Useful Roses Gardening Information
FLORIBUNDA / Synonym: ‘Leonard de Vinci’
This rose has exerted a special fascination ever since it first appeared in public. First, its strong yet soft pink shade, together with its densely double, rosette-like blooms, lend it a special charm; and second, it is very frost hardy, so that it can be grown even in harsher zones. A word of warning, though: it is very susceptible to black spot. However, despite that, its popularity has not diminished, and it makes a lovely half-standard or standard rose in small gardens, a great container plant placed either side of the front door, or a very pretty display above strawberry or salad beds. Plant the roses 40 cm (16 in) apart in borders, or use six to seven plants per square metre (square yard) when planting in masses.
• The carmine-red Kordes rose, ‘Neon’ (synonym; ‘Sweet Vigorosa’), is very healthy and displays dazzling full blooms. This 60 cm (24 in) high ADR rose is robust and has spreading growth, making it suitable for hedging and ground cover.
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FLOWERING: Repeat bloomer; very double; 0 5-6 cm (2-21/2 in); dark, ‘old-fashioned’ pink; no scent
GROWTH: 40-100 cm (16-39 in) high; upright; bushy
FEATURES: Very abundant bloomer; heat and partial shade tolerant; suitable for containers; very hardy
PLANTING: For beds, borders and hedges; gorgeous standard and half standard
INTRODUCED: MeiHand, 1983, France
FLORIBUNDA
The densely double, uniformly round blooms of Totticelli’, with its ruffle-edged petals, are reminiscent of gossamer-fine powder puffs. Until they have fully opened to a saucer shape, a dark salmon-pink shade dominates in the still inwardly curved centre petals, which seems to fade from the outer petals to the centre to a very delicate ivory-pink hue. Fully open blooms reveal masses of stamens and display a hint of light yellow at the base of the petals. `Botticelli’ is a delightful garden gem that flowers abundantly in large, dense clusters. Plant this broad, spreading beauty 40-45 cm (16-18 in) apart in borders; for mass plantings use four to five per square metre (square yard).
‘Pomponella’ is charming, with pretty little cherry-red pompom blooms that resemble Old roses. This broad- growing Kordes breed grows to 80 cm (32 in) high and has proved to have very healthy foliage.
FLOWERING: Repeat bloomer; densely double; 0 6-7 cm (21/2-3 in); salmon-pink; scented
GROWTH: 60-70 cm (24-28 in) high; upright; broad bushy
FEATURES: Healthy; heat tolerant; suitable for containers; hardy
PLANTING: For flowerbeds, borders, hedges and ground cover; lovely standard or half standard
INTRODUCED: Meilland, 2004, France
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What Are the Advantages of Organic Rose Gardening?
More people are inclined towards organic rose gardening these days because they have begun to see its advantages over the use of chemicals and pesticides in farming. Roses symbolize love and affection, and this passionate gesture seems to be extending towards fellow human beings and current world issues like saving the environment.
It all starts with the intention to go organic in your practice of caring for roses. Get into the dirt of all matters which is the soil itself. Learn to recognize the different types of soil like sand, clay, limestone, and gravel, and combine them in the right proportions to create more fertile soil.
Organic rose gardening first starts out as a hobby, until the awareness of the needs to protect the environment makes caring for roses a healthier, more sustainable one. It has the advantage of returning us to the basics, to the natural way of growing roses.
You research the varieties of roses you would like to grow and the seasons they grow in. You then find out more on what their specific needs are when it comes to water, sunlight, temperature, soil content, and ph. You choose a site based on what you have already gathered.
The idea of organic rose gardening gets you to apply your creativity by imagining some roses by your kitchen door, along the walkway, near the patio. This means knowing which varieties of roses should be directly under the sunlight, and which ones should stay under the shade.
To avoid having to use artificial fertilizers, you learn to make you own compost from household leftovers like egg shells, fruit and vegetable peelings, dried leaves, and grass. You crush and shovel them, and then add this compost to all your flower beds before you plant your roses. Nothing could be more fertile than biodegradable materials as an offshoot of organic rose gardening.
The root systems of roses in your flowers beds absorb these wholesome nutrients and use them for manufacturing food and energy. You also use all-natural organic fertilizers like pine straw mulch for your roses, and you can try 100% wood shavings or chips which are known to be non-toxic to plants.
You don’t allow disease to infect your roses. Your preventive measures start off by pruning each rosebush to open up its center, and allow more air and light to enter. You trim off any extra foliage to give space for new leaves and flowers to emerge later on. Once you get into organic rose gardening, commercial herbicides and pesticides are no longer an option.
Organic gardening has the added advantage of attracting helpful living organisms like bees and butterflies which pollinate flowers and help reproduce and propagate a variety of roses. They are natural enemies of aphids which infest roses.
Roses deserve better, less harsh treatment from artificial fertilizers and pesticides which could only harm our environment. Just as we try to be gentle towards roses in the care our hands, we should also be mild with the nutrients and treatments we feed these flowers. Some chemicals cause roses to flower bigger and better, but the greater challenge in organic rose gardening is to accomplish all these through our own skills as a world-class, health-conscious gardener and less through questionable, artificial means.
Don’t Let Bugs Doom Your Rose Garden
Rose Bush Care is Essential
Bug problems? Everyone has them in their garden no matter what the species, and rose gardens are no exception. There are many bugs that can be infecting your garden. Take a look at your leaves and stems to see if you can see any bugs. If you can not see them with the plain eye you could pull out your trusty magnifying glass to take a look. If you do see some bugs with the plain eye, you could pull them off and set them far away from your plants, if you choose not to use any chemical products. Once you have removed the bug make sure to remove the leaf just in case they left behind any eggs.
There are many different bugs that could infect your rose garden. Some of the bugs include: rose midge larva, rose cane borer, thrips, Japanese beetles, stem girders, aphids, rose slugs, mites, caterpillars, scale insects, and rose chafers.
If you find any of these bugs in your rose garden, special rose bush care will be very essential to help eliminate the problem. There are various products out on the market that can help with these problems. When using bug elimination products for your rose garden, make sure you read and follow all the directions carefully. You want to make sure your killing the bugs, not your rose garden.
Predators and Parasites
If you choose not to use any chemical products in your rose garden you may want to look at some alternatives for rose bush care. Getting non-harmful bugs is a good way of counteracting the harmful ones. Lady bugs are one of the most common bugs you can use to help with any infestation. Ladybugs are known as a predatory bug. Predatory bugs have chewing mouthparts (ladybugs, praying mantises) and they eat their prey whole.
Piercing-sucking mouthparts (lacewing larvae) suck all the fluids from their prey’s body. Predators like to keep an abundance of prey around, so they never really eliminate the problem. They are best used as a preventative control.
For the best rose bush care I would recommend gathering parasites,such asTrichogramma Wasps, and let them free in your rose garden. Parasites affix to the prey’s body, taking many days to consume it. Parasites don’t like having an abundance of prey. What they like to do is completely eliminate them. Adult parasites like to place their eggs in hosts and when the eggs hatch they stay in the host and eat it from the inside out. More often than not the larvae will stay in the host until they emerge as adults. Parasites and predators can out-breed most of their prey, reproducing faster than they are able keep up with.
If predators and/or parasites are going to be used within your garden for rose bush care, it is best to make sure you stop using any chemical products to ensure the well being of your predators and/or parasites. All toxic chemicals should stopped being sprayed at least 2 weeks before you introduce yourbugs. Any insecticidal soaps may be used up to a couple of days before the introduction, providing that you clean any residue off your roses. DO NOT use any chemical sprays or products once your predators and/or parasites have been introduced into your rose garden.
Rose Gardening in Organic Way
Article by Dea Lyle Boza
Organic rose gardening is becoming increasingly popular among rose enthusiasts.
Roses have been grown by people for thousands of years before man-made chemicals were ever invented and therefore these chemicals do not have to be depended on to have a gorgeous garden of roses. By maintaining an organic yard you are able to increase the longevity of your roses plus keep your family, pets, and wildlife away from harmful chemicals.
The earth, plants, and wildlife has been around millions of years doing fine on its own without the help of man. It is only when man gets it in his head that he can do better then nature when things start getting out of balance. Normally, plants absorb nutrients and water from their roots. The leaves of the plant go through photosynthesis which is the process of using water and sunlight to make energy. Soil naturally contains bacteria, fungus, nematodes, worms, plus other organisms. These organisms breakdown dead materials that enrich the soil. Using chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides destroy natural soil organisms and disrupt the natural relationship of the roses and the soil. Without helpful bacteria to protect rose plant roots, harmful fungi can move in and harm the plant. Plus, it is possible to get your roses addicted to chemical fertilizers. The more you use chemical to liven up your roses, the more the roses will depend on the chemicals
Growing roses organically is inexpensive and easy. You are simply leaving out the purchase of chemical fertilizers and pest control. You are still able to feed the soil and care for your roses without these things. Some soil might need a little help. The best way to do that is to work compost into the soil of a new garden or as a top dressing or mulch in an existing garden. Anyone can start a compost pile in their yard by adding decaying plant clippings, animal waste, grass clippings, dried leaves, and even kitchen scraps like fruit peels or fish heads to a pile and allowing it to decompose over time. There are several different, easy ways to create a compost pile in a container or in a pile but most ways require you to stir the pile to ensure that all of the compost is decaying properly.
Organic rose gardening also means staying away from most types of pest control. But, that does not mean that you are completely helpless against pests. Sometimes pesticides not only kill the insects that are doing damage to your plants, they also kill the insects that help you plants by eating damaging ones. Lady bugs and some wasps are considered beneficial for preying on insect pests. Birds will eat grubs, and even frogs, lizards, and snakes help to prevent pest problems. If a pesticide is truly needed, rose plant owners can purchase organic or natural pesticides that are very effective and are less toxic. Plus, they can target a specific problem by killing that type of pest insect and not much else.
The goal in rose planting is to grow the largest blooms, the most fragrant, and over all the most beautiful roses around. This task can be accomplished organically by putting just as much time and effort into your garden as you would put money into chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides.
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Caring for your Rose Garden – An Introduction
Roses are one of the most rewarding plants in the garden, not least because they have a reputation for being difficult to care for. However with a little knowledge and attention you can grow a garden full of beautiful blooms that will leave your friends and neighbors envious of your green thumb.
The main thing to remember is that roses need regular attention. This doesn’t mean hours in the garden every day, but if you abandon your roses for a month or two then you’re more likely to come back to a diseased, pest-infected plant.
Keys to a healthy rose:
As with all plants, regular watering is a key to success. Roses need approximately 1 inch of water a week – more obviously if you live in a particularly warm area, and less if nature provides your watering for you. The mistake many people make is to water too frequently, and not deeply enough. The best way to water is a good, thorough soaking once a week or so that penetrates the soil and reaches the deep roots of the plant, making your rose more resistant to drought and preventing the roots from heading up to the surface in search of water.
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The right food is equally important. The easiest way to ensure your roses have the right nutrients is to start with a healthy soil full of organic matter. From then on roses need occasional feeding, but it’s important not to overfeed your roses or they will become increasingly dependent. One of the best steps is to apply a slow-release fertilizer in early spring as the plant is beginning to wake up from its dormant state. A second feeding in late autumn once the plants have finished flowering will help you roses get off to a good start next year.
Thirdly, you will need to look at pruning. Different types of roses need different pruning – it’s best, for example, to avoid pruning your climbing roses if you want them to actually climb. However most rose bushes will need pruned for shape, and to remove dead or diseased wood. The best time to prune is in late winter when the plant is dormant, and you can prune back as hard as you like.
Deadheading is simply a term form removing spent flowers so the plants put their energy into producing more flowers, rather than rosehips. By deadheading your roses regularly you will have a longer and more abundant flowering season. However at the end of the season let your plant form rosehips – it’s better for the plant and they can also be an attractive addition to an autumn flower arrangement.
The final element of rose care is dealing to those annoying pests and diseases. Aphids and blackspot are two of the main culprits, and it’s worth keeping a regular eye out for these two, before they get established. If you see blackspot forming on your roses remove the infected leaves straight away and dispose of them – burning is best. This should stop the disease from spreading. Aphids can be managed by squashing small infestations, or there are a range of commercial or organic sprays that can work. Consider companion planting, too – parsley and garlic are both effective companion plants for roses.
And really, that’s all there is to it. And with a little care and regular attention your roses will reward you with healthy, fragrant plants throughout summer for you to enjoy.
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What’s Next? Roulette In The Rose Garden? Poker In The Press Room?
It is becoming obvious that the first two andf a half years of President Obama’s term has not gone as he probalby wanted it to go. he has been unable to fulfill many of his campaign promises (bringing home our troops from Iraq, shutting down the Guantanomo prison, etc.), the country is as divided as ever, and the eocnomy is a disaster by just about any measure.
However, more embarrassing than any of these issues is a recent email that President’s handlers sent out and its accompanying video clip. Both communications announced that the President would be raffling off a dinner with himself in the White House for four people. All you have to do is donate to his re-election campaign fund and you will have your name entered into a raffle for the honor of having dinner with the President.
Most Americans would find a number of quite distaseful aspects of this whole affair:
Should the most powerful man in the world stoop to such carnival-like antics, raffling off his valuable time to collect a few bucks from Americans? This cheapens the aura and respect of the office of President to unheard levels.
Given that the country is facing a possible default on its debt, we are fighting three wars across the world, unemployment is stubbornly high, the country is as divided as ever, etc., how could this President find time out of what should be a hectic schedule to film a video for this raffle? If he performed his job like he should have wouldn’t that performance be more Presidential and effective for his campaign than this cheap stunt?
The video effort gets even stickier when put in the light of legality. According to many sources in the news, it appears that this video was filmed in a non-residential area of the White House. If that is the case, and other official videos have been presented to show the same setting and which would verify this was not in the residential area, than the President and his handlers have actually violated a Federal law which prohibits the use of the White House public areas for political campaigning. Thus, you can bet this issue will eventually take up more and more valuable time away from solving the actual problems of the nation as the political class looks for any angle to optimize this possible illegality.
But the most obnoxious part of this whole affair is the following quote from the email invitation:
“Most [election] campaigns fill their dinner guest lists with Washington lobbyists and special interests. We’re running a different kind of campaign. We don’t take money from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs – we never have and we never will.”
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Wow, a campaign based on the little people in the country, the individual Americans, the true essence of America. Not! Does the President and his handlers think we are that stupid to believe that he is a man of the people, that he shuns politically motivated, large sums of money when it benefits his election campaigns? Let’s look at his track record when it comes to being a “man of the ordinary people:”
- On August 3, 2011, the day that the country might start running into debt ceiling and financial problems, a massive birthday party/campaign event in Chicago is planned for the President. The event will consist of several events including a Jennifer Hudson concert ( per ticket), admission to the birthday party (0 a ticket), a premium seat ,000), a souvenir photo with the President (,000) and VIP seating and dinner with Obama (,500). Kind of makes that raffle ticket a bargain.
The President could not care less about your , he wants the big spenders and your raffle entry is nothing but political PR and a way to get your email address to hit you up for money later in the campaign. Trust me, at ,000 a picture, there will be alot of special interest money banging around on Birthday night regardless of what the raffle email said.
- A short article in the May 20, 2011 issue of The Week magazine described how a group of Democrats have announced that they were putting processes in place to collect campaign funding from anonymous sources for the 2012 elections, using a funding model that Obama labeled a “threat to democracy” when Republicans successfully used in last November. This process allows people to donate money without divulging their names. Seriously, ask yourself: do we think that this will consist of a bunch of , non-special interest donations or will it consist of much larger corporate, union, lobbyist, and PAC donations? Given this announced Democratic Party strategy, the President’s claim that “we don’t take money from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs” is now out the window from a credibility perspective.
- Consider an article in the April 25, 2011 issue of Business Week that described some of Obama’s recent and historical fund raising efforts:
He recently attended a fundraising dinner at the home of Marc Benioff, chairman of a successful Interent business, which had an admission price of ,800 per person which was to be split between the President’s re-election campaign and the National Democratic Committee.
At the time the article was written, the President was scheduled to attend another fundraiser on April 27 in new York City. Price of admission? ,800 per person.
In 2008, Microsoft gave the Obama campaign over 0,000.
In 2008, Google gave the Obama campaign over 0,000.
In 2008, Goldman Sachs gave the Obama campaign just under a million and Citigroup gave just over 0,000. And the political class, including Obama, eventually gave them billions of dollars of your taxpayer money via the TARP bank bailout process shortly thereafter.
In 2008, Boston philanthropist Alan Solomont, former media executive Charles Rivkin, and lawyer John Roos each raised more than 0,000 for Obama’s campaign. They are now the ambassadors to Spain, France, and Japan, respectively. These guys went to cushy jobs in exotic, faraway lands on the taxpayer expense and all you got was a raffle ticket.
It is obvious that this President will stoop to any level at any time to ensure he gets elected. So, why not go all in, so to speak. Let’s put those roulette wheels in the White House Rose Garden. Let’s move the press out of the White House press room and put those poker tables in. Get a royal flush, share a beer with the President. Double down on Double 00 at roulette and maybe you can shoot some basketball hoops with the big guy. He seems bored and irritated whenever he has to actually do something as required by his job so he would probably welcome the break. The integrity, status, and aura of the Presidency cannot fall much lower.
We need to find a way to impose term limits on all politicians, restricting them to one term, length to be determined. Only by imposing a one and done term limit restriction can we avoid being offended by Presidential raffles and the freedom destroying money pit that re-election campaigns have become.
Consider a quote from a June 27, 2011 article in Business Week: “If you have tens of thousands of dollars to spare, you can very easily buy face time with the President of The United States. Anything less, you’re looking at a raffle ticket.” So true, so please do not buy this PR raffle gimmick, you are just a pawn in this high powered game of chess.
How to Use Roses in Your Garden
Roses, as the most popular type of flowering plant going these days, are, quite literally, everywhere. Nine out of ten gardens will have some form of rose somewhere within them and their uses are almost as many as the colors they come in. Whether you choose climbing roses, hybrid teas, floribundas or the always popular miniature roses, rest assured that each will have a proper function as part of your garden’s ecosystem and set up. Too, there are a number of roses for every climate and condition, so wherever you are, you’ll be able to find a rose that suits your needs.
Rose Color
The most obvious use for roses has to do with color. Although it has been touted that different color roses symbolize different things, you need not get hung up on the color meaning of roses. Most gardeners design their gardens around chromatic themes (or simply pick the colors they think look best), leading to them choosing the breed and type of rose more for hue than anything else.
Roses come in many different colors-red, pink, white, black, blue, orange-so whatever color you have in mind, a rose will most likely be able to do the job. But make sure that the colors you choose are complimentary to the rest of your garden. There’s nothing worse than your roses being lost in the shuffle of colors.
Covering Bare Space
Too, roses are perfect for covering bare spaces along walls, benches, pillars, trellises or any number of garden structures. Climbing roses of all descriptions are perfect for this. And, in a space-limited environment like many backyard gardens, climbing roses can also provide some much needed color in surprising places. Climbing roses are among the most easily trainable of roses and can be used to great creative effect with time and patience.
Landscaping
In fact, roses of all types are easy to shape and control, which is another bonus for the creative gardener.
If you need landscaping plants – plants that can provide living boundaries for the rest of your garden, or even ornamental decoration – then roses are probably your best bet. Hardy and resilient, roses can survive any number of maulings, whether through the attentions of an inexperienced gardener or Mother Nature, and they take to being shaped well. As background plants, they excel in causing other types of flowers to ‘pop’ as well. Essentially, roses can be used to compliment any decorating scheme.
Compliments
Regardless of why you plan on using roses, there are a few factors to be aware of. When you choose a rose to go in your garden, make sure it compliments the surrounding landscape of your garden. You don’t want to pick the wrong color or type to go in the space you’ve chosen.
In the end, it’s the enormous versatility of the rose which makes it so popular amongst gardeners and landscapers. Roses can be used in a variety of ways, they come in many colors and have a wide range of uses, all of which add up to make the rose a staple plant in any gardeners arsenal. Roses can make any garden, any home more elegant and beautiful with just a bit of care.
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How To Plant A Rose Garden
Sometime during this year, you may choose to plant roses within your garden. A lot of opinions exist on how this should be done. Here is my own personal success story.
First of all, allow me to distinguish the difference between planting roses, which happen to be dormant plants, into gardens and growing them in containers or pots.
Dormant roses that bare roots tend to grow well. However, they usually do not bloom for very long compared to roses in pots or containers. The latter usually grow more and are not considered dormant.
If you plan to purchase dormant plants, ensure you are getting the best grade. This will offer you more fulfilling crops in the summer when it comes to your garden.
When getting the soil ready, choose an area which will receive at least six hours of sun per day. Sun happens to be of the utmost essence when it comes to your garden’s growth cycle.
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Your soil must be a great loam, which you can mix with clay. The loam must be around fifteen inches deep. Dig some soil out that will fit your plant without any root damage. The very first bud should set around an inch under the actual surface. It is also advisable to use forks to loosen dirt under the hole.
Before placing your plants into each hole within your garden, it is recommended to mix farm manure with the loose dirt beneath the plant. Trim the visible damaged roots before placing them into each hole.
Once the roses are set into each hole, ensure the loam which was placed surrounding each plant, is also loose. Fill each hole up to three quarters and tap on them. Water each plant, as well as the dirt. Once the water has settled, the last bits of loam can be added.
For plants that are dormant, mound some soil over each plant to ensure they don’t dry out. If the plants are in containers or pots, mounding soil is not required. It is alright for some inches of the mulch to surround the base of the plant since this is what contains the most moisture.
Roses need to be watered weekly and the plant’s base is the part that needs to be watered. Without watering, plants tend to get infected with diseases.
The actual planting could take place anytime between October and May. Planting or transplanting should never take place once May is over and until October comes. Good luck growing your very own rose garden!
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The Tools of Rose Gardening
Article by Ron King
Like any job you tackle, it’s always easier if you have the right tools. Before heading out to your rose garden, make sure you arm yourself with these basic rose gardening tools.Gloves”You can complain because a rose has thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have a rose.” – Tom Wilson. The rose garden is no place for thin, wimpy gloves. Unless you enjoy feeling the thorns pierce your skin, opt for leather work gloves with those big, fold-down cuffs.PrunersA good pruner is one 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. Always use bypass pruners so you don’t crush your canes and stems.LoppersWhen your rose garden starts to mature there will come a time when loppers will be indispensable for cutting back old, thick canes that are too much for pruning shears. If you are just starting your rose garden, save your money, since you won’t need this for a few years.Kneeling PadsSome 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 with handles should suit you fine.Short Digging ForkThis tool is indispensable for turning and loosening soil in small patches. Choose a good quality model with steel tines and a sturdy handle. Watering WandGreat for watering potted roses and for giving your other roses 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 attaches to the hose. Spend the money to get a wand with brass fittings instead of plastic. It will last years longer.Long-Handled ShovelChoose a lightweight model with a strong handle. Shovels with fiberglass throats are good choices. Spend a few extra dollars and get one with a padded handle, and it will save you lots of blisters as the years go by.WheelbarrowAvoid the temptation to buy the cute garden “carts.” You are going 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 will be very heavy and you’ll be glad that you have a real wheelbarrow to help you.Garden RakeThis is the rake with the sharp steel teeth that you use for leveling and smoothing beds. Choose one with a sturdy handle and steel tines.Leaf RakeYou’ll use this tool often 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.You shouldn’t have any trouble locating these basic rose gardening tools. Your local garden supply store will likely stock them, or if you don’t mind purchasing gently-used items, check out yard sales for your gardening supplies. Enjoy yourself!
A sample of the beautiful roses at David Austin Rose Gardens Shropshire England
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Rose Gardening ?tips on How to Grow Roses in your Garden
The ancient Muslim poet, jurist, and theologian, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, may not have stumbled madly upon the very first rose back in 13th century Persia but he certainly immortalized it poignantly in his writing.
Roses are believed to have originated in ancient Persia but their cultivation quickly spread across the Northern Hemisphere, first from China to Europe and finally to North America. Rose enthusiasts throughout time and geography have helped to spread the cultivation and the adoration of this arrestingly lovely flowers to the point that, today, there are more than 20,000 varieties available.
Roses run the gamut of the color spectrum. They come in every color, including the elusive blue and black ones that have dogged rose breeders for ages. Every shade of every color is represented, too, with many rose blossoms sporting multiple colors or shades.
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These enchanting plants have been bred to grow straight and tall or trail over slopes and fences. Some roses grow close to the ground while others become bushy. Many rosebushes bloom once in the spring or summer, others bloom again in the fall, and others still bloom from early spring until winter.
Diversity aside, a few rose gardening tips might improve your rose-growing success.
Planting is the first step to consider when compiling a list of rose gardening tips. Folklore tells us to plant flowering plants when the moon is in a waxing phase. Indeed all plants that produce their most desirable growth above ground are said to be best planted during the time the moon is growing into its biggest, most visible, phase.
(In turn, plant carrots, potatoes, and other plants where underground action is most desirable when the moon is waning, or becoming less visible.)
Trim your hair, visit your barber, or comb your dog the day before planting your roses. This, another of folklore rose gardening tips, ensures you have a bit of hair to mix in with the soil in which you plant your roses. Decomposing hair is said to provide excellent fertilizer for thriving roses.
Sunshine is one of the most important rose gardening tips. Make sure to plant your roses, always during their dormant phase, in a spot where they can get at lease six hours of full sun every day.
Rose gardening tips include trees, too. Keep your roses away from tree roots, especially deciduous trees, or they will divert the nutrients of the soil from your hungry roses