A Knock-Out Of A Rose

 

Dig up this post

Daily Garden: Rose Garden

 
Have I ever mentioned that I L.O.A.T.H.E rose gardens in the typical English public park garden setting. You know the ones where 5 million different roses are painstakingly grown in rows and patterns with absolutely nothing else. UGH. I don’t think there could be a more irritating garden…..but this, AHHHH, this is wonderful. A rose garden that I could promise.   http://www.studiogblog.com/plants-natives/plants/daily-garden-rose-garden/

Old Garden Roses

Old rose cultivars and varieties are those that were introduced before 1867. They may also be called heritage roses. Once popular in 18th and 19th century cottage gardens, old garden roses have had a resurgence of interest. They are a "cabbagy" style blossom rose that blends into the landscape. Their colors vary from pink to purple, red, and yellow. Many old roses are disease resistant and hardy, and are very fragrant. Some old rose varieties are Damask Alba, Hybrid Gallica, Moss, and Tea roses. More recently, English roses, primarily developed by David Austin, have become popular. English roses have the appearance and scent of old roses but are repeat bloomers. They may be compact or large, and some are disease resistant and cold hardy. Some English roses are Abraham Darby, Heritage, Fair Bianca, and Graham Thomas.

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http://www.beautiful-roses.com/old-garden-roses.htm

Розы древние и современные

 

Красу наших старинных помещичьих садов и парков составляли в основном махровые розы, центифольная и моховая. Современные розы – чайная, бурбонская, ремонтантная, со всеми их бесчисленными гибридами, появились гораздо позднее. Чайная роза, называемая так за свой дивный чайный запах, была привезена в Европу лишь в начале XIX в.: розовая – в 1860 г. из Ост-Индии, а желтая – в 1824 г. из Китая. От этих двух сортов и пошли гибриды чайных роз, красующиеся в современных цветниках. Бурбонская роза была привезена с острова Бурбон в 1819 г., где кустики ее были случайно найдены директором тамошнего Ботанического сада. А ремонтантная была получена от чайной и бенгальской розы, привезенной в Европу в 1789 г. из Кантона.
  http://www.treeland.ru/article/centeru/

Climbing Roses: Care of Your Climbers

No rose garden is truly complete without climbing roses. Care of these free-flowing beauties is in some ways easier than care of shrub roses, but there a few things that are a little different. When you know how to prune climbers and how to protect them in winter, you’ll have healthy, bloom-laden branches all summer.
Just the Right SoilLike most roses, climbing roses prefer light, rich soil that’s slightly acidic (pH 6.5 or so). Good drainage is also important. If your soil isn’t naturally rich, adding manure and chopped sod can improve soil conditions. It’s also important to keep the soil moist. This is easy to do by layering several inches of organic mulch (straw, grass clippings, or wood chips) on the ground around the base of the rose.
Careful PruningSince climbing roses are expected to grow to significant heights, you’ll only need to think about pruning them in the third year after planting. When it comes to pruning needs, climbing roses fall into three categories: hardy, tender and somewhere in between. The hardy climbers, which grow vigorously and flower abundantly, usually need to be pruned yearly to keep them from getting too dense and heavy. With the tender climbers, you’ll only need to give them a gentle pruning once every two or three years.
Winter protectionBecause of their size and sprawling growth pattern, climbing roses can be a challenge to protect over the winter. The good news is that if you live in a mild climate such as the southern U.S. or Mediterranean-like parts of Australia, you probably won’t need to cover your roses at all. In cooler climates, you’ll at least want to tie the canes up and mound soil around them for insulation. If you’re expecting temperatures below freezing, though, you’ll need to cover the roses. Pillars, trellises, and pergolas should be wrapped with hay or other organic material.
If you have climbing roses, care of these rambling flowers is something you’ll probably find simple and trouble free. All you really need to do is protect them from frost, insects and disease, make sure they have good rich soil to grow in, and prune them when they start getting out of hand.   http://www.rosegardening101.com/archives/climbing-roses-care/

Climbing Roses: For Drama and Beauty

Colorful climbing roses can add a dramatic effect to your home. They’re nice because you can wind them around a trellis, a column, or even let them climb up the side of your home. It’s interesting to note, however, that many seasoned gardeners fear climbing roses. This is likely because of the belief that climbing roses can get damaged by cold weather and also because they can take years to reach full maturity. Despite these facts, there is a wide selection of climbing roses that can sustain harsh weather.
The best time to plant any type of climbing rose is early spring. Follow this advice and your roses will have about six or seven months to become established before the cold sets in.

Types of Climbing Roses

Before choosing climbing roses for your home, you should first get acquainted with the three distinct categories of climbing roses: ramblers, trailing roses, and true climbers.
Ramblers: The most intrusive climbing roses are the ramblers. These exuberant roses can grow up to twenty feet in one season. Although most of the roses from ramblers are quite small, many of the newer varieties produce large roses. Unfortunately, ramblers have a tendency to be susceptible to mildew.
Trailing Roses: If you’re looking for a climbing rose that is tougher and less prone to mildew and disease, your home might need the touch of trailing roses. These climbers look great planted along walls. It’s suggested that you stake them because otherwise, the long canes will grow along the ground instead of upright. Trailing roses typically bloom approximately two to three inches in diameter. Two of the more popular trailing roses are the cultivars and Rosa Wichurana.
Climbers: If you enjoy climbing roses with large flowers, true climbers may be what you’re looking for. These types of roses produce flowers in large clusters. There are two categories of true climbers: bush climbers, and climbing hybrid teas. Bush climbers will continue to bloom throughout the season, while climbing hybrid teas may only last for a few weeks out of the season. The bush climber has more resistance to mildew and disease than the climbing hybrid teas.

Planting Climbing Roses

Planting your roses is an easy task.

• The first thing you’ll need to do is choose an area to dig a hole.
  Your hole should be approximately one foot from your trellis or arch.
• Once you’ve dug a hole, you’ll also need organic matter. Well-rotted manure or compost should be added to the soil.
• Next, carefully remove the rose from its container. If you come across tangled outer roots, gently untangle them with your fingers.
• Place your plant in the hole and fill it in with any extra soil. Water it thoroughly once you’ve planted it.

You should water your climbing roses at least once a week. The soil should be saturated.
Once your rose’s canes have grown long enough to reach the trellis or arch, tie the canes to the structure. Unlike a vine, which is equipped with tendrils, climbing roses have to be attached to a structure. You can tie them with a soft cloth or string. The idea is to give the canes enough room for growth and expansion. Be sure not to tie them too tightly.
Choose the right roses for your home and watch them climb for years to come!    http://www.rosegardening101.com/archives/climbing-roses2/

Climbing Roses Add Charm to Any Garden

Nothing brings to mind rustic romance and charm quite so strongly as a rose-covered cottage or gazebo. Climbing roses lend a touch of Old World beauty to nearly any landscape with their thick, glossy leaves and abundant blooms in all shades of the rosy rainbow.

Climbers are easy to train

There’s a mistaken belief that it’s difficult to train roses to climb. The truth is, you’ll spend far more time discouraging the persistent vines from growing into places you don’t want them to go than you will trying to get them to climb up the side of the house. Many climbing roses are persistent growers, so you’ll want to pick and choose just the right rose for your own dream garden.
Climbing roses can be trained to climb on nearly any surface, but it’s important to choose a climber that won’t overwhelm and destroy its climbing frame. As delicate and airy as they look, within ten years a few two foot rose bushes can grow to weigh nearly 1000 pounds. It goes without saying that choosing a support that is strong and well-anchored is vital. Experts recommend using cement anchors and hooks to train climbing rose vines along the wall, and keep them from growing wild.
If you’re still thinking of roses as delicate flowers, here’s what another expert has to say about training roses to grow along posts and fences. According to Mike Allan, a horticulturalist who specializes in rose climbers, climbing roses love to be twisted and woven around posts, trellises and other supports. The more you twist them, the more blooms you’ll get.
Among the most popular climbing rose varieties are the pale pink New Dawn, the apricot Westerland, and the white Moonlight Rose. The Cecile Brunner is often used as a tree climber, where its profuse, small white blossoms gleam against – and often cover, the foliage.
Quick Stats:
Height: Can grow over 20 feet
Width: 48″ and up
Blooms: Vary by variety
Pros: Grow quickly – 3-8 feet in the first year, require little care other than pruning, most are winter hardy
Cons: Can quickly get out of control if allowed to grow unchecked.    http://www.rosegardening101.com/archives/climbing-roses-add-charm-to-any-garden/

Rose Posey Filler

Ritual is necessary for us to know anything.
~ Ken Kesey
Gathering garden treasures to pass on in poseys or small bouquets has become a rather glorious ritual for me. A well-stocked garden has much to offer-- surprises included.

Roses display especially well when laced and frilled with greenery-- the more herbaceous the better.
1 Do you recognize these leaves? Yes, they belong to aquilegia (columbine)-- a shearing of fresh new leaves only makes the plant stronger, and they are long lasting in a vase.
2 Peppermint-scented and fuzzy-leafed, Pelargonium tomentosum is definitely a favorite. I have two plants that I've been harvesting all through the season. These do best in partial shade.
3 Geranium pyrenaicum 'Bill Wallis', is a surprise filler from Annie's Annuals. The perfectly round leaves on long stems are ideal, and striking with roses.
4 White strawberry leaves have served me well all through the season too. Fall has brought a new crop of berries, which are a particular delight to bouquet recipients.
5 Sweet pea leaves and tendrils are wonderful curling through the roses. In the garden, these have reseeded in unwanted places-- a free October harvest that will probably result in ultra-strong plants.

The featured greens join multi-colored roses in six bouquets. I originally thought to show both images, because the sun played hide and seek while shooting. The different effects don't really show up here though. I'm including both anyway.

I usually end up doing a color story with the available roses. There were just enough for one all white bouquet.
Note for Sacramento Arranging Seminar Participants

I'm looking very forward to our fun with roses this coming Saturday. I'm hoping you might be able to harvest roses from your gardens so we will have lots to work with. Rose stems from 5 to 8-inches would be perfect. (And it would also be fun to see your wares.) If you have interesting greens please bring us a sampling. Oh yes, and be sure and bring your cilppers.
The roses shown in this post were picked in the morning on both Thursday and Friday. I then put them in the fridge (super cold is not good) and arranged them on Saturday.
PS The vases are stuffed green olive jars from Trader Joes.   http://www.rosenotes.com/arranging-rose-bouquets/

Rose Gardening Gloves

 

I never thought the melodic strains of Greensleeves would come to mind while looking at gardening gloves. Isn’t this pair a showstopper? They’re leather and suede––so pretty I’d almost wear them with my good black coat.
They belong to my friend and client, Marilyn Rose (nice name). Thanks to her, I now have a pair of proper rose pruning gloves.

In January, while pruning the rose garden I designed for her, Marilyn began helping me, wearing these beautiful gloves. They were a Christmas present from her husband Fred. I admired them so many times and even took pictures. Marilyn finally said, “Carolyn you can get some for yourself on the way home. Navelets, the store where Fred bought them, is just left of the freeway onramp.”
I went to Navelets, but first I must show you the gloves I wore at Marilyn’s. I’ve probably gone through forty pairs of these gloves since I’ve been growing roses, but do they protect my forearms? No. I’m one of those rustic types who romanticizes my rose wounds. When I found my blood on the petals of a white rose––I thought it was a secret poem between me and said rose––I think it was ‘Evening Star’.
I liked the hardy rubber-coated gloves so much––I even photographed them just out of the dryer. Yes, they’re washable. But that’s no reason to go around with rose wounds.

Last spring, while visiting rose gardener Pamela Temple, I caught a glimpse of her well-worn gauntlets in her mudroom. A faint thought, I should have some of those, went through my head.
Gauntlets? What a word. Webster says, “They are stout gloves with a long loose wrist.”

Navelets was out of stock in my size of the green leather and suede gloves, but they had plenty more to choose from. I settled on an ultra sturdy pair. The next week I tried them out in another client’s garden and wondered how I could possibly have done without them all these years.

The green gloves are made of premium goatskin by Gardenworks. The Womanswork leather gloves are washable and 100% breathable. The rubber coated shorties will always be in my kit, but now, when it comes to pruning roses I’ll grab my gauntlets.
  http://rosenotes.typepad.com/rose_notes/2009/02/gardening-gloves.html

Transporting Roses

Take your garden with you

 

An Indian oil can makes a perfect container-on-the-go.

By Carolyn Parker

AS BUSY ROSE GARDENERS, we need quick, no-fuss formulas for turning out impressive bouquets. Not everyone can come and see the garden–sometimes we have to take it with us.
At a celebration or meeting, it’s a thrill to watch people linger over and appreciate a good size, exuberant bouquet that includes many different roses. A varied display inspires curiosity and burning questions. “What rose is that?”
I made this bouquet out in the garden, this morning. As I write, it’s June 25 th and our roses are well into their second bloom. The container is a hand wrought oilcan from India, which measures 14 inches high. The opening’s diameter is only 2.5 inches, yet it’s holding more than 25 rose stems! The can’s wide bottom makes it almost impossible to tip over and it’s especially easy to transport.
With the oilcan sitting on a table and my trusty dethorners nearby (see them in the picture), I go amongst the roses and pick a few long stems hoping for a nice display of leaves. Then I walk back to the table, remove the bottom leaves and insert the stems into the can. KATHLEEN (on the right) was the first contribution. Back and forth, from garden to container, I go until the oilcan overflows with roses. All colors are welcome. Displayed with KATHLLEN are R. RUGOSA, MRS. OAKLEY FISHER, IRISH ELEGANCE, KATHERINA ZEIMET, SNOWBIRD, OTHELLO, JUST JOEY, PINK GRUSS AN ACHEN, CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE, HERMOSA, NEVADA, REDCOAT, an unknown pink (at the top), and leaves of R. GLAUCA.
For a rose bouquet with a natural look, leaves play an important part. If the leaves are pretty, like the stem of ESCAPADE (shown outside the oilcan) make the most of them. The leaves also help tie in the varied colors and rose shapes.
You might think, well, I don’t have a container like that. I have seen metal cans with a similar shape in garden shops. Old watering cans can also be fun and the narrow, cylindrical French flower buckets are especially great. I have a big collection, only three are from France–knock-offs are readily available. They come in many different materials too, copper, glass, stainless steel, tin.
Though it doesn’t have the nice wide bottom, the flower bucket is an essential container for a rose arranger, because its narrow circumference holds stems in place making it easy to visualize bouquet possibilities. I take one or more into the garden at a time. I usually strip the lower leaves and thorns and then fill those buckets to overflowing. I often style the bucket a little as I go, but very casually, no stress allowed. When the buckets are full they often look so gorgeous, the roses need no further fussing with.
I keep two bricks in my car, ever ready to keep a flower bucket in place. The oilcan is fun and different–the flower bucket is classic and will hold many more roses. Keep an eye out for rustic containers to show off your garden’s roses. You might come across something you already have that displays roses better than you thought possible. Have fun!
Click here for an article on hand-tied bouquets.    http://rosesfromatoz.com/transporting.html

Favorite Garden Tools

Got gardening tasks? The tools rule.

 

Moving a 15-gallon can of Rosa Rouletii is easier with the help of a dolly.

By Carolyn Parker

On a recent Saturday morning, a woman from up the street marveled at how easily I managed to move a 15-gallon potted rosebush 20 feet to its planting hole.
How did I do it? With a dolly, or what some call a hand truck. I use ours constantly.
Stacks of bricks, big stones and bags of potting soil move with ease perched on a dolly. On garden design jobs, I always suggest that my clients invest in one. My husband bought ours years ago at Home Depot. With a dolly, I feel like Superwoman when I'm moving heavy objects around the garden.
Favoritism rules when I think of my garden tools. My least favorite is the ubiquitous garden hose; my most favorite tool varies by the job.

A pickax is a must-have if you're digging holes. Of course shovels are great, but a sturdy pickax will slice through packed earth and deepen your planting hole faster than a shovel. I use ours in tandem with a shovel.
The blade side of a pickax will also peel up sod with ease if you have a mind to widen your rose beds.

One tool that I especially liked was swallowed up by the soil it had just loosened. It was a small hand scythe that I purchased for 40 rupees in India. Simple but perfect — and hand-wrought — it was a wonder tool. Weeds came up with no fuss, small planting holes appeared with a few strokes, and soil crumbled under its swipe.
I lost it while gardening one cold winter day. I looked and looked for it,but it was hopelessly buried. While planting a rosebush last spring, it reappeared, corroded and unusable. I kept it, though. Maybe I'll ask a metal worker to try to reproduce it.

Some years ago, I perused a wall of hoes and rakes at a garden center. Among the many styles, I chose a four-pronged claw attached to a long handle. The tool became surprisingly indispensable. It's great for working in fertilizer, finessing mulch or soil into the right place, and for crushing dirt clods. The tool feels graceful in my hands, as if I were an artist wielding a paintbrush.
On impulse recently, I stopped in at Smith & Hawken in Walnut Creek and came away with two fabulous purchases — a non-kinking hose and a collapsible kneeler seat. My knees have bothered me recently and this handy product really saved them the other day. I cut back fleabane along both sides of a 17-foot-long brick path while sitting on the sturdy foam seat. If I flip it over, the seat becomes a comfortable knee rest for weeding and small planting jobs.
As for the hose, the salesman said I could bring it back if it didn't live up to its non-kinkability. So far it has; however, it's a bit heavier than most hoses. I don't think the new hose will be a favorite anytime soon, but I'm happy with no kinks.

Planting sweet peas

October is the perfect time to plant sweet peas. They grow well with roses and mix beautifully in arrangements. Orchard Nursery has a great selection — I bought five packets the other day. In the white rose section of my garden, I'm going to plant Royal White sweet peas on a white metal tuteur.
In the apricot section, there's a sage-colored wood tuteur that would look good with a sweet pea called Orange Streamer. I saw this treatment of tuteurs in the rose bed, in England, and think it will be fun to try. Another idea is to plant a few sweet peas at the base of climbing roses that are on a fence, arbor, or trellis.
I always soak sweet pea seeds overnight so they'll germinate faster. They are the most foolproof seeds I know, and frost doesn't hurt them. Snails like them, though, and birds might go for new shoots.   http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/rose-tools.html

Rose Names

With roses, be a name-dropper

 

GRAHAM THOMAS

By Carolyn Parker

A ROSE FRIEND once told me that she received an amusing remark while introducing her roses to a visitor.
"Oh, you name your roses," her guest exclaimed. "How quaint."
My friend explained that all roses have names, and hers were labeled DOLLY PARTON and BETTY BOOP when she purchased them.
Another friend told me how comforted she was as a child to know that the lively red climber peeking through the windows of her bedroom actually had a name -- BLAZE.
Names have long been a topic of discussion in the rose world, having filled many pages in books, newsletters and journals. Recently, the first of a two-part article about roses named after military men from the 19th and 20th centuries appeared in the American Rose, the monthly publication of the American Rose Society.
And for the ladies, the Vintage Gardens Book of Roses lists eight names that begin with "Mlle." and more than 80 that start with "Mme." Oh, those French hybridizers knew how to market their roses after famed persons-of-the-day. And most of the soldier rose names also were French.

Rose history

Twelve names begin with "Duchess," and since I'm keen to acquire a most gorgeous tea rose, DUCHESSE DE BRABANT, I was curious about her place in history. The Duchesse, born Marie Henriette of Hungary, had a loving, happy childhood, until her politically expedient betrothal to the Crown Prince of Belgium, the Duke of Brabant.
Her husband's flagrant affair, shortly after their honeymoon, caused her to write: "If God hears my prayer, He will not let me live much longer." They were married for 49 years.
That might be more than I want to know about the prolific rose that turns out armloads of blowzy pink blooms. But how about this? The "Duchesse" was Teddy Roosevelt's favorite and can be seen on his lapel in many photos.
Bringing a rose to market is only half the battle. Naming is almost more important than the rose itself. It's a given that a name like SEXY REXY is more marketable than NARROW WATER.
Royalty always seems to sell. California hybridizer Walter Lammerts honored the Queen of England with his famed QUEEN ELIZABETH rose, which now waves to passersby throughout England and the United States.
As a garden writer, it's more fun to research roses named after people who actually had something to do with plants, if not roses. In my recent book, I had the pleasure of learning about the men whose names grace roses BANKSIA LUTEA, TRADESCANT and GRAHAM THOMAS. I even interviewed Mr. Thomas before he died at age 92.
Joseph Banks embarked on -- and financed -- many 18th century plant-hunting expeditions. He also helped in the founding of England's renowned Kew Gardens.
Learning about John Tradescant, another plant hunter, led to the reading of fascinating historical novels about him (Earthly Joys and Virgin Earth) by Philippa Gregory.

Graham Stuart Thomas

The wish to know a person behind a rose name was granted when Graham Stuart Thomas invited me to tea at his Surrey cottage. He was responsible, among many other accomplishments, for the resurgent interest in heritage roses after World War II.

Graham Stuart Thomas in his home office in 2001. Photo Susan Donley.

David Austin's desire to honor Graham with a namesake rose was an ingenious marketing ploy. Graham actually chose the rose, a fragrant golden beauty, and when he personally introduced the GRAHAM THOMAS rose at the 1983 Chelsea flower show, Austin's 14-year-old business, English Roses, catapulted into the mainstream.

Rose rustlers

In America, many of Europe's lost roses have been found and identified by plucky rose rustlers. On the other hand, when it comes to names, their avid interest in searching out what have been called lost, old or heritage roses has resulted in much confusion. Indeed, one rose might innocently re-enter the marketplace under three different names, by as many nurseries.
Different people discovered a favorite climber of mine growing in three California cemeteries. The first two, found in 1980 and 1987, were given "study" names -- MANCHESTER GUARDIAN ANGEL and GEORGETOWN LEMON-WHITE TEA. The more recent was named LEGACY OF JOSEPH MARCILINO.
Once the confusion unraveled, the marketing name became MANCHESTER GUARDIAN ANGEL because it was the first foundling. Who knows if the original moniker will ever reveal itself?
Roses are also named after loved ones. CECILE BRUNNER was the daughter of a French nurseryman, and JUST JOEY was named affectionately after the hybridizer's wife. Some names are fanciful. How about the China roses WHITE PEARL IN RED DRAGON'S MOUTH and MATTEO'S SILK BUTTERFLIES? Hybridizers also seek inspiration from the rose itself to carry a message.

Rose alphabet

As I was poised to begin writing this piece, my neighbor, Sharon, came by to pick up a print of the "N" rose from my rose alphabet series. The N is her husband's initial, and she already had the S, her own initial.
Sharon, her husband and their three daughters were moving that afternoon to Washington state. She had mixed feelings about leaving and said "I love the S, not just for the rose, but for its name -- SWEET SURRENDER. I tend to want to be in control, but know I must give in and move forward, and the name reminds me."
The lush pink rose, when fully open, tends to nod, as if in surrender.
I've always thought that roses have much to offer in an intimate or spiritual sense. Their names, and all the fuss surrounding them, seems to confirm their special gifts.

Rose labels

Gardeners often want labels for their roses and are dismayed by the inadequate products generally available. Recently, I ordered a wonderful product from AAA Quality Engravers in New Orleans. They are made of long-lasting black or dark green plastic, engraved with white letters. You send your rose list, and they do the printing at a very reasonable cost. E-mail bestsign@bellsouth.net for samples.   http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/names.html

Collecting Roses

Blooming collections bring surprise

 

Clockwise from left, CONSTANCE SPRY with parents DAINTY MAID and BELLE ISIS.

By Carolyn Parker

IT COULD be Elvis memorabilia, 1950’s lunchboxes, ceramic frogs, orchids, roses. Many of us love to collect–one friend told me she was born with a collecting gene. Me too!
I began collecting roses, because I couldn’t resist a pretty face and I became addicted to observing their growth process. Watching a spindly cutting or a bare root shrub transform into a leafy beauty covered in blooms, provides endless entertainment for me.
My friend Marilyn’s father collected Jackson & Perkins Hybrid Teas. He treasured his roses and ordered a new one, each year, from the much-anticipated catalog. After a day working in the garden, he’d harvest a single bloom and place it in a bud vase on a table, next to his recliner. Then he’d sit down with a beer to enjoy, commune, and watch his rose unfurl.

Collecting old cemetary roses

Some rose lovers collect cuttings of heritage roses from cemeteries. From the early 1800’s, families commemorated parted loved ones by planting roses at their gravesites. Many lovely Chinas and Teas, which went out of fashion with changing times, can still be found thriving on neglect in old cemeteries. The China rose, HERMOSA, is one I’m especially fond of. I was delighted to find out that my friend Pamela had collected cuttings of HERMOSA from three different cemeteries. Now, as a tribute to historic preservation, all three are growing together in her garden.
As a child living in San Miguel, Anne Belovich loved collecting butterflies and sea life. Ed Ricketts, the biologist who inspired Steinbeck’s famed character, Doc, even hired her to collect seaweed. Later, she became a marine botanist and instructor, contributing specimens to the herbarium at UCLA. After retiring and moving to Stanwood, Washington, roses caught her attention. Before long a stunning collection of David Austin roses encircled the beds surrounding her home.
When Anne discovered antique or heritage roses, her collecting gene really kicked in. To her dismay, she found that many of the roses she read about and wanted were unavailable in the US. She applied for an importing license, and for the past twelve years, has continuously received rare roses from Europe. When Anne becomes interested in the roses bred by particular hybridizers, she tries to collect them all.

Collect roses by their hybridzer

Her collections include roses by Barbier, Van Fleet, Walsh, and Geschwind. She also has a collection of KIFTSGATE hybrids that climb into vast trees, on her property. Nineteen of Alberic Barbier’s gorgeous pastel-colored ramblers cover a progression of five pergolas creating an enchanted walkway. In Anne’s garden, her collections provide a unique opportunity for studying characteristics and appreciating the various groups she’s amassed.

Collect roses by their geneology

While researching my book R is for Rose, rose parentage became an intriguing subject when I learned that ICEBERG'S parents were a white Hybrid Tea named VIRGO, and a red Hybrid Musk named ROBIN HOOD. A red rose helped parent the famed white ICEBERG? Curious, I wanted to grow them both and see for myself the characteristics they passed on. VIRGO has never thrived in my garden, however her pretty blooms do look similar to Iceberg’s. ROBIN HOOD, vigorous and cluster flowering, is obviously responsible for Iceberg’s fast repeat and lush bloom clusters. The three roses are fun for show and tell in the garden.
Stanwell Perpetual is another rose I had to have. While still a teenager, this one inspired David Austin to try hybridizing. Since it was a fragrant old rose that rebloomed, he wanted to try for the same, but with more modern colors. The pink climber CONSTANCE SPRY was the result of his first cross. A huge commercial success, and she had such interesting parents; again, I wanted the whole family. CONSTANCE climbs at the southwest corner of our house–parents BELLE ISIS and DAINTY MAID grow nearby.
There are as many ways to collect roses, as there are individuals. Research especially seems to encourage collectors–it’s natural to want to know more, and from first hand experience. When my deer fence was complete, I had the opportunity to collect climbers and ramblers. There are so many to choose from. Exploring the possibilities attracted me to Tea roses, which I have yet to indulge in the way I dream of.
Collecting within color stories is also interesting. Amassing the ideal white or red, the best pink, yellow or peach roses from each family, leads down pathways I won’t even begin to describe. Collecting roses is great fun; you never know where it will lead you. Surprises are a constant when you have the collecting gene.    http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/collecting.html

Selecting Roses

Pick roses for traits beyond the blooms

 

ROSA JUST JOEY

By Carolyn Parker

IN LATE SUMMER, while on a plant jaunt with my friend Mary, we were looking over the potted roses at Garden Valley Ranch in Petaluma. Mary spotted a gorgeous bloom of COLOR MAGIC and asked me if it was a good rose. I told her it’s one of the most photogenic roses, but the bloom far outranks the shrub it grows on. After years of dealing with its overactive and ungainly growth habit, I finally removed COLOR MAGIC from my garden.
Mary is often frustrated by my rose value judgments. Later, while we were having dinner at a Greek restaurant on the Petaluma River, she told me that I should write a column on the best roses in each color category. I thought, well, I could only do that from my own experience. Since I’ve been planting and removing roses from my garden at a fairly high rate for the past 20 years, I thought I’d give it a try, with your help.
The roses in my garden are planted in layers and color sections. Climbers form a backdrop for medium and large shrubs, and Miniatures and Polyanthas often border the shrubs at the front of the rose beds.

White Roses

LAMARQUE and MANCHESTER GAURDIAN ANGEL are vigorous and good repeat blooming climbers. However, the latter is quite thorny. HONOR and SNOWBIRD, both Hybrid Teas, WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL, an Austin rose, and ICEBERG, a Floribunda, are good in the 4’ to 5’ range. LITTLE WHITE PET, FLOWER CARPET WHITE, and PAQUERETTE are excellent at the front of the border.

Ivory Roses

I just want to mention two roses here, because they are so similar in color and look great together––SALLY HOLMES , a climber or large shrub, and the Floribunda, FRENCH LACE.

Pale Pink Roses

RENAE is a great, almost thornless, climber. TOURNAMENT OF ROSES is an always-in-bloom Hybrid Tea. PINK GRUSS AN AACHEN, an exquisite Floribunda, looks gorgeous planted next to Austin’s BELLE STORY. Minis, STACEY SUE and JENNIFER, are good at the front of the pale pink border.

Deep Pink Roses

ROSA ROXBURGHII, a Species rose, grown as a climber behind the Hybrid Tea YVES PIAGET, makes a stunning picture mixed with Floribunda ESCAPADE, Austin rose GERTRUDE JEKYLL, and the Bourbon rose MAGGIE. ELFINGLO, a petite Miniature rose is charming as an edging.

Red Roses

DON JAUN, and the five petaled ALTISSIMO are standouts as red climbers. The Hybrid Tea OKLAHOMA and Austin’s L.D. BRAITHWAITE are spectacular together in the mid-sized category. BABY DONNIE, a medium sized Miniature rose, while not great up close, makes a rich color statement at the front of the border.

Peach Roses

CREPESCULE and WESTERLAND are lovely climbers behind Hybrid Teas, JUST JOEY and MRS. OAKLEY FISHER. Austin’s ENGLISH GARDEN and his PAT AUSTIN are also great companions in the peach story, bordered by the delectable Miniature rose BRASS RING.

Yellow Roses

Austin’s rose, THE PILGRIM, grows well as a climber behind GRAHAM THOMAS, another Austin rose, GOLDEN WINGS, a modern shrub rose, and Floribunda JULIA CHILD. YELLOW BUTTERFLY, a Ralf Moore rose, works well in the front of the border.

Reader Favorites

Readers sent in mostly Hybrid Teas for their favorites.TIFFANY, GRAND SIECLE, MC CARTNEY, and ROYAL HIGHNESS are the pink choices. Red favorites are DUET, CHRYSLER IMPERIAL, and DOUBLE DELIGHT. ALBERIC BARBIER, a once blooming, pale yellow Rambler and the peach climber named POLKA were other favorites. After researching it on the internet, I’d like to add POLKA to my peach section.
Hopefully the roses listed here will be an inspiration as you think about what you’d like to plant for spring 2007. To research the above roses go to www.helpmefind.com/roses for numerous pictures of each rose and more information.

Rose Reference Book

An exceptional reference book on roses is the Vintage Gardens Book of Roses. Information about 3600 roses is listed, and handy illustrations show the size and form of each bush in relation to figures of people. Vintage Gardens is also a mail order nursery–log on to http://www.vintagegardens.com/.
Local nurseries stock bareroot roses in December and January. Regans, in Fremont, begins taking special orders in November.    http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/selecting.html

Gifts for Rose Lovers

Enough ideas to fill a vase

 

Oversize ornament looks at home in the garden.

By Carolyn Parker

I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT Christmas ornaments make lovely gifts. Several years ago, I purchased an aqua tinted hand-blown glass ornament for a friend. It was so beautiful; I couldn’t part with it. However, it was a bit too heavy for our Christmas tree, and remained tucked away in a cupboard. I’d take it out and admire it from time to time, and then last holiday season I finally put it on display. Not on the tree, but in the garden.
I hung it in one of the open squares at the top of our lattice gate. It became an ethereal globe catching sunlight throughout the day. When the holidays were over, I left it hanging–it seemed to belong in the garden. As time passed, the beautiful bauble reminded me of bigger, heavy glass ornaments I’d seen for sale from India. It occurred to me how pretty they’d look hanging in strategic spots amongst the roses. Unlike the more stationery gazing balls sold in nurseries, hanging spheres add an intriguing new design element, and they’re less expensive. But to buy more, I had to wait until stores were stocked with ornaments again. In November, I finally was able to search Walnut Creek and Lafayette for possibilities. And there are many.
The silver Indian globe, hanging from our fence in the picture, has a 19–inch circumference and comes from Pottery Barn. Similar ornaments from India are at Cost Plus. At Macy’s, I purchased thin glass globe ornaments, in three sizes, that look exactly like the bubbles children blow through plastic wands. I saw similar ornaments at Orchard Nursery in Lafayette. For the garden, these large, spherical glass ornaments make an unusual and exciting gift, but purchase one for yourself too!
If you want more traditional gift ideas for the rose enthusiast in your life, there are numerous possibilities. How about vases? Rose gardeners need many. They like having interesting choices for displaying their treasured roses. The vase you give might become a treasure as well. The vases I’ve been given remind me of love and friendship.

Rose Vases

Vases can be categorized as small, medium, and large. Small sizes for a single bloom or just a few stems are especially fun and intimate. They come in so many different forms. You might buy one style in multiples. Votive holders, decorative and antique drinking glasses, and demitasse cups make wonderful small vases too. Florali in Walnut Creek, and Tail of the Yak and The Gardener, both in Berkeley, have appealing containers in all sizes. If your rose lover has numerous shrubs, consider buying one of the gorgeous, large clear glass vases that Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, and Cost Plus carry. If you want to give an extra special piece, fine craft galleries and museums carry beautiful ceramics and hand-blown glass.

Rose tools

For working in the garden, it’s always nice to receive a few pairs of fresh, new rubberized cotton gloves. And with pruning season just around the corner, if your rose lover doesn’t have a pair of high quality Felco shears–they make a great gift. Both items are available at local nurseries.

Mini Roses

If you feel adventurous, consider ordering a couple of miniature rosebushes from Ralph Moore. Moore, who approaches his 100 th birthday in January, has hybridized over 500 roses, mostly miniatures. Log on to http://www.sequoianursery.biz/ for a dazzling array of possibilities.
Micro miniatures are particularly good for growing in pots. Sequoia carries three of my favorite pink micro minis.
HI is a single rose about the size of a dime with dense shiny leaves forming a shrub that’s as nice as well-pruned boxwood.
SI, which must have the smallest rose blooms in creation, is completely charming.
STACEY SUE has bigger blooms that are sweet and feminine. All three are fast growing lush shrubs, disease resistant, in constant bloom, and do very well in pots.
The minis I mentioned above are small, but at my house they fill good-sized pots. After growing for only two years, Hi is in a handsome burnished green Chinese pot that’s twelve inches high and 17 inches across. I also like to grow minis by the pair in matching pots, because it’s nice to have flexibility for display. A wonderful source for great pots is AW Pottery in Oakland. They have an enticing inventory of house and garden items and always have great bargain two-for-one sales.
The Bay Area has many fabulous gift sources for all gardeners. I hope the above ideas and sources inspire new discoveries and Happy Holidays.    http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/gift-ideas.html

Hand-tied Rose Bouquet

Gather, arrange bouquet by hand

 

Hand-tied bouquet.

By Carolyn Parker

THE MEMORY of an awkward experience arranging roses sometimes pops into my head while I'm in the process of making an arrangement. It was one of my first rose-arranging adventures, and always fuels my wish to impart how rose arranging really can be easy, fun, and very rewarding.
As I remember, an interior decorator called me and asked if I'd fill two of her client's containers with roses as a finishing touch to her design project. My mistake was in saying yes without discussing the containers she had in mind.
She brought me a shallow, clear glass bowl that had about an 8-inch diameter and a short crystal vase with a wide neck. The roses wouldn't stay put in either container, and both the water and the roses sloshed out of the bowl when we tried to transport it!
If faced with the same scenario today, I'd provide just a few roses for the bowl and suggest that she float them in place. The bowl was graceful filled with water and really didn't require many blooms. For the short vase, I would have made a hand-gathered bouquet -- one of the quickest and easiest ways to arrange roses.
Three weeks ago, I had the ultimate hand-gathering experience. I was a guest in the Willits rose garden of Pamela and Michael Temple. The Temples have carved a hillside into an enchanting realm of pathways, retaining walls and structures that support more than a thousand glorious roses. Ramblers, climbers, teas, hybrid teas and antique roses of every kind and color interweave, bubble, cascade, and spill in a celebration of beauty unique in the world. For two days, I had the privilege of photographing the Temples' paradise.

Choose the right vase

Just before a dinner party on the second evening, Pamela asked me to make arrangements for the table. I was thrilled and began to look for two suitable containers. Most of her vases were too tall for a dining table, so I searched for alternatives. Pamela loves frogs and has them in all forms. I spotted a frog teapot and a frog pitcher that would be charming on the table and a snap to arrange roses in.

Gather your roses

I filled both frogs with water, grabbed my clippers and went out into the fading light of dusk. With the frogs waiting on the deck, I plunged into the garden with the height of the pitcher in mind. I cut one rose stem the appropriate length and placed it in my hand. Then I raced around the garden, up and down the steps, from one gorgeous rosebush to another, stuffing my hand with rose stems until I could hold no more. As I went, I'd remove unwanted leaves and thorns. My frothy handful filled the pitcher with ease, and required no arranging.

Tie the stems to keep them in the vase

The teapot needed shorter stems and something to tie them together, since its shallow depth and wide neck would force the roses to pop out. Again, I went into the bounty of roses and filled my hand to overflowing. Rather than bother Pamela for string, I searched the garden for a tie. Lank daffodil leaves looked like a possibility. I tried tying one around the stems and it worked -- another frog sported a pouf of blissful roses. In less than a half-hour, the rose-laden table entertained guests. Throughout the evening, we oohed and aahed, touched, smelled, and turned the bouquets for views of each rose.
A thousand roses to choose from is definitely over-the-top; however, you can hand-gather a bouquet from only one or two rosebushes. Cylinders, like the frog pitcher, are the easiest vase shape to work with. Keep in mind how deep your container is so you can cut your stems accordingly. And you can easily recut them if they're too long. Try adding other summer flowers if you have them. Be generous and experiment!

Click here for more rose arranging articles.   http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/hand-tied-bouquet.html

Celebration of Old Roses

El Cerrito show focuses on Old Roses

 

Examples of Tea roses on display at the Celebration of Old Roses.

By Carolyn Parker

AREN'T YOUR ROSES absolutely gorgeous this year? Last year at this time, my roses had only just begun to bloom. This year, I’ve already removed enough spent blooms to fill our recycling bin! A year ago at my Mothers Day Open Garden, the roses were at their peak and entertaining a thousand visitors. With this year’s weather pattern, on Mother’s Day, my roses will be way past their prime.
Since book projects have me tethered to computer and camera, it’s just as well that I’ve decided to wait until next Mothers Day to open our garden again.
I’d like to suggest another rose adventure. This one occurs annually–the Sunday after Mother’s Day–it’s The Celebration of Old Roses at the El Cerrito Community Center. There is no other event like it in the world.
I went to my first Celebration on May 21, 1989–and yes–I can say it changed my life. When a rose lover finds herself awash in beauty and fragrance, surrounded by rose royalty–the very ancestors that lent their gorgeous genes to the creation of innumerable progeny–how could she not be inspired? I was by myself and overwhelming beauty had me laughing out loud. I couldn’t contain the joy.
California’s temperate climate has lured many dedicated rose lovers into acquiring vast collections of hard-to-come-by historical roses. And once a year, they come together in El Cerrito to share their glorious bounty. Display tables hold collections from each rose family. Gallicas, Damasks, Albas, Centifolias, Mosses, Chinas, Portlands, Hybrid Perpetuals, Teas, and many more are poised to be passionately observed. It’s a unique opportunity to see the special characteristics particular to each group.
Last year, I was enamored by Tea roses thanks to MADAME ANTOINE RÉBÉ. She grows in the red section of my garden. As she matured, I fell in love with her, wanted more Teas, and especially wanted to see many Teas together. Standing in front of the Tea rose display at the Celebration, I received an invaluable education. When reading about Teas, they’re often described as tea-scented and tea-colored. I can’t comment on a tea scent, although MME RÉBÉ is very fragrant. The colors, however, were a revelation. In observing at least thirty specimens the petals looked as if they were made of red, apricot, pink, yellow, and ivory silk that had been dipped in tea. The resulting dyes are some of the most chic and sophisticated colors. I now wish I had a section of my garden devoted solely to Tea roses.

Vintage Gardens Catalog

People often ask me where I buy my roses, because they’ve found that special roses they want are hard to find. I enjoy telling them that I’ve purchased many from vendors at the Celebration. One of my favorite vendors, Vintage Gardens, is always there. They also sell a must-have rose catalogue that experts say is the best book on roses available, for only $20.00. Over three thousand roses are described and small drawings of the roses next to human figures indicate size and growth habit. With a Vintage catalogue in hand, you can look up roses on display, to find whether they’ll work in your garden.
What’s old is new, is a phrase circulating in the nursery industry these days. This is especially true in the world of roses. Many old-fashioned roses are disease free and have structures so exquisite, they can easily take the place of more traditional garden shrubs. Many other matchless characteristics, from fragrance and decorative sepals, to fascinating leaf shapes, beg gardeners to take a look and get to know our world’s rich rose heritage.
If you have an unknown rose in your garden, bring it for identification. Like at the Antiques Road Show, your rose will receive an evaluation by experts.
I’ve mentioned rose vendors; there will be perennial and bulb vendors as well. Remember when I mentioned, in last month’s column how species geraniums are wonderful companions to roses? Robin Parer will be there with specimens from her geranium nursery. You’ll want to start a collection. Craftsmen also sell rose related items, from painted porcelain to clothing. I’ll be there selling books and taking orders for my 2008 roses calendar. I hope to see you!    http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/celebration-of-old-roses.html

Rose Bouquets

Rose Bouquets

Hand-gathered bouquet.

By Carolyn Parker

'Carolyn, would you like to redo that gladiola arrangement on the dining table?" asked Allie Corneal.
"Oh yes," was my reply. I was 9 years old and on a visit to our cheerful neighbor who lived five houses away on Edgewood Street in Beaverton, Ore.
I can still feel my exhilaration, not only because an adult trusted me with her home decor. It was just so much fun to revive the bowl of pale yellow gladiolus. Removing the lower dead flowers, clipping stems, placing the glads back in the frog to suit my youthful aesthetics, filled me with joy — and it felt natural.
My second shot at arranging came 18 years later. I wanted to decorate a buffet table with a large bountiful bouquet for a baby shower I was hosting. My references were bouquets in Impressionist paintings. I'd never actually seen the type of arrangement I had in mind, and I certainly didn't have a big vase. However, a heavy glass flour canister on my kitchen counter made a wonderful stand-in.
A garden full of flowers surrounding our little rented El Cerrito cottage provided a profusion of nasturtiums, roses, hydrangeas, fuchsias and some lush grasses. They filled the container in a burst of color and exuberance, and were a hit at the party.
You might find it strange that I regard these simple acts so highly — they were little epiphanies that seemed magical at the time, and paved the way for numerous freestyle arranging experiences in the future. But wait, there's more.
In 1980, I was asked to provide floral decorations for a big outdoor luncheon. Five large Chinese baskets holding fabric scraps in my fashion design studio came to mind. I thought, if they had 5-gallon bucket inserts, they'd make fantastic containers for a wealth of fresh material from the roadside. I wanted to use wild roses and Queen Anne's lace. I also thought I'd have to clip a few shrubs since the containers were so big.
As luck would have it, a florist friend who purchased regularly from the San Francisco flower market let me tag along early one morning to see if I could find inexpensive flowers that might help fulfill my vision. Huge bunches of pink strawflowers beckoned and were purchased.
I planned to harvest Queen Anne's lace in a Berkeley canyon, only to find that once in my car, the blooms released a swarm of insects, and it all had to be thrown out. A day later, I received a call from a friend in Santa Rosa who noticed it along the roadside there. She asked me if I wanted her to harvest some for the party. I said "Yes." She knew nothing about my thwarted attempt. Santa Rosa was cooler and the flowers had just opened.
On the morning of the party, I gathered all my materials and set up the bucket-lined baskets in a friend's garage. Once I started, the containers filled quickly, and that exhilarating "creator-for-the-moment" feeling flooded me with happiness. The big bouquets, placed on the ground near dining tables, added lush atmosphere to the event.
These three experiences were really all I had done in arranging until my garden overflowed with roses. Then the fun really began, and it's still happening. With a garden of roses and other plant material geared toward arranging, I discovered and learned ways to make stunning, high-impact but easy bouquets. Innumerable ideas for small- and medium-sized bouquets also came my way.
On May 25, I'll be demonstrating arranging ideas at Garden Valley Ranch during an all-day seminar. I hope you'll come. Also, the photo blog on my Web site has many pictures of bouquets to inspire rose-arranging fun. The home page has more seminar info.   http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/rose-bouquets.html

Roses and Drought

Watering restrictions don't faze roses.

 

Mutabalis is hardy enough to withstand drought.

By Carolyn Parker

I Surprisingly, I recently adjusted to mandatory water rationing without stress to me or the roses.
I admit, up until recently I watered my back garden every day in the summer. The front garden timer was set for every other day, but during hot weather, those sprinklers also ran daily. I won't mention the amount of supplemental hand-watering I indulged in.
My attitude was that roses love water; drought gardening is no fun to write about. Truth is, roses are drought-tolerant, especially old roses.
In Thomas Christopher's book "In Search of Lost Roses," he writes about Pamela Puryear, who found a huge specimen of Old Blush (first discovered in 1793 in China) flourishing next to an abandoned log cabin in rural Texas.
Pamela was astounded that the neglected rose had survived many years of Texas heat and drought. Since her Hybrid Teas always died in the harsh climate, she began replacing them with this more hardy type.
Rose rustlers
That was in 1969. Pamela is often credited as the first rose rustler. Soon, other enthusiastic gardeners joined her rose-searching forays, and the movement was born. They found that the sturdy once-blooming Gallicas, Albas and Centifolias did very well in drought conditions. However they were more interested in rebloomers like Old Blush.
They discovered that other China roses — Cramoisi Superieur, Hermosa, Matteo's Silk Butterflies — did very well with little water. They found that Tea roses — such as Duchesse de Brabant and Georgetown Tea — survived harsh conditions as well.
Dr. Steven George, an Extension horticulturist at Texas A&M University, took the search for hardy, drought-resistant roses a few steps further. In 1996, he began a scientific study that subjected 468 roses to extreme conditions. The roses were never fertilized, never sprayed, received no supplemental watering after the first year and were never pruned, other than to remove deadwood.
The winners
Eleven roses emerged as spectacular performers. They were introduced in 2002 as EarthKind roses. The first group included Sea Foam, Marie Daly, the Fairy, Caldwell Pink, Red Knock Out, Perle d'Or, Belinda's Dream, Else Poulsen, Carefree Beauty, Mutabilis and Climbing Pinkie.
In an article about EarthKind roses, Gaye Hammond recommends fairly standard care instructions, but her paragraph on mulch is so instructive and timely for all roses, I want to include it here:
"Maintaining a 3 to 4 inch layer of hardwood mulch on your roses will eliminate the need to fertilize the bushes with commercial or organic fertilizers. Even though roses are known as heavy feeders, we have found that maintaining a 3 to 4 inch layer of hardwood mulch (preferably containing shredded hardwood, outer bark and leaf tissue) replicates forest floor conditions. Gardeners will find during the first year the bottom inch of mulch will decompose into humus.
"If, at the end of the first year, the gardener adds another inch of mulch on top of the existing layers it should take only 6 months for the next bottom inch of mulch to decompose. After the first year, gardeners who have created this 'living mulch' cycle will only need to add 1 inch of hardwood mulch 2 times each year."
China rose
In 2005, the rose Mutabilis was named EarthKind Rose of the Year. This famous five-petal China rose, first introduced in 1894, has long been a mainstay in our garden. Coral-peach buds open yellow-peach in the morning, turn pink in the afternoon, and change to crimson as the sun goes down.
The handsome shrub is a vigorous grower with a constant supply of blooms that are often still going strong in February. The rose is also deer-resistant. Prune it to size or let it reach 6 feet or more.
Well-established old garden roses can be watered once or twice a month, or not at all. If you're watering by hand, Hybrid Tea and Floribundas like a deep watering once a week.
Water wisely
EBMUD prohibits irrigating on consecutive days or more than three days a week. That means there will be two consecutive days a week without water. That unnerved me at first, but I'm getting used to it. Many plants are hardier than we think.
Accepting that there are drought conditions has actually opened new areas of learning that are fun to write about and exciting to implement. Google EarthKind for more information, and study EBMUD's valuable resource book "Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates of the San Francisco Bay Region."   http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/rose-drought.html

Time to cultivate appreciation

Rose Sources

The diversity of roses represents infinite possibilities.

By Carolyn Parker

Recent news that my favorite rose nursery, Vintage Gardens, might have to close threw me into reflection, and then gratitude. Not only for Vintage, but appreciation for many rose resources that I’ve taken for granted. Since our faltering economy puts rose organizations and small nurseries at risk, I thought now is a good time to highlight some of these valued assets.
First, let me tell you a little about Vintage Gardens. A consuming love of roses inspired founders, Gregg Lowery and Phillip Robinson, to amass a collection unparalleled in the world. They unearthed long forgotten roses from gardens and nurseries throughout Europe, the United States, and beyond.
Their catalog, The Vintage Gardens Book of Roses, is testament to their many contributors. To name a few: Malcolm Manners provided the China rose 'Emmie Gray', from Bermuda; Pam Puryear of Texas sent 'Pam’s Pink'; California’s Muriel Humenick gave the Hybrid Tea, 'Collete Clemente'. Roses came from Roseraie de l’Hay in France, Sangerhausen in Germany, the Huntington in San Marino, CA, and the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, to name just four.
Intense curiosity, astute scholarship, and an uncanny talent for rose identification, by both Gregg and Phillip, resulted in, as Gregg writes on the Vintage Gardens website, “a collection of 3500, including every rose class from the newest to the most modern.” He goes on to say, “We value each variety and look on this as a preservation collection that provides a valuable resource to gardeners and helps to preserve our heritage of roses.”
Thanks to this remarkable nursery, I’ve had the opportunity to both experiment and specialize. At first, I wanted to try one rose from each class to gain a better understanding of rose style and bearing. Then I honed my interest into creating collections of Rugosas, Spinnosissimas, Tea roses, and Climbers. The Vintage catalog gave me historic and horticultural details on each rose class. The pages even provide illustrations of a shrub’s size and growth habit, in relation to human figures–an invaluable benefit to all rose gardeners.
The Vintage Gardens catalog is usually my first reference and my second is always helpmefind.com. Typing a rose name into their search box, instantly rewards you with information and, not one, but numerous photos of the rose you’re curious about.
Speaking of the internet, GardenWeb.com has scintillating rose forums discussing everything rosy you can think of, and more. The Antique Roses Forum is my favorite, especially when contributors send in garden photos.
As for rose organizations, three are especially worthy of note. The American Rose Society, based in Shreveport, Louisiana, has hundreds of local rose societies, across America, under its wing. The Bay Area has local ARS chapters that provide rose information and camaraderie.
The Heritage Rose Foundation is an international group that researches, preserves, and promotes the culture of heritage and antique roses. Yearly conferences highlight not only roses, but also people and places. Last April, there was a special tour of historic roses at Hearst Castle; and Fabien Ducher, nurseryman of Lyon, France spoke about his family of famed rose breeders.
The Heritage Roses Group is another fellowship of those who care about Old Roses, with small chapters across America. The Bay Area group meets bi-annually to plan the well-known Celebration of Old Roses, which takes place in El Cerrito each May.
All three organizations publish impressive monthly or quarterly journals.
After Gregg Lowery put out the announcement that Vintage Gardens might close due to faltering sales, there was an immediate response. Gregg emailed me that concerned rose lovers have “sent in a tidal wave of orders.” He feels much more hopeful about continuing more years of Vintage Gardens.
All the rose resources mentioned here, and a good number more, can be accessed from the links page on my website. When you can, enhance your rose world by supporting special rose vendors and organizations.   http://www.rosesfromatoz.com/rose-sources.html