Archive for the ‘Roses’ Category

Why Would I Want to Grow Hybrid Teas?

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

The hybrid tea might also be called the flower of lovers. It makes the perfect long-stemmed rose. It flowers repeatedly and can be strong with the proper care. It is the resulting combination of the tea rose and the hybrid perpetual. A hybrid tea is an ideal choice to present to the love of your life, a special gift for a mother, or just to display on your tabletop. It will add a touch of elegance to any room even as a lone flower in a vase. There are at least 237 varieties available.
If you worry about thorns, you can choose a thorn less type of hybrid tea. In my humble opinion, the thorns add to the artistic charm of the flower. It demands respect and adds character.

Be sure to take care of your newly acquired plant. You’ll want to decide what to feed it for endurance and strength and overall health. Each established gardener most likely has a favorite recipe or brand of plant food. Guard against overuse when feeding. It is possible to chemically burn your leaves or stems. The food is often concentrated and requires diluting. Watering heavily also helps dilute the food for the hybrid teas to process more easily and acceptably. You really only have to feed once in the spring and again in the fall. Some gardeners may choose to feed more often.

I trust that what you’ve read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

Pruning, feeding, proper watering, insect and disease control all sound a bit overwhelming at first. But it’s actually an easy process to learn. Like any living thing, there is a necessity for proper growth and development. Try keeping notes you feel are important about your hybrid and its care. These may even come in handy should you choose to try your luck with other flowering plants. Once you become more comfortable with the care of your plant, you’ll be better able to appreciate it.

Some hybrid teas have romantic names, such as Bride’s Dream, Bronze Star, Change of Heart, or Classic Beauty. If you like card games, perhaps your landscape would be more complete with the Ace of Hearts. Like many other things, there are hybrid teas named after famous people such as Barbara Streisand, Barbara Bush, Bing Crosby, and Bob Hope. Whatever your choice, you shouldn’t be disappointed in one of the most popular and beloved of roses.

It would probably be next to impossible to count all the things ever written about the rose. Often when one pictures a love scene, if a rose is involved, it would be a long-stemmed hybrid with or without thorns. Although they are not known for their strong scent, a hybrid tea has its own appeal in its appearance alone. Commercially, it is a welcomed rose. Shown in many pictures and used in many images, the hybrid is greatly admired. It’s image is used on gift wrap, tattoos, dinnerware, in wedding decorations, and especially on assorted items for Valentine’s Day, to name a few.

When word gets around about your command of Roses facts, others who need to know about Roses will start to actively seek you out.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO to claim your $1 trial membership!

Admiring the Old Garden Rose

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

To recreate the gardens of your ancestors, include the old garden roses. These date back for centuries, are hardier, and include a large variety. They fare well in poor conditions, are the easiest type of rose to care for, do best in rich soil that drains well, and continue to bloom for years.

Some types of the old garden rose are Mary Queen of Scots, Sweetheart Rose, American Beauty, Awakening, and Belle Amore.
The Butterfly Rose is an ancient hybrid from China, introduced in 1932. The blooms change colors from soft orange to pink to carmine, which makes it a delight to observe.

Old garden roses with the traditional appearance include:

The Duchesse de Brabant (a Gulf Coast rose with a light scent),
Belinda’s Dream (long stems, nice fragrance),
Zepherine Drouhin (unique fragrance),
Red Radiance (strong fragrance).

What classifies a rose as an old garden rose? According to the American Rose Society, these are plants introduced before 1867. They prefer light fertilization, a light feeding schedule, and patience. They bloom only when they are ready to bloom.

Judging seminars are held because it is a challenge to judge the old garden rose; therefore, the judging for it is not set in stone. Fewer judges are familiar with it than with the newer modern roses.
If your goal is to show your old garden roses for prizes, you’ll have to pay a bit more attention to them and prepare them properly for the shows. Things to look for include strong, vibrant blooms, leaves, and stems. They should have good color. Remove damaged petals (trim if necessary). The foliage should be clean. The less side growths you have on your canes, the better. A stem-on-stem condition is considered impairment. This is when new growth starts where old growth had stopped.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

A national show was held in Dallas, Texas, in October of 2006. There are district shows and local shows around the country as well. If you are interested in competing in the rose shows, you might consider joining the American Rose Society. Through such a group, you can obtain a wealth of information and contacts.

Plenty of garden groups and clubs exist for rose enthusiasts. A short list of some of these clubs are as follows:
American Horticultural Society, Arlington Rose Foundation, Phoenix Rose Society, Potomac Rose Society, Arizona West Valley Rose Society, and Humboldt Rose Society.

If you would enjoy traveling around the United States in search of gardens to view the various old garden roses, among other types, you could try the following places:

The Pageant of Roses Garden, Whittier, CA, Washington Park International Rose Test Garden, Portland, OR, Inez Parker Memorial Rose Garden, San Diego, CA, The Gardens of the American Rose Society, Shreveport, LA, Tyler Municipal Rose Garden Center, Tyler, TX, and the Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin, TX.

If traveling the United States is not an option, try the local yellow pages in your area or call or visit the Chamber of Commerce in your town to get information on local gardens, clubs, and events that feature old garden roses.

Now you can be a confident expert on Roses. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Roses.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

Gardening To Relieve Stress

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

When you think about Roses, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Roses are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

Many of us garden because we want to grow our own fruits and vegetables. An attractive landscape or curb appeal may be the goal of others. Gardening, no matter what kind, can also be therapeutic. For many people gardening relaxes the mind, body and spirit. Actually, it is not gardening that’s relaxing but the way that we approach it. If gardening is seen as a chore, it’s stressful. If we view it as enjoyable, it can help relieve stress.

Focusing on your gardening task is the key to relieving stress. Digging, chopping, and hitting motions can relieve stress and tension. In some settings, people hit dummies, slam pillows or hit into thin air but motions of gardening release stress. Strenuous activities also provide an outlet for pent up aggression. Strenuous activities are certainly not the only ways to relieve stress. Something as simple as a walk around the garden may be just what the doctor ordered. When you take your walk, be sure to absorb all the colors, fragrances and designs in the garden. You can also admire your gardening skills and this is sure to reverse the stress into a state of well being.

Here are some pointers for your stress free gardening:

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Make a short “to do” list and stick to it. Don’t try to do everything in one afternoon, evening, or weekend because this is sure to manifest as stress. Attack garden chores with the same vigor as weight-lifting, running, or swimming.
Stop and rest periodically reviving yourself with some stretching and plenty of fluids. Listening to music while gardening can add a pleasurable environment with the calming effect of your favorite tunes. Teach your children how to garden. Not only will they be learning a lifelong skill but will cherish the time spent with you.

Stress is at an all time high in the society we live in today and is the root cause of many diseases and chronic illnesses. Learn how to quite your mind and tune out the noise by having brief moments of internal silence. If you don’t have the yard or space to denote your own gardening skills, volunteer! There are many places that have horticultural therapy programs that are in need of volunteers. Schools, day cares, nursing homes and hospitals are great places to start looking to volunteer.

Gardening has many other advantages, too. Growing your own produce supplies you with fresh fruit and vegetables for your summer meals. This is always too a great avenue to share the harvest with friends and family. What’s better than home grown tomatoes from your own garden? Being out in the sun in limited amounts of time gardening also supplies you with vitamin D. Sunshine brightens your spirits and will give you that sun kissed glow. Remember moderation is key when being out in the sun.

Gardening usually requires a lot of bending and lifting. Doing it the wrong way can put a lot of strain on your lower back so a good technique for planting or weeding is to squat. Put one knee on the ground rather than bending at the waist switching knees every few minutes. Kneel on a small pillow or purchase knee pads which you can buy at a department store, hardware store, or gardening shop. Also use caution when lifting shrubs or bags of soil or waste. Try to keep your back straight and bend at your knees. Use your legs instead of your back to lift the weight. Be careful not to twist your body and if something is too heavy to lift then wait on help. Gardening is an excellent way to relieve stress for all ages but remember to do it safely and over time. Gardening can become not only a stress reliever but an fulfilling hobby to share with your friends and family.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

You CAN Grow Roses as a Groundcover

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Would you like to cut down on the areas you would normally have to mow grass? You could plant roses as a groundcover. This will produce an effect that is quite pleasing to the eye. Roses as a groundcover won’t kill underlying weeds, therefore you will still need to prepare your ground to cut down on the chances of weeds growing underneath your groundcover.

They can grow out as wide as six feet and upwards as high as 2 feet. This may help you decide how many plants you’ll want to buy for adequate coverage.

The image of a rose plant is usually that of a rosebush, not as a groundcover. This is a fairly new concept. The beauty of it, of course, is more than just the benefit of coverage, but also that of gracing your yard with the ever-popular rose.
Why use a groundcover at all? It helps prevent erosion on banks, grows low, and covers a wide area. The groundcover rose is not to be misinterpreted as a ground-hugger.

It’s best to choose for repeated blooming and disease resistance. Pruning may still be necessary, depending on the effect you desire. Of course, to keep the groundcover looking its best, monitor for dead stems.

Some available choices for groundcover roses are: Flower Carpet Coral, Flower Carpet Appleblossom, The Fairy, Baby Blanket, Red, White, or Pink Meidiland, Foxy, My Rosy Carpet, and Sea Foam.

It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Roses. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

If you want strong fragrance, be sure to check on that feature before you purchase your groundcover rose. Many modern roses are simply not bred for a strong fragrance, but more so for your viewing pleasure.

Groundcover roses do tend to be quite thorny. Thorns for a true rose grower are but a minor inconvenience. If you’ll need access to the areas or plants nearby, you’d do well to consider placement so you aren’t continually fighting the abuse from being pricked and scratched. Weed removal is more of a challenge with this type of plant.

A particular favorite among groundcover roses seems to be the Flower Carpet Series. However, Rosa ‘Glacier Magic’ has a spectacular white flower. It is said to have glossy, large, self-cleaning flowers that are highly pest and disease resistant. The white blooms help the plant stand out and demand attention. It’s like adding a light to the darkness of a non-blooming groundcover!

Some groundcover roses don’t resemble your traditional expected vision of a rose. For example, the Rosa ‘Nearly Wild’ has fewer petals and opens wide. It’s a colorful vision that is still a joy to own.

When deciding where to plant your groundcover roses, remember to avoid areas where foot traffic would be a hindrance or vice versa. Consider whether you’ll need to drag a water hose out to the area. If so, you may want to purchase a soaker hose, and make sure it will be the proper length. If you’ll have a big area to maintain or if your groundcover will be spread out to include various areas of your yard, the purchase of a wheelbarrow could be an asset. Gloves that protect against thorns may be needed. Such items as a hoe for weeding, clippers for pruning, and knee pads could be necessary purchases.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on Roses. Compare what you’ve learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of Roses.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, still having the Free Adsense Templates available for instant download

Have You Heard of Floribundas?

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding Roses. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about Roses.

The American Rose Society did not at first accept the term ‘floribunda’. Is a rose that is crossbred a true rose? I suppose that would be a matter of opinion. Roses are highly crossbred. A floribunda could be dubbed the modern rose. You might think of it as an enhanced rose, bred to bring out the best in a flowering plant.
So, what is a floribunda? Although many varieties have been developed, a floribunda is a hybrid that was originally a cross between a polyantha and a tea rose. There was a man who developed many varieties in 1920; his nickname became Papa Floribunda.

This flower is grown mainly for garden color. The floribunda grows lower, which can be a positive attribute. Known as a cluster rose, the floribunda tolerates neglect better than any other rose type except shrub roses. A floribunda is a good landscape choice because it can provide an almost nonstop source of color.

Positive aspects of the floribunda include: abundant flowers, long-lasting blooms, versatile for landscaping, can be used as a hedge or just to accent the landscape, some have a more intense fragrance than most other roses, and they have a delicate appearance.

Negative aspects include: not eligible for Queen of Show, need plenty of feeding, fare far better on a regular feeding schedule (be sure to consider this if you are the type of person who forgets to feed your plants or just doesn’t have the time to devote to a regular feeding schedule), takes 3 years to reach maturity, has shorter stems, and has a small size.
Floribundas will be healthier with good air circulation; so when pruning, it helps to leave the center of the bush open. If you have trouble remembering when to prune, prune near a holiday or a special day during the pruning season. If you leave the older canes when pruning, you are rewarded with larger amounts of color later. Also, take care to remove a cane that rubs another. Pruning will aid in air circulation, which helps to cut down on insects and disease as well.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Roses, keep reading.

Other things to remember to maintain healthy floribundas that are grown in pots are: plenty of root space, good drainage, a pot that is heavy enough to sustain against wind should the pot be kept in an area more susceptible to windy conditions, a pot that is wide enough to provide stability. [ A word of caution: saucers under pots can invite root rot.]
Even in floribundas, chemicals are needed to control problems. Concentrates must be applied with care so as not to cause leaf burn.

Some interesting names of existing floribundas are: Playboy, Playgirl, Pure Poetry, Eye Paint, French Lace, Show Biz, Cherish, and Trumpeter.

If you wrap your roses in paper or foil, then plunge them deep into water, it will keep their stems from sagging should you desire to display them.

The word floribunda alone could be a helpful source of entertainment for a gardening parent. Give your child a pencil and piece of paper while you garden and ask he/she to see how many words they can make from the letters in the word floribunda!

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, still letting you get the Automated Traffic Blueprints for cheap

Arranging Flowers For Dummies

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

Have you been intimidated by the thought of putting together a flower arrangement but experienced failure before you even bought the flowers? Arranging flowers is not that difficult with a little guidance and some great ideas! Displaying your flowers can be fun especially when being creative in stylish but simple ways.

The first thing to start with is finding some basic household containers for your fresh cut flowers. Don’t be limited to the typical glass vase but expand the horizons of your creativity and just start to look around you. Grandma’s old water picture makes a great country look or a sterling silver pitcher for a more traditional look. Simple candle votive holders with a single flower in it at each place setting at your dinner party, adds a touch of elegance. Old cans and bottles can be quite nostalgic. The ideas are endless without the expense of purchasing a vase. Choosing flowers with large heads like lilies, orchids or sunflowers individually put in a container all lined up is quite stylish.

Using vintage teapots, tumblers or even old jam jars can create a conversation piece. Be sure to cut the stems short so the flowerheads skim the top of the container. Jar or glass containers can be put inside baskets for a unique fall look or spring assortment.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Roses now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

If you have a suitable vase but the color is just not right, try wrapping it with ribbon, string or a scarf. This adds a nice visual interest and distracts the eye from the vase. You could even stick the vase inside a decorative gift bag for that goes with your theme or decor.

It is much easier to coordinate the color of flowers once you have the vase design set. Another great idea, yet simple, is to cover the outside of the vase in double-sided adhesive tape. Then stick large leaves vertically around. Some household leaves look wonderful because of their exotic markings, coloration or glossiness. If you have no leaves, wind plain string or colored in coils around the bottles of jars. Adding beads or shells can add an ethnic look. Satin parcel ribbon or even honeysuckle vines will work. Go with where your interests lie.

If this is all not simple enough for you or you have had a few disasters in your demonstration, then a lovely way of displaying flowers is to cut off individual flower heads and float them in a low dish of water. Adding small floating candles is very romantic and brings a peace and tranquillity into your arrangement and your home.
Flower arranging is not something you can really fail at if the flowers you love are mixed with the people you love. Whether the arrangement is for your home or elsewhere, enjoy your creation and the time you spent creating it. Stop and smell the flowers is a cliché we have all heard but oh so true! In this fast paced world, take time to enjoy the scents, beauty and diversity of flowers.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just joined this Free Website Traffic generation site

The Basics of Designing Gardens

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Roses to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Roses experts.

Just like the Nike ad says “Just Do It,” this is exactly the perspective one needs in getting good at garden designs. You can always move plants around your gardens and as your ideas and taste change, your gardens can grow with you. There are some simple elements of garden design. Think of designing your garden with living art in mind being creative and free to try whatever suits your taste. There are no limitations to the creativity that’s’ within, no comparison or fear of failure. Although gardening successfully requires learning certain skills, when all is said and done a garden’s beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Just go for it and let your gardens be the expression of you.

Garden design and its principles used may be called by different names. There are three basic concepts when combined together will bring about good garden design. Ultimately your gardens’ design is up to you and should reflect your own personality and flare.

I trust that what you’ve read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

Order, balance and proportion are the basic structure of the garden. Order is symmetrical through repeating plants or colors. Bold or bright additions bring balance as well as adding some texture. Texture is an important ingredient. Gardens come to life with different textured plants much like the human race. All different but flowing together and being brought together through unity and harmony creating comfort and peace.

When all of the parts of the garden are flowing together it is captivating and ones’ spirit is caught up in the beauty.
Using a limited color pattern, repetition of plants and a clear focal point creates this environment. Theme gardens are very soothing: all one color, butterfly gardens or cross gardens keep you flowing in like unity.You’ll also hear a lot of talk about starting your garden with good bones. That basically means creating an outlining foundation, with trees, structures, paths, etc. for the rest of the garden to build off of. Evergreen is a favorite of the good bones.
Having a focal point is a big benefit for every garden. With no focal point the eye starts to wonder here and there without every getting a grasp of a main feature. This is not creating the harmony you desire for your gardens or creating any curb appeal. Beginning gardeners seem to pick the same flowers or foliage over and over again which has no visual interest. Planting an architectural, bold leafed plant, can restore this visual interest instead of the monotony of likeness.

Last, but not least, is adding color to your gardens. Experimenting with your favorite colors is a good way to see what works best for you. The best advice to heed though is to start out with 2-3 colors to keep the artist palette limited. You can always add new colors to your gardens by eyeballing it along the way. This way you keep the living painting flowing in the harmony you wish to relate. You will then have a peaceful retreat that you have created and enable others to share that intimate part of you.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this URL Shortening Service, working exactly like TinyURL.com!

The White Rose Is Not Just Another Flower!

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

Because white is a symbol of purity, honor, and innocence, white roses are often the type of flower chosen for weddings. They seem to exude cleanliness, freshness, and sophistication. A bush loaded full with white roses is an outstanding sight to behold! One might think of them as having heavenly beauty.

The beginning of a new relationship, a fresh start, a baby’s birth, could be celebrated with a gift of breathtaking white roses. They can bring an air of importance to any event, or to your outdoor scenery. They can bring out the best in a formal setting and add a teasing glimpse of bright color and beauty to an informal setting.
White roses are used in garlands, as adornments for hair, decoration on hats, or in corsages and boutonnieres. When used fresh, they can only last a few hours.

Proper preparation for long use of fresh white roses includes:

1. Soak the stem in room-temperature water for a few hours prior to use.

2. Wrap the end of the stem or stems tightly in florist’s tape to contain the moisture.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I’m sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

3. Slip wires discreetly beneath the florist’s tape and pierce the calyx. [The calyx is the outer group of protective leaves of a flower.] The wire helps stiffen the stem.

There is such a thing as a glass lapel vase. When refilled, often it will keep the flowers strong for days.
White roses can be ordered and shipped overnight. It is possible to find them for about forty dollars a dozen. They can be mixed with other colored flowers to brighten an arrangement.

White on roses that aren’t mean to be white can signify downy mildew. This condition is brought on by hot days and cold nights; possibly there will not be enough air circulation. There is a fungicide available. Always read the labels to determine that it will be what is best for your particular climate and plant. As with any chemical, you should use a fungicide with care. Using mulch around the roots is helpful to protect against this condition.

An interesting white rose is a Cherokee rose. It comes from the Orient, made its way to Florida, and escaped to become the wild rose of the South. Soldiers during the Civil War planted this rose on the graves of fallen comrades. Indian legends have been made about this white rose. Also in the south, there is a leafy white rose native to North Central Texas. The most famous rose gardens are in Tyler, Texas, known for its field-grown roses. An autumn rose festival is held there each year. It is not unusual to see wild white roses running wild in south Texas, at a height of up to eight feet. White roses do indeed add a wild grace to an untamed countryside.

Early Christians used to shun the rose, believing it a symbol of pagan corruption. The belief was also that the rose grew thorn less in the Garden of Eden and acquired thorns to remind people of their sins. How ironic that the white rose, indeed that any rose used to be shunned and is now a welcome symbol in many ways.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this URL Shortening Service, working exactly like TinyURL.com!

About the Rose Market

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

It is amazing that something as simple and quietly elegant as the rose, a simple flower, has such a huge market. Not only in the flower itself, but in the products, the word itself which sparks stories, poems, and songs, and the fact that the rose plays an enormous part in romance.

There is an endless array of products and services that center on the popularity of the rose. It has been long admired by folks from all walks of life. It sells. It sells on skin as tattoos, in jewelry, in decals, on clothing, in hair products, bath products, perfumes and deodorizers, on fabric, room decorations, at funerals, in weddings, at parties, carved into furniture, in paintings and drawings, even in children’s color books, stories, and movies. Roses are everywhere and anywhere and are a welcome item in an abundance of shapes, forms, sizes, colors. The rose sells inside, outside, and all year-round. It sells in rain, sleet, fog, snow, hot or cold weather.

The rose market is an abundant one, to say the least. Any holiday is appropriate for selling roses. Whoever decided the rose has symbolism according to its colors provided an outpouring for sales. Naming the roses was another brilliant idea for the market.

The rose sells itself, although plenty of advertisement goes into the sale of the rose and its products and by-products.
The rose is a winner whether it is alive or dead. Even the black rose has meaning. Dried roses can be used for products as well. Then you have the products that result from processing the rose. Rose oils and rose waters are at least two such products.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Roses. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

Health stores enjoy the benefits of the rose market. It is widely known that rose hips are high in Vitamin C. Rosehips are the ‘fruit’ that develops once the petals have fallen off the rose flower, about the size of a cherry, and similar in taste to a cranberry. Indeed there are many vitamins on the market that tout the addition of rose hips. Even Vitamin C itself can have the added appeal of rosehips.

Although, not a popular idea anymore, many recipes can be made using rosehips. You must remove all seeds to avoid discomfort when digested. This shouldn’t scare a person from experimenting with the recipes. Many foods must be properly prepared to avoid digestive problems.

Should you decide to be adventurous enough to try cooking with rosehips, here is a list of the possibilities: syrup, applesauce, pudding, fruit leather, soup, bread, tea, pie, candy, and jelly. Rose berries were eaten as dinner vegetables in World War II, to enhance good health.

The rose market for plants alone is enormous. Potted, climbing, as bushes, wild, cuttings, or as seeds.
The rose spreads joy in many ways, for many reasons, in many forms. No one is too old or young to be touched by a rose in some way, shape or form. It is indeed one of the most wondrous creations.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson (Click on the link to learn more about me)

How to Care for an Antique Rose

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

When one thinks of an antique, a rose might not immediately come to mind. But antique roses have been around for centuries. Shakespeare used the word ‘eglantine’ when speaking of the rose in his sonnets and plays. Eglantine is described in the dictionary as a European rose with sweet-scented leaves and pink flowers.

If you aren’t familiar with the word ‘emporium’, it means a large store with a wide variety of things for sale. There are antique rose emporiums to delight rose growers. You can buy an antique rose already rooted from a rose emporium.

How does one prepare to grow an antique? First choose an area that allows for several hours of morning sunlight. It is best to give the plant room for healthy air movement as the bush will grow and develop. Break the soil well; a tiller is helpful should you desire to plant many plants in one area. It’s better to have rich soil in which to grow your antique. The antique will do better if you add good quality organic material and if the soil has proper drainage.

When does one prepare the area for planting the antique? It’s best to prepare in the spring or summer if you live in a southern climate. When you are new to planting, it is an easy assumption that all planting should be done in the spring. But it depends on the climate of the area where you live. If you are buying seeds, there are usually helpful maps on the back of the seed packets to use as a guide. If you are buying from a nursery, be sure to ask there. Of course, you could always try looking it up online or going to the local library or enlisting the advice of an established gardener.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Roses than you may have first thought.

How long can you keep an antique in a container before planting outdoors? If needed, you can keep an antique in a container for several months. You’ll want to give them more attention than once you get them established outdoors. Remember to fertilize and water frequently—and don’t forget proper drainage and air flow around the plants!

Should you add mulch to your antique roses? A true-blue gardener would gasp at the neglect to add mulch! It cuts down on weeds. This may seem strange since it aids the growth of one type of plant and inhibits the growth of another. Mulching also means less stress to your roots from the heat.

How often would one water an antique? It helps to deep-soak your antique once a week—that means saturating the ground in which you have planted your rose. Several hours or overnight should do the trick. This is where it is extremely helpful to have a soaker hose for soaking more than one plant at once.

An antique rose is not disease free, but it is disease resistant. It’s still important to watch for insect or other damage. Should you spray, it is preferable to use a mild fungicide. If in doubt, read the labels on the product carefully. Prune your antique lightly and respectfully. It won’t bloom well if the new growth has to endure damage from heat or frost.

About the Author
Have you visited Anders’ latest site yet? This one is great if you need new fresh Free Adsense Sites