Lets Talk ROSES!

[vfem]

Ok people... convince me to get roses! I am not a fan of all the work that has to go into them, but for a couple I will. I do not need a yard full.

i want one climber for sure for my arbor.... and maybe a good size bush, or some low lying varieties to fill in my bed by the pond. (The ducks have killed everything I planted there.... bummer.)

I saw a deal on Gurney's today and I'm thinking about it. The idea of a purple variety roses really makes me smile :rose

http://gurneys.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_75715

So what does everyone think?

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi vfem,

I don't reckon on blue or mauve roses as they seem to have very weak constitutions and are prone to die off very young. They also don't take kindly to strong sunshine & tend to get frizzled on the edges of the petals.

For a great climber that won't wreck your arbour I would plant Guinee, It is a large dark, velvet red with shiny green leaves & has the most wonderful perfume -- Mmmm -- it's a stunner. If your arbor is large I would plant two of them. I have one by my front door & everyone comments on the colour & smell :weight It also blooms all summer. I think I got mine from David Austin (I know you can get his roses in the US because I have bought them for friends over there). I think he is the best breeder of roses around & definitely worth the money.

I have about 25 roses, virtually all the old-fashioned type (except the ones I inherited when I bought the house & haven't got the heart to get rid of). I am not a fan of hybrid-teas & standards etc

The older type roses are much easier to care for; once they are planted & established they virtually look after themselves, You only have to keep them in the shape -- no complicated pruning programme They also look wonderful with various clematis growing through them. If you planted 3 or 4 different clematis you could have them taking over from each other to give you colour & interest throughout the year.

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[aquarose]

I love my Don Juan climber so much I got a second one. Very strong too. And fragrant. Deep velvety red blooms. I transplanted it in the middle of the summer two years ago. I was sure it was dead. Instead, it is flourishing. I also have a pink fragrant climber with no thorns, called Zephirine Drouhin. It is also tough. Both will do well in partial shade. I do nothing extra to either one. They are lucky to get a little compost in the summer. You can probably find both at Home Depot.

 

[insiderart]

I wouldn't recommend tea roses unless you want to fret over them all summer. Lot of work IMHO.

As Hattie said, the old fashioned varieties are much hardier, have great fragrances, and some even have repeat bloom or repeat bloom bred into them now. Look for things advertised as disease resistant or tolerant.

I love the cabbage roses. And some of the fragrances! Wow!

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi there!

My first rose is out --- " Canary Bird" it has feathery foliage & little single flowers. It is always the first out for me. It only blooms for a short time, unfortunately.

The second is a climber called "Geranium"; this one has been a great challenge to me over the years as I must have bought at least 6 of them, and lost the lot until this last one. It has amazed me. It is now 20ft tall on long strong canes & will soon be covered in little single flowers which are the colour of a cardinal's robe. It too only blooms once but has the bonus of very unusual long bottle-shaped hips --they look like Christmas tree lights in the fall. I encourage a very rampant clematis tangutica "Bill Makenzie" to grow through it -- it has a bright orange/yellow nodding orange-peel flower that blooms all summer & fall. It's flowers turn into silky,fluffy seedheads as winter arrives so that area of the garden always looks interesing & disguises a not very pretty workshop which I intend to turn into another chicken coop as it has electricity.

I had better stop now! I could go on for ever about my roses & clematis -- I really adore them. But they go so well with my woodland garden because about 85% of them are rampant thugs !! My chickens love to eat their petals as they fall. Sometimes a whole little flower falls & a roo will carry it over to his favourite hen ---it looks so romantic........:rose Aaaahhhhh......!!!

Happy rose gardening! :weight


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Reinbeau]

Hattie, pictures, please, when you get the chance. Your roses sound lovely! I envy you your climate, it's rose heaven over there. :rose

I have roses, but not lots of luck with them, usually they get that black spot ugliness, so I rip them out and try to find some that won't succumb to disease like that.

I've got this little sprout from our Teaching Herb Garden up at Elm Bank, it has a mouthful of a name, Rosa damascena triginipetula, the scent is heavenly, I'm hoping I'll have the same luck with it here as up there. Here's a page with more info on this one.

I also purchased three other roses from Heirloom Garden Roses:

Great Maiden's Blush, I searched for Great Maiden's Blush for a long time (it has other names, it's an ancient rose, one of the albas, with a wonderful fragrance. It only blooms once but it's so worth the show!

Thres Bugnet is another wonderfully scented rose from the Rugosa roses that blooms with one big flush, then continual blooms all summer.

I selected Pat Austin because of the color and the advice from a fellow gardener that this plant was very carefree and fragrant, I'm hoping they were right!

I won't have a rose in my yard that hasn't any scent, to me that's a four door rose (those of you who are into classic cars will understand the reference, when you're collecting cars, you look for the two door models, four doors just aren't worth as much, no matter how good the condition). I'm hoping to fill my garden with more roses as I find the best varieties for my yard - those that don't succumb to all the nasties out there that love to ruin our lovely roses!

 

[robbobbin]

I really go for the "Double Knock-out" roses in red and pink. They are bush variety and are covered with roses, big full roses, all summer long-reblooming.
I'm buying more this yr.
Also I find 'carpet roses' grow well in my zone 5.
BUT yes roses are a lot of trouble at times.

 

[vfem]

You guys are full of AWESOME information. What I REALLY need and want is an awesome hardy, disease resistant climber for my arbor. That's my one true need.

I've read what you guys have written and I know if one bush can survive me, and I find some really worth it, show worthy LONG blooming varieties I will get more.

I'm looking at this one right now:

http://www.heirloomroses.com/cgi-bin/browse.cgi?page=item&cat=13&item=579

I think it would be GORGEOUS!

Anyone have one of these?

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi there!

vfem,

Yes, I've grown "Etoile de Holland", I had it in my last garden. It is a very good one & I see that that one has been grown by David Austin so it will be excellent quality. He is my rose hero!!! Go for it, order it straight away. I think you will be very happy with it.

Talking of David Austin you should try to borrow his book on roses from the library -- it is wonderful & full of great information & loads of photographs that will have you ordering like mad. They are expensive but the quality is better than other nurseries.


Reinbeau,

Sorry about the lack of photos. Unfortunately I am technically challenged when it comes to computers, digital cameras, printers etc. I have only just joined the 21st Century, buying my laptop last November. A great friend said they would sort me out but they have gone down with an illness so I am left in limbo. I have just bought myself a book for idiots on the subject but because of all the work in the garden I don't seem to be able to settle down to read it !! But I really will try to be brave because I would love you all to see what I am up to in my garden. I might need some help from you all when it comes to the loading into the system at TEG & BYC.

Enjoy your roses &, of course the rest of your gardens :weight

**** I'm celebrating today as one of my hens, a Dorking called Julia, has decided she wants to become a mama: she has settled over a clutch of 12 eggs. She is off in La-La Land with" that look" in her eyes.......!! I was pretty sure yesterday she intended to go through with it but as she is rather young you can never be sure.



:rose Hattie :rose

 

[vfem]

Thank you Hattie, I think I will order myself the rose asap. Probably this weekend after I sell some of my chickens' hatching eggs. I'm a bit short on $$$ for the bush right now, and its because its more then I was initially looking to spend.... but I prefer quality over price right now.

As for your computer/technology issues... I probably shouldn't boast I have an IT degree, and graduated with Honors while on Dean's least 3 years. Too bad I just use it for my needs now, and no longer do much in the field since staying home to raise my daughter.

I have to suggest you break down and get a book on tape or Book on MP3 for a iPod or something?! LOL I'm sure that just confuses you more. But a book on CD leaves you hands free out in the garden to do your thing while you listen.

Just an idea.... thank you for all your help. I think this is going to be the first of my roses.... but I'm thinking I need to limit myself to like 1 a year or something.