Kitty Belendez
- May 5, 2020

Our Rosy World - Belendez Rose Garden Tour

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 amendments. They water their roses with automatic sprinklers plus hand watering of containers. Summer temperatures can often soar to over 110 degrees, and winters can drop to 30 degrees.

Hybrid teas and floribundas are grafted on 'Fortuniana' rootstock and are grown in the ground. Miniatures and minifloras are grown in large pots in the backyard, with some grown on their own roots and many grafted on 'Fortuniana'. Being limited to growing roses on a small 1/5th acre tract lot, Bob & Kitty have to be creative in finding space to grow them.

Miniature roses are grown in pots raised to stair-step levels.
Floribundas are grown in the roadside parkway situated between the street and sidewalk.
Tree roses are stuffed between the floribunda bushes.
Minifloras and small floribundas are grown in pots along the cement pool decking. Single-petalled roses are grown on the shady northeast side of the house where they thrive without burning.
Five climbers grow on arches at the corners of the house and up a utility pole in the backyard.
A dozen polyanthas are grown in 10-gallon containers. Large shrubs and old garden roses grow tall along block wall fencing separating neighboring properties.