cold weather arrives. Stop all pruning and deadheading activity so you do not encourage new growth. You should have stopped applying organics last month, and you don't want to apply any more fertilizer now either. Your goal is to keep your roses healthy while, at the same time, encouraging them to begin the process of going into dormancy. Continue spraying at least once each month to combat black spot. Spider mites are still active during late autumn so keep your eye out for them. Spritz your blooms and foliage with water whenever you see signs of infestation. Aphids are also active now, so have a bottle of soapy water ready to send them packing. Pick off any diseased leaves and rake away any fallen leaves from your rose beds. This not only improves the appearance of your garden, it also removes any disease residue which may be still on the leaves. This is also a good time to prepare your new rose holes and rose beds for next year's growing season. They will have time to "mellow" over the winter season and will be ready to accept new bushes in spring. Begin the process of piling mulch around your more delicate varieties such as "St. Patrick", "Color Magic", "Oklahoma" and "Signature". Your hardier varieties can wait until next month. See our "Winter Gardening" article for mulching tips. rose gardening play a prominent part in this composition. It is with this prominence that we hope people get to know more about rose gardening. You may say that we have included exquisite information here on rose gardening. This is with the intention of producing a unique article on rose gardening. You worked hard all season to keep your roses healthy and beautiful. If you did everything right, you were probably rewarded with waves and waves of beautiful blooms. Your hard work is almost over for the year, but don't neglect your roses during these important final months. 97) We have been very thorough in providing as much information on rose gardening as possible in this article. Please use it to make our efforts fruitful.We have been very thorough in providing as much information on rose gardening as possible in this article. Please use it to make our efforts fruitful.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Golden Rose Paradise Flower Collie Article
Some things you never knew about rose gardening. Without a base, an article cannot be written. This is why we have chosen rose gardening as the base for this beautiful article of ours. The title of this composition could be rightly be rose gardening. This is because what is mentioned here is mostly about rose gardening. The magnitude of information available on rose gardening can be found out by reading the following matter on rose gardening. We ourselves were surprised at the amount! We cannot be blamed if you find any other article resembling the matter we have written here about rose gardening. What we have done here is our copyright material! Even if you are a stranger in the world of rose gardening, once you are through with this article, you will no longer have to consider yourself to be a stranger in it! Give yourself a momentary pause while reading what there is to read here on rose gardening. Use this pause to reflect on what you have so far written on rose gardening. Pruning When discussing roses, the conversation will almost always turn to pruning. When and how often you prune is essential to the overall appearance and healthiness of your plant, but how you do it is the most important factor. Many novice rose gardeners often do not prune at all out of fear of damaging the bush, even though that is the very tactic that will ruin a lovely garden. The reasons for pruning are to improve the appearance of the bush, stimulate growth, and control the quality and quantity of blooms. You will not kill a bush by pruning and, in fact, if a bush is doing poorly, severe pruning will give it the best chance of recovery. The general rule of thumb is moderate pruning for healthy bushes and aggressive pruning for the unhealthy. Under pruning your roses will result in spindly bushes with poor bloom quality. The first thing to do is to purchase a pair of decent pruning shears available at any home and garden center. For very large bushes, you may also want to bring along a pair of large loping shears. Wear a long sleeve shirt to protect your arms and gloves to protect your hands. Make sure that all equipment is sharp and clean. All cuts should be made at a 45 degree angle about � of an inch above outward facing growth and should slant away from the growth. Begin by cutting out all dead canes right down to the ground. Secondly, remove all diseased and damaged canes back to healthy wood. The healthy wood is green when cut. Those two steps are the basic requirements for any rose maintenance and most be done at least once per year. Now that the shaping and disease control is finished, you can concentrate on bloom quality. First, remove any stems thinner than a pencil because they will produce poor, small blooms. Secondly, prune back the canes left according rose type. The general rule is to cut them by one third. In so doing, you are continually renewing the rose bush while at the same time keeping a supply of good flower producing wood. Take care to investigate the proper amount of pruning required for the type of bush that you have. For example, the timing and method for bloom quality pruning is different for Climbers than Hybrid Teas. Hybrid Teas, in and of themselves, are known to require the most aggressive pruning of all classes of rose. Most major pruning is done at the very end of winter/beginning of spring. A few varieties require early summer pruning instead, so check with your local cooperative extension if you are in doubt. If your roses are grafted, and many of the most interesting varieties are, you must take care to watch for sucker growth. Suckers are growth that emerges from the root of the bush and must be dealt with quickly since they divert resources from the bush. Simply dig down to the root by following the path of the sucker and snap it off at the point of emergence. If you only cut it off at ground level you will be encouraging the growth of more suckers than you originally had. The last type of pruning is dead-heading. Dead-heading refers to the practice of removing spent blooms before they develop seed. This will encourage longer blooming periods for your bush. Dead-heading should not be practiced after October 1st in most regions because the bush needs to harden off for the winter. Dead-heading is practiced in the summer, generally on a day to day simple form of pruning. Simply cut the rose at a point on the stem approximately � inch above a five or seven leaflet � a stem with five or seven leaves. The healthier the plant, the more vigorously you may dead-head. The writing of this article on rose gardening consumed much of our time. However, it�s worth as long as the article proves it�s worth in imparting knowledge on rose gardening.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Rose garden design ideas
When designing your rose garden it's very important to be somewhat familiar with the different types of roses. Although sometimes broken down into different categories, there are generally considered to be four different types of rose bushes.
* Species roses: Species roses are considered natural rose bushes and found growing in the wild throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. Species roses are an incredibly large group of plants with many various types. These types of roses are usually considered to be the most hardy and resistant to disease but there is wide range of variability and not all of them will be as hardy as others. Bloom colors for species rose bushes usually range between white to crimson and produce flowers with five petals. Species roses may not ideal in every circumstance but they are often used in rose gardens because they are easy to maintain.
* Old roses: Old roses are mostly made up five classes of bushes called Gallica, Alba, Centifolia, Mosses, and Damask. These are considered the most temperamental of those roses that are cultivated and were popular in Europe before the 18th century. Ideal for rose gardening in cold areas, old roses will grow in USDA hardiness zones three through five and produce very fragrant blooms. Old roses also include repeat bloom, hardy old roses that offer winter-hardiness, disease resistance, and beautiful blooms. They won't bloom as much, if at all, in the summer but, when combined with other types of roses, make an excellent addition to any rose garden. Portlands, Hybrid Perpetuals, and Bourbons are the different types of these.
* Modern roses: The modern age of rose gardening is considered to have occurred when Jean-Baptiste Guillot produced a new class of rose in 1867. The rose was called La France and it created a class of roses called hybrid tea. The most popular modern rose classes are miniatures, grandiflora, floribunda, and the original hybrid tea.
* Shrub roses: Shrub roses are a widely encompassing category that includes everything from hybrids developed in 1800s through the 1900s. The category name is somewhat of a misnomer as all roses are considered shrubs, but shrub roses are considered to be those roses that are noted for their winter survivability as well as their disease resistance and well-rounded shape. They flower very freely and produce and abundant supply of fragrant blooms throughout the summer. Although often seen in rose gardens, shrub roses are also often used in mixed setting such as hedges or borders.
Rose bushes produce a wide range of bloom colors and this should also be taken into consideration when designing your rose garden. Cool and warm colored flowers should be grouped together but that doesn't necessarily mean that roses of the same type need to stay together. Whatever the case, rose bushes need to be in an area where the eye will perceive them as fitting into the other surrounding features. Hedges, as do borders, provide an excellent way to incorporate roses into the design of your landscape and create symmetry as well.
Roses also work well when accented with other plants or foliage. Plants that produce tiny flowers will complement rose bushes well as will flowering that produces similarly colored blooms. Using the height of your rose bushes and surrounding flowers can also be used to create unity and draw the entire garden together at a central focal point. Container gardening will also work well for rose bushes but they will need large pots that should clearly be part of the overall landscape design.
* Species roses: Species roses are considered natural rose bushes and found growing in the wild throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. Species roses are an incredibly large group of plants with many various types. These types of roses are usually considered to be the most hardy and resistant to disease but there is wide range of variability and not all of them will be as hardy as others. Bloom colors for species rose bushes usually range between white to crimson and produce flowers with five petals. Species roses may not ideal in every circumstance but they are often used in rose gardens because they are easy to maintain.
* Old roses: Old roses are mostly made up five classes of bushes called Gallica, Alba, Centifolia, Mosses, and Damask. These are considered the most temperamental of those roses that are cultivated and were popular in Europe before the 18th century. Ideal for rose gardening in cold areas, old roses will grow in USDA hardiness zones three through five and produce very fragrant blooms. Old roses also include repeat bloom, hardy old roses that offer winter-hardiness, disease resistance, and beautiful blooms. They won't bloom as much, if at all, in the summer but, when combined with other types of roses, make an excellent addition to any rose garden. Portlands, Hybrid Perpetuals, and Bourbons are the different types of these.
* Modern roses: The modern age of rose gardening is considered to have occurred when Jean-Baptiste Guillot produced a new class of rose in 1867. The rose was called La France and it created a class of roses called hybrid tea. The most popular modern rose classes are miniatures, grandiflora, floribunda, and the original hybrid tea.
* Shrub roses: Shrub roses are a widely encompassing category that includes everything from hybrids developed in 1800s through the 1900s. The category name is somewhat of a misnomer as all roses are considered shrubs, but shrub roses are considered to be those roses that are noted for their winter survivability as well as their disease resistance and well-rounded shape. They flower very freely and produce and abundant supply of fragrant blooms throughout the summer. Although often seen in rose gardens, shrub roses are also often used in mixed setting such as hedges or borders.
Rose bushes produce a wide range of bloom colors and this should also be taken into consideration when designing your rose garden. Cool and warm colored flowers should be grouped together but that doesn't necessarily mean that roses of the same type need to stay together. Whatever the case, rose bushes need to be in an area where the eye will perceive them as fitting into the other surrounding features. Hedges, as do borders, provide an excellent way to incorporate roses into the design of your landscape and create symmetry as well.
Roses also work well when accented with other plants or foliage. Plants that produce tiny flowers will complement rose bushes well as will flowering that produces similarly colored blooms. Using the height of your rose bushes and surrounding flowers can also be used to create unity and draw the entire garden together at a central focal point. Container gardening will also work well for rose bushes but they will need large pots that should clearly be part of the overall landscape design.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Rose Gardening 101
What better way to enjoy the romance of the garden than by growing roses? Rose gardening has gotten a bad wrap in recent years. Growing roses doesn’t have to be a challenge. Chose the right roses for your growing conditions and you’re half way to having a spectacular rose garden. Learn the basics of caring for roses and your rose bushes will be the envy of the neighborhood.
Rose Growing Basics - What You Should Know About Growing Roses, Before You Try
Here, in a nutshell, are the 4 magic ingredients for making your roses happy and your rose garden a reality.
* Rose Growing Tips: Soil, Irrigation, Spacing and Sun
Choosing a Rose Bush
Thank goodness there are thousands of rose varieties; more every year. Rose gardeners have all sorts of hopes for their rose gardens. Whether you want a prize winning hybrid tea rose, old fashioned cabbage roses, sprawling ramblers and climbers or just a whiff of the way you remember roses smelling, there’s a rose for you.
Rose Growing Basics - What You Should Know About Growing Roses, Before You Try
Here, in a nutshell, are the 4 magic ingredients for making your roses happy and your rose garden a reality.
* Rose Growing Tips: Soil, Irrigation, Spacing and Sun
Choosing a Rose Bush
Thank goodness there are thousands of rose varieties; more every year. Rose gardeners have all sorts of hopes for their rose gardens. Whether you want a prize winning hybrid tea rose, old fashioned cabbage roses, sprawling ramblers and climbers or just a whiff of the way you remember roses smelling, there’s a rose for you.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
More About Butterly Gardening
hen creating a butterfly garden, the possibilities of what to include in your butterfly garden design are endless. Below are some suggestions to help get you started. They are designed to spark the creative process of your mind and get you started on your way to creating a lovely butterfly garden.
Before you even begin your butterfly garden, find out which species of butterflies are in your area. Consider taking an exploratory hike around your location with a butterfly identification book. This may take a little extra time and effort, but the results will be worth it. After you have compiled your list of local butterfly species, be sure to write down in your butterfly garden plan what these particular species of butterflies use for nectar and food plants.
Be sure that your garden is in a location that provides at least six hours of sunlight per day. Butterflies are cold-blooded creatures and therefore do better where they are warm and sheltered.
Wind can be a butterfly's worst enemy so be sure to have plenty of wind protection in your design. You can plant tall shrubs and other plants in order to create a wind break, but a location that avoids heavy winds is even better.
The best of all would be a butterfly garden placed on the sunny side of your home with windbreaks on both the west and east sides, or wherever the prevailing wonds come from in your area. Try and locate your garden close to a window so you can view the butterflies from indoors. Provide seating outside too.
If possible, you could excavate an area and build a stone wall around it. This would create the ideal windbreak for your butterflies. Mmake gravel pathways around your garden to save walking in mud.
There are many creative ways for constructing a butterfly garden. Take your time to design a garden that you will enjoy and be proud of.
Before you even begin your butterfly garden, find out which species of butterflies are in your area. Consider taking an exploratory hike around your location with a butterfly identification book. This may take a little extra time and effort, but the results will be worth it. After you have compiled your list of local butterfly species, be sure to write down in your butterfly garden plan what these particular species of butterflies use for nectar and food plants.
Be sure that your garden is in a location that provides at least six hours of sunlight per day. Butterflies are cold-blooded creatures and therefore do better where they are warm and sheltered.
Wind can be a butterfly's worst enemy so be sure to have plenty of wind protection in your design. You can plant tall shrubs and other plants in order to create a wind break, but a location that avoids heavy winds is even better.
The best of all would be a butterfly garden placed on the sunny side of your home with windbreaks on both the west and east sides, or wherever the prevailing wonds come from in your area. Try and locate your garden close to a window so you can view the butterflies from indoors. Provide seating outside too.
If possible, you could excavate an area and build a stone wall around it. This would create the ideal windbreak for your butterflies. Mmake gravel pathways around your garden to save walking in mud.
There are many creative ways for constructing a butterfly garden. Take your time to design a garden that you will enjoy and be proud of.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Gardening Magazines - Some of the Best
Various gardening magazines are available in the market. But would you like to know which stands out from the rest? Here are a selection of gardening magazines that anyone in love with his or her garden will appreciate.
COUNTRY GARDENS often showcases the more unusual gardens around the country. It introduces wonderful new ways to enjoy garden sights and scents. It helps the avid gardener to create an eye-pleasing, fragrance - filled country garden.
This magazine has very useful advice on setting up and caring for your garden. Every issue contains profiles of fascinating people and their gardens, inspiration for gardens and detailed garden plans. Best of all, it's a trusted source of information that's easy to understand. Every season carries a vast harvest of ideas to delight, motivate and guide any gardener.
How about a gardening magazine for those who want to become a better gardener? FINE GARDENING MAGAZINE from The Taunton Press brings you amazing design ideas, beneficial techniques, and the know-how to get the best results from your gardening endeavors.
In each issue you'll find eye-opening bits of advice from the experts, detailed information on all types of plants, effective techniques and time-saving tips, straightforward tool reviews from editors and readers and planting suggestions for specific regions.
But for more intensive information on how to maintain a garden packed with style and color, then you'll want to read GARDEN DESIGN. This gardening magazine brings out eye-popping photos, illustrations and useful recommendations on how to create a picture-perfect garden. It is written and designed for those who are passionate about their homes and gardens. Garden Design is more than just a dig-in-the-dirt gardening magazine; it's for people who enjoy bringing in more aesthetic value for their homes through their gardens.
Garden Design encourages you to create stylish outdoor living spaces and rare gardens through cultivating rare breeds of plants, with updates on the best tools and techniques. It contains magnificent photographs and articles that capture the imaginations of gardeners everywhere.
For passionate gardeners, HOLTICULTURE MAGAZINE is the ultimate guide to gardening. The authoritative voice of gardeners, Horticulture serves as an essential guide and trusted friend, and is a main resource for serious gardeners from every corner of the country.
These magazines aim to instruct, inform, and inspire serious home gardeners. There are gardening magazines for beginners and expert gardeners. Discover or develop your green thumb with their latest gardening techniques and garden design information.
For Australian readers, there is BURKE'S BACKYARD. Springing form a TV series of the same name, Burke's Backyard focuses on gardening décor as well as the all-important garden makeovers that have become so popular.
YOUR GARDEN is another beauty, claiming the prestige of being Australia's gardening magazine, it usually features two or three popular flowers and how best to grow them, with a wealth of tips and information on other plants, tools and products for the garden.
GARDENING AUSTRALIA springs from the ABC's feature of that name it features many wonderful articles by gardening experts and often holds a free catalogue from one of the larger nurseries.
COUNTRY GARDENS often showcases the more unusual gardens around the country. It introduces wonderful new ways to enjoy garden sights and scents. It helps the avid gardener to create an eye-pleasing, fragrance - filled country garden.
This magazine has very useful advice on setting up and caring for your garden. Every issue contains profiles of fascinating people and their gardens, inspiration for gardens and detailed garden plans. Best of all, it's a trusted source of information that's easy to understand. Every season carries a vast harvest of ideas to delight, motivate and guide any gardener.
How about a gardening magazine for those who want to become a better gardener? FINE GARDENING MAGAZINE from The Taunton Press brings you amazing design ideas, beneficial techniques, and the know-how to get the best results from your gardening endeavors.
In each issue you'll find eye-opening bits of advice from the experts, detailed information on all types of plants, effective techniques and time-saving tips, straightforward tool reviews from editors and readers and planting suggestions for specific regions.
But for more intensive information on how to maintain a garden packed with style and color, then you'll want to read GARDEN DESIGN. This gardening magazine brings out eye-popping photos, illustrations and useful recommendations on how to create a picture-perfect garden. It is written and designed for those who are passionate about their homes and gardens. Garden Design is more than just a dig-in-the-dirt gardening magazine; it's for people who enjoy bringing in more aesthetic value for their homes through their gardens.
Garden Design encourages you to create stylish outdoor living spaces and rare gardens through cultivating rare breeds of plants, with updates on the best tools and techniques. It contains magnificent photographs and articles that capture the imaginations of gardeners everywhere.
For passionate gardeners, HOLTICULTURE MAGAZINE is the ultimate guide to gardening. The authoritative voice of gardeners, Horticulture serves as an essential guide and trusted friend, and is a main resource for serious gardeners from every corner of the country.
These magazines aim to instruct, inform, and inspire serious home gardeners. There are gardening magazines for beginners and expert gardeners. Discover or develop your green thumb with their latest gardening techniques and garden design information.
For Australian readers, there is BURKE'S BACKYARD. Springing form a TV series of the same name, Burke's Backyard focuses on gardening décor as well as the all-important garden makeovers that have become so popular.
YOUR GARDEN is another beauty, claiming the prestige of being Australia's gardening magazine, it usually features two or three popular flowers and how best to grow them, with a wealth of tips and information on other plants, tools and products for the garden.
GARDENING AUSTRALIA springs from the ABC's feature of that name it features many wonderful articles by gardening experts and often holds a free catalogue from one of the larger nurseries.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Rocky Mountain Rose Favorites
There are few flowers that stir emotions like the rose. And there are few blooms that thrill our senses like it as well. Here in Colorado, my favorite season is spring – and that’s largely due to my rose garden. Of all the flowers in our garden, the blooms that always catch my eye and tug at my heart are those on my beautiful rosebushes.
Some of my favorites are what I call my garden “eye-catchers.” Their rich colors set against their beautiful, shiny, green foliage are truly a sight to behold. Now, as a rose lover for more than 40 years, I have to admit that my list of favorites is long and varying (after all, each variety is unique in its own way). But here’s a list of my top five eye-catchers, as well as a few extra-special delights. While I treasure each of these beauties in my own garden in the Rockies, many will do well in other parts of the country, too. So be sure to check with your local garden center or Extension office to see if these gorgeous bloomers are candidates for a special spot in your garden as well.
The Eye-Catchers
Tuscan Sun (floribunda)
Tuscan Sun
(floribunda)
Featuring orange- to peach-toned blooms, this very hardy rose grabs your attention with her bright rich flower color and form set against rich, medium-green foliage. And you’ll find she’s got a very light citrus fragrance. In my Colorado climate, I allow about a 2-foot-square space for this beauty.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Betty Boop™ (floribunda)
Betty Boop™
(floribunda)
This gorgeous girl features white blooms with a pretty red trim. Just one glance and you’ll be hooked! Not only that, Betty Boop is a very hardy beauty that loves to bloom for a long period. She grows to about 3 feet tall and wide in my neck of the woods. I don’t get a lot of fragrance from her, but Betty Boop makes me smile every time I see her!
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Fragrant Cloud (hybrid tea)
Fragrant Cloud
(hybrid tea)
This amazing rose has rich, almost neon-orange blooms and a deep fragrance. She’ll not only catch your eye, she’ll tease your sense of smell with her sweet scent. (In fact, it reminds me of the rose-scented powders my grandmother used to have, only stronger. Others describe it as having strong hints of tangerine and Mandarin oranges.) My Fragrant Cloud grows about 3-4 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Rio Samba (hybrid tea)
Rio Samba
(hybrid tea)
If you want golden yellow blooms with a kiss of red, this unique beauty is for you! Her blooms increasingly turn to a pretty shade of soft red to deep pink as they age, and the fragrance just floats on the air about her! The scent reminds me of a sweet perfume with a hint of citrus added in for good measure. Rio Samba is about the same size as Fragrant Cloud.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Rainbow Sunblaze® (miniature rose)
Rainbow Sunblaze®
(miniature rose)
There’s no way I could speak of eye-catching roses without mentioning this beauty! When the sunlight hits her bright-yellow blooms with rich red edging, this rose is absolutely radiant in the garden (kind of like a lighthouse beacon shining through the fog). Her plentiful, rich blooms absolutely demand your attention, and she’s hardy and healthy to boot! Rainbow Sunblaze has a very light, sweet, rosy fragrance and only needs about 18 inches of space to grow into a true treat for the eyes.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
The Extra-Special Delights
Arcanum (miniature rose)
Arcanum
(miniature rose)
This rosebush has stolen my heart over the years with her awesome displays of white blooms with red edges. She never ceases to amaze me with her beauty and hardiness. I simply can’t visit this plant in the garden without my camera in hand to capture an image. Her beauty overrides the fact there’s no detectable fragrance, and she only needs about 2 feet of sunny garden space to grow.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Gemini™ (hybrid tea)
Gemini™
(hybrid tea)
Another stunning beauty with red-edged white blooms, Gemini reminds me a lot of Arcanum – with the exception that she’s a larger bush (2 feet wide and 4 feet tall) with larger flowers. And like Arcanum, Gemini also has a very pleasing, soft, fruity fragrance to my nose – kind of like papaya. Both roses easily stir the passion of romance deep within the heart. But Gemini is special to me in another way: She brought home my first Queen of Show trophy from the rose shows I enter.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Winter Magic (miniature rose) Sweet Arlene (miniature rose)
Winter Magic & Sweet Arlene
(miniature roses)
Both of these beauties have soft lavender blooms with a fragrance that’ll surprise you! The scent is that of a strong, sweet perfume far better than what you’ll find at any cosmetic counters. Sweet Arlene is perhaps a bit more fragrant, but both are a beautiful change of color in rose gardens. In my garden, Winter Magic needs a spot a little over 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall because she loves to bush out and load up with blooms. Sweet Arlene is a bit more compact for me and only needs about 2 feet of garden space.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Stainless Steel (hybrid tea)
Stainless Steel
(hybrid tea)
This plant’s light mauve blooms resemble those of her miniature rose look-alikes, Winter Magic and Sweet Arlene, but Stainless Steel grows tall – as high as 4-5 feet – and loves to bloom. She, too, is a beautiful color to mix in with the larger roses of your garden, and her fragrance is a soft sweet kiss on the breeze – not heavy or faint, more of a medium teasing fragrance.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
I’d better stop here with my favorites or I’ll go on and on. The plain truth is that every rose in my rose garden is special to me in one way or another, just as each of my children and grandchildren are special to me in their own ways. Maybe one of my favorites will find a home in your garden, too, and stir some passionate feelings within your own gardening soul.
Facts
* Roses love the sunshine, so be sure to plant them in locations where they’ll get the most sun in your garden.
Tips
* Include kelp meal (sea weed), alfalfa meal and some Epsom salt in your feeding program for some strong, healthy roses, and be sure to water your rosebushes well after feeding.
* Water roses well before applying insecticides or fungicides. A well-hydrated rose is less likely to have any adverse reactions to such applications.
Buy
*
Some of my favorites are what I call my garden “eye-catchers.” Their rich colors set against their beautiful, shiny, green foliage are truly a sight to behold. Now, as a rose lover for more than 40 years, I have to admit that my list of favorites is long and varying (after all, each variety is unique in its own way). But here’s a list of my top five eye-catchers, as well as a few extra-special delights. While I treasure each of these beauties in my own garden in the Rockies, many will do well in other parts of the country, too. So be sure to check with your local garden center or Extension office to see if these gorgeous bloomers are candidates for a special spot in your garden as well.
The Eye-Catchers
Tuscan Sun (floribunda)
Tuscan Sun
(floribunda)
Featuring orange- to peach-toned blooms, this very hardy rose grabs your attention with her bright rich flower color and form set against rich, medium-green foliage. And you’ll find she’s got a very light citrus fragrance. In my Colorado climate, I allow about a 2-foot-square space for this beauty.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Betty Boop™ (floribunda)
Betty Boop™
(floribunda)
This gorgeous girl features white blooms with a pretty red trim. Just one glance and you’ll be hooked! Not only that, Betty Boop is a very hardy beauty that loves to bloom for a long period. She grows to about 3 feet tall and wide in my neck of the woods. I don’t get a lot of fragrance from her, but Betty Boop makes me smile every time I see her!
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Fragrant Cloud (hybrid tea)
Fragrant Cloud
(hybrid tea)
This amazing rose has rich, almost neon-orange blooms and a deep fragrance. She’ll not only catch your eye, she’ll tease your sense of smell with her sweet scent. (In fact, it reminds me of the rose-scented powders my grandmother used to have, only stronger. Others describe it as having strong hints of tangerine and Mandarin oranges.) My Fragrant Cloud grows about 3-4 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Rio Samba (hybrid tea)
Rio Samba
(hybrid tea)
If you want golden yellow blooms with a kiss of red, this unique beauty is for you! Her blooms increasingly turn to a pretty shade of soft red to deep pink as they age, and the fragrance just floats on the air about her! The scent reminds me of a sweet perfume with a hint of citrus added in for good measure. Rio Samba is about the same size as Fragrant Cloud.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Rainbow Sunblaze® (miniature rose)
Rainbow Sunblaze®
(miniature rose)
There’s no way I could speak of eye-catching roses without mentioning this beauty! When the sunlight hits her bright-yellow blooms with rich red edging, this rose is absolutely radiant in the garden (kind of like a lighthouse beacon shining through the fog). Her plentiful, rich blooms absolutely demand your attention, and she’s hardy and healthy to boot! Rainbow Sunblaze has a very light, sweet, rosy fragrance and only needs about 18 inches of space to grow into a true treat for the eyes.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
The Extra-Special Delights
Arcanum (miniature rose)
Arcanum
(miniature rose)
This rosebush has stolen my heart over the years with her awesome displays of white blooms with red edges. She never ceases to amaze me with her beauty and hardiness. I simply can’t visit this plant in the garden without my camera in hand to capture an image. Her beauty overrides the fact there’s no detectable fragrance, and she only needs about 2 feet of sunny garden space to grow.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Gemini™ (hybrid tea)
Gemini™
(hybrid tea)
Another stunning beauty with red-edged white blooms, Gemini reminds me a lot of Arcanum – with the exception that she’s a larger bush (2 feet wide and 4 feet tall) with larger flowers. And like Arcanum, Gemini also has a very pleasing, soft, fruity fragrance to my nose – kind of like papaya. Both roses easily stir the passion of romance deep within the heart. But Gemini is special to me in another way: She brought home my first Queen of Show trophy from the rose shows I enter.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Winter Magic (miniature rose) Sweet Arlene (miniature rose)
Winter Magic & Sweet Arlene
(miniature roses)
Both of these beauties have soft lavender blooms with a fragrance that’ll surprise you! The scent is that of a strong, sweet perfume far better than what you’ll find at any cosmetic counters. Sweet Arlene is perhaps a bit more fragrant, but both are a beautiful change of color in rose gardens. In my garden, Winter Magic needs a spot a little over 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall because she loves to bush out and load up with blooms. Sweet Arlene is a bit more compact for me and only needs about 2 feet of garden space.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
Stainless Steel (hybrid tea)
Stainless Steel
(hybrid tea)
This plant’s light mauve blooms resemble those of her miniature rose look-alikes, Winter Magic and Sweet Arlene, but Stainless Steel grows tall – as high as 4-5 feet – and loves to bloom. She, too, is a beautiful color to mix in with the larger roses of your garden, and her fragrance is a soft sweet kiss on the breeze – not heavy or faint, more of a medium teasing fragrance.
Photo Credit: Stan V. Griep
I’d better stop here with my favorites or I’ll go on and on. The plain truth is that every rose in my rose garden is special to me in one way or another, just as each of my children and grandchildren are special to me in their own ways. Maybe one of my favorites will find a home in your garden, too, and stir some passionate feelings within your own gardening soul.
Facts
* Roses love the sunshine, so be sure to plant them in locations where they’ll get the most sun in your garden.
Tips
* Include kelp meal (sea weed), alfalfa meal and some Epsom salt in your feeding program for some strong, healthy roses, and be sure to water your rosebushes well after feeding.
* Water roses well before applying insecticides or fungicides. A well-hydrated rose is less likely to have any adverse reactions to such applications.
Buy
*
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
How to Grow Jasmine Flowers
Overview
Jasmine is a lovely, evergreen plant that grows mostly in tropical regions and it is found natively throughout Asia. With its fragrant little flowers of either white or yellow and its dark green foliage, it is a wonderful addition to any garden. Jasmine can take a lot of abuse, grows well in hardiness zones 7 through 9 and can handle droughts well. Jasmine comes in many different varieties as well, ranging from vines to shrubs and even small trees.
Step 1
Choose a variety of jasmine to plant. Star jasmine does well in desert environments and smells great. Make sure to choose a variety of jasmine that will do well in your area.
Step 2
Choose a spot to plant your jasmine. Jasmine prefers full sun, but it can handle partial shade, especially in hot, desert climates. Allow your jasmine plant plenty of room in which to spread out and grow.
Step 3
Dig a hole for your jasmine. Make sure the hole is about six inches wide and six inches deep. Place the jasmine in the hole and cover it with soil. If you have infertile soil, mix a layer of top soil and manure into your soil before planting the jasmine.
Step 4
Water your jasmine every other day for about four or five minutes each watering. Jasmine plants need the soil around them to be damp at all times, without drowning their roots.
Step 5
Prune your jasmine plant in the spring if the vines or branches are damaged, dead or over reaching. Otherwise, there is no need to prune.
Read more: How to Grow Jasmine Flowers | Garden Guides http://www.gardenguides.com/68725-grow-jasmine-flowers.html#ixzz1M0seNNez
Jasmine is a lovely, evergreen plant that grows mostly in tropical regions and it is found natively throughout Asia. With its fragrant little flowers of either white or yellow and its dark green foliage, it is a wonderful addition to any garden. Jasmine can take a lot of abuse, grows well in hardiness zones 7 through 9 and can handle droughts well. Jasmine comes in many different varieties as well, ranging from vines to shrubs and even small trees.
Step 1
Choose a variety of jasmine to plant. Star jasmine does well in desert environments and smells great. Make sure to choose a variety of jasmine that will do well in your area.
Step 2
Choose a spot to plant your jasmine. Jasmine prefers full sun, but it can handle partial shade, especially in hot, desert climates. Allow your jasmine plant plenty of room in which to spread out and grow.
Step 3
Dig a hole for your jasmine. Make sure the hole is about six inches wide and six inches deep. Place the jasmine in the hole and cover it with soil. If you have infertile soil, mix a layer of top soil and manure into your soil before planting the jasmine.
Step 4
Water your jasmine every other day for about four or five minutes each watering. Jasmine plants need the soil around them to be damp at all times, without drowning their roots.
Step 5
Prune your jasmine plant in the spring if the vines or branches are damaged, dead or over reaching. Otherwise, there is no need to prune.
Read more: How to Grow Jasmine Flowers | Garden Guides http://www.gardenguides.com/68725-grow-jasmine-flowers.html#ixzz1M0seNNez
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Rose Gardening Made Easy by Terry Smith
*
Overview
Considered by many to be the most beautiful and fragrant flower, the rose has been popular since before the Roman Empire, and rose breeders have worked for centuries to improve the flower production of the native rose. Since early in the 19th century, they have succeeded in doing that with the modern hybrid tea variety and its offshoots, but they have also turned rose gardening into a meticulous flower factory that requires lots of care to grow the flowers well year in and year out.
*
Planting Your Rose
With proper care, your hybrid tea roses and their floribunda and grandiflora descendents can flourish for many years. You will need to pamper them somewhat, however, starting with planting them in an accessible and sunny location. You will want to locate a plant that needs as much attention as a rose in a place that you can easily access to water, fertilize, prune and spray it. When you plant them, be sure to dig the hole a few inches deeper and wider than the root-ball or roots, if the rose is a bare root variety, and mix the native soil with about an equal amount of peat moss to ensure the roots always have plenty of water available.
Grow Roses from Seed www.sheffields.com
Two Pages of Species Roses! PayPal and Ultra Fast Shipping
Ads by Google
*
Pruning and General Cleanup
Begin your roses' blooming season by cutting them back in the early spring when danger of hard frosts is mostly gone. Remove any dead canes altogether, but also prune the live ones down to about 6 to 8 inches high, making a 45 degree cut with a sharp pair of pruners about 1/4 inch above the lowest-growing outward facing bud. This will ensure that the rose has healthy canes growing outward from the plant, enabling air to circulate among the leaves to dry them out when they get wet. Remove any dead leaves or other debris left after the winter at the base of the rose bush to prevent it from promoting fungal growth. Fertilize the plant and mulch the plant's base to prevent water from evaporating too quickly in hot weather.
*
Watering and Fertilizing
Continue fertilizing your rose about once a month until the end of summer, or until about two to three months before the first hard frost, to avoid promoting too much new growth that can be harmed by freezing temperatures. Refrain from pruning later than late summer for the same reason. Use a good systemic rose fertilizer that will enable the rose to fight disease and pests as well has promoting growth and blooming. Deep water the rose with the equivalent of about 1 inch of rain once a week, if the rain does not do it for you. Spray the plant after every rainfall with a good rose spray that will prevent fungus from spreading onto the leaves and making them fall off. If you found a good sunny location for your rose, that will help keep the leaves dry as well. If you perform these few simple tasks regularly, you should be able to enjoy your roses for years to come.
Read more: Rose Gardening Made Easy http://www.soyouwanna.com/rose-gardening-made-easy-36176.html#ixzz1LkX20Bca
Overview
Considered by many to be the most beautiful and fragrant flower, the rose has been popular since before the Roman Empire, and rose breeders have worked for centuries to improve the flower production of the native rose. Since early in the 19th century, they have succeeded in doing that with the modern hybrid tea variety and its offshoots, but they have also turned rose gardening into a meticulous flower factory that requires lots of care to grow the flowers well year in and year out.
*
Planting Your Rose
With proper care, your hybrid tea roses and their floribunda and grandiflora descendents can flourish for many years. You will need to pamper them somewhat, however, starting with planting them in an accessible and sunny location. You will want to locate a plant that needs as much attention as a rose in a place that you can easily access to water, fertilize, prune and spray it. When you plant them, be sure to dig the hole a few inches deeper and wider than the root-ball or roots, if the rose is a bare root variety, and mix the native soil with about an equal amount of peat moss to ensure the roots always have plenty of water available.
Grow Roses from Seed www.sheffields.com
Two Pages of Species Roses! PayPal and Ultra Fast Shipping
Ads by Google
*
Pruning and General Cleanup
Begin your roses' blooming season by cutting them back in the early spring when danger of hard frosts is mostly gone. Remove any dead canes altogether, but also prune the live ones down to about 6 to 8 inches high, making a 45 degree cut with a sharp pair of pruners about 1/4 inch above the lowest-growing outward facing bud. This will ensure that the rose has healthy canes growing outward from the plant, enabling air to circulate among the leaves to dry them out when they get wet. Remove any dead leaves or other debris left after the winter at the base of the rose bush to prevent it from promoting fungal growth. Fertilize the plant and mulch the plant's base to prevent water from evaporating too quickly in hot weather.
*
Watering and Fertilizing
Continue fertilizing your rose about once a month until the end of summer, or until about two to three months before the first hard frost, to avoid promoting too much new growth that can be harmed by freezing temperatures. Refrain from pruning later than late summer for the same reason. Use a good systemic rose fertilizer that will enable the rose to fight disease and pests as well has promoting growth and blooming. Deep water the rose with the equivalent of about 1 inch of rain once a week, if the rain does not do it for you. Spray the plant after every rainfall with a good rose spray that will prevent fungus from spreading onto the leaves and making them fall off. If you found a good sunny location for your rose, that will help keep the leaves dry as well. If you perform these few simple tasks regularly, you should be able to enjoy your roses for years to come.
Read more: Rose Gardening Made Easy http://www.soyouwanna.com/rose-gardening-made-easy-36176.html#ixzz1LkX20Bca
Friday, May 6, 2011
Rose Gardening Tools
There are a wide array of gardening tools available today. Most are of good quality and relatively inexpensive.
There are only a few must haves for the home gardener and that will be our focus here.
Pruning Shears
A good pruner is one gardening tool that you will use almost daily.
There are two types of pruners on the market: one is called an "anvil" pruner, and the other is called a "bypass" pruner.
An anvil pruner has blades that meet on top of each other. Bypass pruners have blades that pass each other like scissors do.
Always use bypass pruners so you don't crush your canes and stems.
When choosing pruning shears look for a pair with well padded comfortable grips, and that also fit your hand well.
This is one gardening tool where good quality and comfort is important.
Lopping Shears
When your rose garden starts to mature there will come times when this will be an indispensable tool for cutting back old, thick canes that are too much for a set of pruning shears.
If you are just starting your rose garden, save the expense as you probably won't need this for a season or two.
Long-Handled Shovel
Choose a lightweight model with a strong handle.
Shovels with fiberglass handles are the best choice as they tend to be lightweight and weather resistant.
They also have the added benefit of having a bit more flex to them and so make digging or moving soil easier on the back.
Wheelbarrow
Avoid the temptation to buy the cute garden "carts." You are at some point likely to need a real wheelbarrow.
As your gardening addiction, I mean hobby, takes off there will be no end to the things you will be hauling in and out of your garden.
Some of those things (bags of soil, mulch or large plants) will be very heavy and you'll be glad that you have a real wheelbarrow to help you.
Gloves
Quote: "You can complain because a rose has thorns...
or you can rejoice because thorns have a rose." - Tom Wilson
A rose garden is no place for thin, light weight gloves.
Unless you don't mind the occasional thorn scratch...
opt for leather work gloves with those big, fold-down cuffs. Your hands will thank you for it.
Kneeling Pads
Some people prefer the big 8"x15" water-resistant pads with handles, while others prefer strap-on knee pads.
The kneepads are more convenient because they move when you move, but the one-size-fits-all knee cups may not work for you. In that case, the pad will suit you fine.
Short Garden Spading Fork
This home gardening tool is indispensable for turning and loosening soil throughout your garden.
Choose a good quality model with steel forks and a sturdy handle.
Watering Wand
Great for watering potted roses or hanging plants and for giving your rose and flower beds a good root soaking.
Choose a model with a quick shutoff valve on the wand itself, and a quick release fitting for the end that plugs into the hose.
Spend the money to get a model with brass fittings instead of plastic, it will last years longer.
Also, there are watering wands available with adjustable heads which offer different spray patterns to suit your various needs.
Garden Rake
These are the rakes with the sharp steel teeth that you use for leveling and grading planting beds. Choose one with a sturdy handle and short steel tines.
Leaf Rake
A simple tool we're all familiar with, a leaf rake will help for cleaning up clippings, leaves and other garden debris.
You may want to buy both a "regular" size rake, and one of the smaller "child size" rakes for pulling debris from tight quarters or from behind your roses.
Pressure Sprayer
An indispensable part of any gardening tool kit.
A pressure sprayer allows the home gardener to apply fertilizers, fungicides, or pesticides only where they're needed.
Self-contained and pressurized with a small pump-handle, home garden sprayers are available in 1 to 5 gallon sizes.
This compact and portable tool allows for easy mixing and application of any liquid gardening product.
You shouldn't have any trouble locating a source to purchase these basic gardening tools.
Your local garden supply store will stock all these tools, and more.
Or if you don't mind purchasing gently-used items, check out area yard sales for your gardening supplies.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Best roses for the garden
"That which we call a rose," famously insists Shakespeare's Juliet, "by any other name would smell as sweet." But which name, precisely, did she have in mind?
The species? (There are well over 100.) The cultivar? (These run to about 13,000 - 26 pages of them in the RHS Plant Finder alone.) Or the dozens of further labels that denote their ancestry, flower shape and habit of growth? Even for minds not addled by passion, the names of the rose can be a minefield.
Most rosarians begin by sorting them roughly into three groups.
Species roses
First are the species roses, which remain, more or less, as nature intended. For what could improve on the bee-friendly blood-red single blooms of Rosa moyesii or the subtle purple-grey foliage of indestructible Rosa glauca, both with the bonus of glossy red hips?
What will cover a wall with more grace that the yellow form of the Banksian rose, Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'? Although your wall will need to be a big one. These are easy, vigorous, trouble-free roses that are happy in informal garden settings.
Old roses
Then come the old roses, unhelpfully defined as any that belong to a class that existed before modern roses were introduced (that is, before the 1860s).
So some are incredibly ancient, known to have graced the gardens of classical Greece, Rome, Persia or China, while a great many more made their appearance in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
What they have in common is that they make large, graceful shrubs, and usually put on a spectacular, but once-only, display of bloom in summer. The flowers come in many forms, and are usually in the white to pink to crimson spectrum, and richly fragrant. Among the many different families of old roses, these are perhaps the most distinctive:
Gallica roses These are the oldest of garden roses, grown for centuries for their medicinal qualities. The Apothecary's Rose, R. gallica var. officinalis, is the original red rose of Lancaster.
They make compact bushes about 3ft tall, with oval, bristly, dark green leaves, and highly scented flowers held singly or in threes on slender, not-too-thorny stems.
Colours are rich and clear, from deep purple through to pink, but most striking of all is perhaps the tapioca-and-jam striped Rosa Mundi (R. gallica 'Versicolor'). Gallicas are a good choice for poor soils and inattentive gardeners.
Damask roses The most strongly scented roses, damasks have been grown in the Middle East since antiquity and used to make attar of roses. In ancient Greece, they were associated with the cult of Aphrodite.
Taller than gallicas (5ft), they are equally robust, but looser in growth and more thorny, with attractive pointy leaves that cluster around the blooms. There are many delicious pinks, but pure white, lemon-scented 'Madame Hardy' takes some beating.
Alba roses The Alba family retains all the delicate charm of its parent, the wild hedgerow dog-rose, along with its native toughness, being disease-resistant and easy to grow, even in partial shade.
The scented, papery blooms are usually white, blush or pale pink. Tall (5ft), upright, very leafy plants, often with greyish foliage, make ideal hosts for a small, scrambling clematis once the Alba's early blooms have faded. Double blush-pink 'Great Maiden's Blush' (also known as Cuisse de Nymphe Emue) is the best-known variety.
Moss roses These are characterised by a curious growth on the stems and buds, which varies from a sticky down to tiny prickles resembling an immature conker case.
A big hit with the Victorians, only a few have stood the test of time, principally 'William Lobb', also known as old velvet moss. This large, (6½ft-plus), lanky, dull-leaved shrub is redeemed by fragrant purple-magenta flowers that fade tastefully to lavender, then dove-grey.
For centuries, Europeans were content with white, pink or red roses that flowered only once - with one exception, the repeat flowering autumn damask.
Then, towards the end of the 18th century, the first roses began to appear from China, bringing with them the promise of new colours (pure reds and yellows); shiny foliage; and, above all, a mutation that permitted them to flower repeatedly.
These were used to breed repeat-flowering old roses - first the Portlands, then the Bourbons and noisettes, and finally the hybrid perpetuals, paving the way for today's modern roses.
Modern roses
The modern rose varieties are those that have been intensively bred from the early 20th century, and repeat-flower in summer in a wide range of colours, although their fragrance has often been sacrificed in pursuit of bigger blooms and brighter colours.
Hybrid teas The hybrid tea is what most people think of as the typical rose - a tight, high-centred, many-petalled flower, borne singly at the end of a stem. Blooms can be as big as 4¾in across, and almost any colour except blue.
The long, furled buds of hybrid teas make the world's most popular cut flowers, but they can be awkward to place in the garden, as they make gawky, ungainly shrubs.
Hybrid teas bred as climbers are justly popular, while some of the newer varieties, such as shell-pink Chandos Beauty or sumptuous red Velvet Fragrance offer the scent and disease resistance that older hybrid teas lack.
Floribundas These are the roses to choose for a mass of colour through summer. The blooms are produced in little bunches on the end of each stem, and as they open a few at a time, each head remains in flower for weeks.
Few have any scent. Popular varieties include Iceberg (white), Golden Wedding (yellow) and strong-growing Margaret Merrill (blush), or look out for cherry-red semi-double John Innes, introduced at Chelsea.
The English roses During the Forties nurseryman David Austin began his quest for the ideal rose that would combine the beautiful flower forms and fragrance of the old roses, with the wider colour range and repeat flowering capacity of the new.
His English roses, improved decade by decade, now also offer good disease-resistance, and many do well in conditions of heat and drought.
There are four distinct groups of English roses, all attractively formed shrubs that combine easily with other shrubs or perennials. The English old rose hybrids reproduce the fragrance and charm of their gallica and damask parents through successive flowerings.
One of the earliest of these, spicy-scented Gertrude Jekyll, was recently voted Britain's favourite rose, although I would plump for swoony crimson Falstaff or rugged, deer-proof Wild Edric.
The Leander group offers a more "modern" range of colours, including yellows, ambers and flames, and makes larger, glossier shrubs. Smaller and daintier are the English musk hybrids, with silky flowers in soft, pastel shades - perfect for formal plantings.
Finally, there are the Alba rose hybrids, with all the beautiful lightness and grace of wild roses. Many English roses, such as 'Teasing Georgia' (yellow) and A Shropshire Lad (a thornless peach) double as sturdy short climbers, ideal for today's smaller gardens.
Climbers, ramblers, scramblers
Nothing sets off a house like a rose in full bloom trained against the walls, or draping the porch. Climbers or ramblers? It all depends on space.
Most climbers are repeat-flowering and make a permanent framework of stiff stems that lend themselves to walls, pillars and pergolas. While roses enjoy sunshine, some will do on a shady north wall - try elegant pale yellow 'Maigold', or dependable Penny Lane.)
Ramblers grow bigger, producing long flexible shoots from the base that are easy to train along ropes or over arbours, with large clusters of smaller flowers in early summer. Reserve the most rampant of these, such as 'Rambling Rector', to scramble up a tree or engulf an unlovely garage or shed - these are not roses for small spaces.
Roses for containers
Patio roses come in every colour, rarely exceede 2ft high, and flower all summer. The smaller ground cover roses also take well to containers - some of the best are named after counties, such as free-flowering Surrey and Kent.
Miniature roses, grown as house-plants, will also do well outside. Buy a collection of four roses: R. moyesii, R. glauca, R. gallica var. officinalis and R. gallica 'Versicolor' for £17.99 or a collection of three rambling roses R. Mermaid, R. 'Rambling Rector' and R. bansksiae
'Lutea' for £15.99. Supplied as bare roots. Despatched from November 2010. Subject to availability. Call 0844 573 6015 for credit/debit card orders quoting ref. TET10. Delivery to all UK addresses only.
Where to see roses
Henry Robinson grows a National Collection of rambler roses in his garden, Moor Wood, in Gloucestershire. He considers them easy to grow - other than a hefty dose of manure each spring they get very little attention.
They are pruned only if they vastly outgrow their space, never deadheaded, and never, ever sprayed. £ Moor Wood, Woodmancote, Glos GL7 7EB, opens for the NGS on June 27, 2pm to 6pm (01285 831 397).
How to prune roses
A trial conducted by Which? Gardening and the Royal National Rose Society a decade ago revealed that attacking your roses with a hedge trimmer produced no worse a result than careful pruning with secateurs
What will cover a wall with more grace that the yellow form of the Banksian rose, Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'? Although your wall will need to be a big one. These are easy, vigorous, trouble-free roses that are happy in informal garden settings.
Old roses
Then come the old roses, unhelpfully defined as any that belong to a class that existed before modern roses were introduced (that is, before the 1860s).
So some are incredibly ancient, known to have graced the gardens of classical Greece, Rome, Persia or China, while a great many more made their appearance in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
What they have in common is that they make large, graceful shrubs, and usually put on a spectacular, but once-only, display of bloom in summer. The flowers come in many forms, and are usually in the white to pink to crimson spectrum, and richly fragrant. Among the many different families of old roses, these are perhaps the most distinctive:
Gallica roses These are the oldest of garden roses, grown for centuries for their medicinal qualities. The Apothecary's Rose, R. gallica var. officinalis, is the original red rose of Lancaster.
They make compact bushes about 3ft tall, with oval, bristly, dark green leaves, and highly scented flowers held singly or in threes on slender, not-too-thorny stems.
Colours are rich and clear, from deep purple through to pink, but most striking of all is perhaps the tapioca-and-jam striped Rosa Mundi (R. gallica 'Versicolor'). Gallicas are a good choice for poor soils and inattentive gardeners.
Damask roses The most strongly scented roses, damasks have been grown in the Middle East since antiquity and used to make attar of roses. In ancient Greece, they were associated with the cult of Aphrodite.
Taller than gallicas (5ft), they are equally robust, but looser in growth and more thorny, with attractive pointy leaves that cluster around the blooms. There are many delicious pinks, but pure white, lemon-scented 'Madame Hardy' takes some beating.
Alba roses The Alba family retains all the delicate charm of its parent, the wild hedgerow dog-rose, along with its native toughness, being disease-resistant and easy to grow, even in partial shade.
The scented, papery blooms are usually white, blush or pale pink. Tall (5ft), upright, very leafy plants, often with greyish foliage, make ideal hosts for a small, scrambling clematis once the Alba's early blooms have faded. Double blush-pink 'Great Maiden's Blush' (also known as Cuisse de Nymphe Emue) is the best-known variety.
Moss roses These are characterised by a curious growth on the stems and buds, which varies from a sticky down to tiny prickles resembling an immature conker case.
A big hit with the Victorians, only a few have stood the test of time, principally 'William Lobb', also known as old velvet moss. This large, (6½ft-plus), lanky, dull-leaved shrub is redeemed by fragrant purple-magenta flowers that fade tastefully to lavender, then dove-grey.
For centuries, Europeans were content with white, pink or red roses that flowered only once - with one exception, the repeat flowering autumn damask.
Then, towards the end of the 18th century, the first roses began to appear from China, bringing with them the promise of new colours (pure reds and yellows); shiny foliage; and, above all, a mutation that permitted them to flower repeatedly.
These were used to breed repeat-flowering old roses - first the Portlands, then the Bourbons and noisettes, and finally the hybrid perpetuals, paving the way for today's modern roses.
Modern roses
The modern rose varieties are those that have been intensively bred from the early 20th century, and repeat-flower in summer in a wide range of colours, although their fragrance has often been sacrificed in pursuit of bigger blooms and brighter colours.
Hybrid teas The hybrid tea is what most people think of as the typical rose - a tight, high-centred, many-petalled flower, borne singly at the end of a stem. Blooms can be as big as 4¾in across, and almost any colour except blue.
The long, furled buds of hybrid teas make the world's most popular cut flowers, but they can be awkward to place in the garden, as they make gawky, ungainly shrubs.
Hybrid teas bred as climbers are justly popular, while some of the newer varieties, such as shell-pink Chandos Beauty or sumptuous red Velvet Fragrance offer the scent and disease resistance that older hybrid teas lack.
Floribundas These are the roses to choose for a mass of colour through summer. The blooms are produced in little bunches on the end of each stem, and as they open a few at a time, each head remains in flower for weeks.
Few have any scent. Popular varieties include Iceberg (white), Golden Wedding (yellow) and strong-growing Margaret Merrill (blush), or look out for cherry-red semi-double John Innes, introduced at Chelsea.
The English roses During the Forties nurseryman David Austin began his quest for the ideal rose that would combine the beautiful flower forms and fragrance of the old roses, with the wider colour range and repeat flowering capacity of the new.
His English roses, improved decade by decade, now also offer good disease-resistance, and many do well in conditions of heat and drought.
There are four distinct groups of English roses, all attractively formed shrubs that combine easily with other shrubs or perennials. The English old rose hybrids reproduce the fragrance and charm of their gallica and damask parents through successive flowerings.
One of the earliest of these, spicy-scented Gertrude Jekyll, was recently voted Britain's favourite rose, although I would plump for swoony crimson Falstaff or rugged, deer-proof Wild Edric.
The Leander group offers a more "modern" range of colours, including yellows, ambers and flames, and makes larger, glossier shrubs. Smaller and daintier are the English musk hybrids, with silky flowers in soft, pastel shades - perfect for formal plantings.
Finally, there are the Alba rose hybrids, with all the beautiful lightness and grace of wild roses. Many English roses, such as 'Teasing Georgia' (yellow) and A Shropshire Lad (a thornless peach) double as sturdy short climbers, ideal for today's smaller gardens.
Climbers, ramblers, scramblers
Nothing sets off a house like a rose in full bloom trained against the walls, or draping the porch. Climbers or ramblers? It all depends on space.
Most climbers are repeat-flowering and make a permanent framework of stiff stems that lend themselves to walls, pillars and pergolas. While roses enjoy sunshine, some will do on a shady north wall - try elegant pale yellow 'Maigold', or dependable Penny Lane.)
Ramblers grow bigger, producing long flexible shoots from the base that are easy to train along ropes or over arbours, with large clusters of smaller flowers in early summer. Reserve the most rampant of these, such as 'Rambling Rector', to scramble up a tree or engulf an unlovely garage or shed - these are not roses for small spaces.
Roses for containers
Patio roses come in every colour, rarely exceede 2ft high, and flower all summer. The smaller ground cover roses also take well to containers - some of the best are named after counties, such as free-flowering Surrey and Kent.
Miniature roses, grown as house-plants, will also do well outside. Buy a collection of four roses: R. moyesii, R. glauca, R. gallica var. officinalis and R. gallica 'Versicolor' for £17.99 or a collection of three rambling roses R. Mermaid, R. 'Rambling Rector' and R. bansksiae
'Lutea' for £15.99. Supplied as bare roots. Despatched from November 2010. Subject to availability. Call 0844 573 6015 for credit/debit card orders quoting ref. TET10. Delivery to all UK addresses only.
Where to see roses
Henry Robinson grows a National Collection of rambler roses in his garden, Moor Wood, in Gloucestershire. He considers them easy to grow - other than a hefty dose of manure each spring they get very little attention.
They are pruned only if they vastly outgrow their space, never deadheaded, and never, ever sprayed. £ Moor Wood, Woodmancote, Glos GL7 7EB, opens for the NGS on June 27, 2pm to 6pm (01285 831 397).
How to prune roses
A trial conducted by Which? Gardening and the Royal National Rose Society a decade ago revealed that attacking your roses with a hedge trimmer produced no worse a result than careful pruning with secateurs
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)