ROSE ARTICLES

This article is from Roses & You, March 2019 I ordered my first bourbon rose several years ago after visiting Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire, England. It was quite an intoxicating experience. As many of you know, the Mottisfont rose garden (designed by Graham Stuart Thomas in 1972) features more than 300 varieties from all over the world, including some so ancient they are prehistoric. I had only read about most of these roses, so it was an enlightening experience to see (and

This article is from Roses & You, March 2019 First thing… Before gardening season starts, clean your pruners. Oven cleaner works very well for removing the built-up blackened sap from the blades of your pruners. Spray the cleaner on the blades and let it soak for five minutes or so, then wipe them off. If there is still more residue, spray them again and repeat. If the buildup is not all coming off, you can use steel wool or a scotch brite pad to help remove it. Rust can also

This article is from Roses & You, March 2019 Bob & Kitty Belendez, of Santa Clarita, California, are Master Rosarians and avid rose show exhibitors. Kitty is a Rose Show Judge. They have been members of American Rose Society for over 30 years. They currently grow 275 roses of all types (comprising 193 different varieties). Living in the semi-desert of Southern California, their very alkaline native soil is 100 percent sand fortified with abundant amounts of mulch and amendmen

Greetings from Southern California! Roses abound here, and I hope they will spread throughout the country as you read about the hidden rose gem class of floribundas. Floribundas are just what you desire—abundant flowers, come in many colors as well as fragrance and easy to maintain. For novice rose gardeners, the floribunda roses are the go-to group to start. Just a bit of history and maybe a "Trivia Crack" answer about the floribunda class. Floribundas were created in the 19

This article is from Roses & You, February 2019 Don't throw away that banana peel, it could help you grow better roses. The ubiquitous banana, one of the few fruits readily available all winter long, can make a wonderful supplement to your rose fertilization program. I first became aware of using banana peels on roses from a 1976 article in the garden section of the Sunday edition of the Milwaukee Journal. The article was only three paragraphs, each one sentence long, which I

This article is from Roses & You, January 2019 My love of roses began with hybrid teas. In 1993 I was fortunate enough to work for someone who was an avid hybrid tea gardener with over 300 bushes. That same year, the Louisville Rose Society hosted the ARS National Fall Convention in Louisville. How lucky was I?! It was the perfect situation to learn about growing hybrid tea roses. My first rose garden contained six hybrid teas and, with my boss as my mentor, I began my new ho

Article from Roses & You, January 2019 When recently asked what is a Consulting Rosarian (CR), my first thought was the answer to this question is obvious. However, after giving it more thought, I must agree with the description one rosarian used – a CR is a “Rose Evangelist.” This describes a person with a passion for growing roses and sharing knowledge, So, how do you become a Consulting Rosarian? There are qualifications that need to be met – as well as having a desire to