I am so excited to share with you something new in the world of roses from my good friend Paul Zimmerman… an online class.
CLASS DETAILS…
Uncover the secrets to the garden roses of your dreams with expert guidance from Paul Zimmerman, the owner of Paul Zimmerman Roses and exclusive rose consultant to the Biltmore Estate. First, find out how to shop for healthy roses at your local garden center and learn how to prepare your soil. Then, get tips for planting a variety of garden roses, discover which fertilizer is best and build a unique watering program for your plants. Next, get insider advice on pruning and grooming your roses, from selecting the proper tools to grooming your garden throughout the active growing season. Paul will share simple, effective ways to treat common diseases while still allowing your roses to develop an inner immune system. Plus, find out how to prepare your plants for dormant season and get a head start on planning next season’s garden!
For more information on the new resource, read on or click the picture below. And, if you sign up here, you’ll receive a 50% discount! 🙂
Rose season is officially here in my garden and in the rose world at large (see rose calendar below).
The rugosas are exploding, so the fireworks are on as I have quite a few to explode! 🙂
Harrison’s Yellow is still adding the sunshine and new roses are opening every day. That is something to buzz about!
Therese Bugnet
Blanc de double Corbert
Other roses taking off …
Honey Bun … Proven Winner OSO Easy Series
Honey Bun
Smoothie … Proven Winner’s OSO Happy Series
Smoothie in front of a Red Double Knockout
Little Mischief … This rose is from the Easy Elegance collection from Ping Lim. This small shrub is covered in blooms!
Little Mischief Up Close
Madame Hardy: Damask
COMING SOON TO THE GARDEN…
Celsiana (Damask prior to 1750) … This is a very large shrub just full of buds and ready to explode any day now. The fragrance of this rose is over the top! It is a one-time bloomer, but soooo worth it.
Celsiana
Lady Salisbury (David Austin) … Look at all those buds! I just cannot wait to see the delicate blooms of this rose. Hopefully, I will have pictures to share in a few days.
Lady Salisbury
Felicite Parmetier (Alba 1830s) … This is another one-time bloomer but the fragrance is out of this world!
Felicite Parmentier
ROSE CALENDAR:
Biltmore Rose Trials … Who will be the winner?
The Biltmore International Rose Trial is coming up next weekend! I have the honor of being a judge for the wonderful event under the direction of Paul Zimmerman. For more on the rose trials, read on here.
The Rose Chat Crew checking out the winners.
Miracle on the Hudson
Chris VanCleave, Lynn & Chris Hunt, Me
Me and Mr. G
Pat Shanley (ARS VP) & Jolene Adams (ARS President)
Judging
Lucas Jack, Christ Van Cleave, Teresa Byington, Paul Zimmerman
Click on any of the pictures in this group to start the gallery feature.
If you are going to be at the Biltmore next weekend, let me know so we can meet up. The Rose Chat crew will be there and we’d love to see you.
The Rose Chat Crew checking out the winners.
INDIANAPOLIS ROSE SOCIETY MEETINGS (All meetings are open to the public and we’d love to see you there!)
JUNE MEETINGS
SAT, JUNE 20, 4 PM
PROGRAM: Mark Nolen—Preparing Roses for a Rose Show
Mark, winner of numerous rose show awards including last year’s Queen of Show, will take us through the steps he takes to get his roses ready for a rose show. Don’t miss the opportunity to see Mark and Cathy’s beautiful garden.
POP BOTTLE DISPLAY: Bring your roses for “show and tell.”
SAT, JUNE 27 / 5 pm
GARDEN TOUR / PITCH-IN: Nick & Anne Stanley
A wonderful opportunity to see one of the areas most beautiful gardens.
POP BOTTLE DISPLAY: Bring your roses for “show and tell.”
ARS SPRING NATIONAL AND MINI NATIONAL CONFERENCE & ROSE SHOW Sing a Song of Roses
June 11 – 14
Columbus, Ohio Details here.
ARS FALL NATIONAL CONFERENCE & ROSE SHOW Roses in a New York State of Mind
September 10-13 Syracuse, NY Details here.
The Rose Chat crew plans to attend!
On November 20, 1986 President Ronald Reagan signed a resolution making the rose the national floral emblem at a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden…
“Americans have always loved the flowers with which God decorates our land. More often than any other flower, we hold the rose dear as the symbol of life and love and devotion, of beauty and eternity. For the love of man and woman, for the love of mankind and God, for the love of country, Americans who would speak the language of the heart do so with a rose.”
Well, I counted the days until spring and that was great but it appears spring was anxious to leave. I think we had about 1 week of spring and now it is S U M M E R! And, around here that means the roses start blooming. If the heat continues, many of the roses will bloom 3 weeks early. While they are beautiful anytime, that does not bode well for my garden tours that are coming in early June! Sorry my garden club and master gardeners buddies … not sure what you will see in June but we’ll find something! 🙂
Today I made my last garden walk before leaving for P. Allen Smith’sGarden 2 Blog event in Little Rock, Arkansas. I simply can’t wait to be back at Moss Mountain with Allen and so many of my garden friends from all around the country … and Allen’s amazing rose garden should be at peak! More about this event here. More info and more pictures to come from Moss Mountain!
Here is what I found on my garden walk today…
ROSES…
Often the first to bloom, Harison Yellow, the Pioneer Rose. Welcome back friend; it has been too long! Read more about Harison’s rich history here.
The Rugosas (fireworks of the spring garden) are showing a bit of color and hopefully will stall for a week so I can “experience” their beauty and fragrance.
Rugosa Theresa Bugnet is showing off her first bloom…
Rugosa Blanc de Double Corbert … fragrant!
Champagne Wishes … this is a rose I just bought and it came with open bloom. I think I am really going to like this lovely rose from Ping Lim’s Easy Elegance series. The tag line for this series is All the beauty but none of the work. I have several in this series and will share pictures and info as they bloom.
ROSE COMPANIONS
Some of the rose companions are coming on strong as well.
Iris…
Peonies … should be stunning when I return!
POTTING SHED BLOOM
Even the geranium cutting in the potting shed is in bloom!
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
How are things in your garden this week? Have any Rose Buzz to share?
While many o my roses are easy care, no spray varieties, I do have a few roses that are more diva like and require more of me. I love them and think they are worth it. They live in my Exhibition Bed (my only raised bed) along side a few that don’t require much at all so it all balances out.
I have an Exhibition Bed because I hope to one day have one of my roses crowned Queen of Show … someday! You gotta dream. If you wonder what beauties you might see at a rose show, check out the Indianapolis Rose Society’s posts on rose shows here. If you love roses and aren’t a member of a local rose society, I would highly recommend finding one in your area. I have learned so much from my society and the added bonus is you get to be with others who love what you love. Find more on rose societies at ROSE.ORG.
Back to the Exhibition Bed…
This winter the Exhibition Bed took a big hit. Our winter was cold but so was the Polar Vortex winter 2 years ago and they did quite well after than horrible winter. I think this year was harder because we turned super cold BEFORE we had the thick blanket of snow that we had during the Polar Vortex. And, since these roses are in a raised bed… the cold was just harder on them. My plan is to provide extra care for these roses next winter with higher mulch and maybe even a covering. Mr. G, the designer and builder of all things for my garden, will think of something! 🙂 More about Mr. G’s building stuff here.
To date I have lost 2 Gemini roses in this bed but the others are coming back… just a little slower.
Current Exhibition Bed Inhabitants…
2 Dick Clarks
1 Cherry Parfait
2 Gemini
1 Neil Diamond (Doing well!)
1 Falling in Love
2 Golden Gate (one is struggling)
1 Beverly
1 Joy (Doing very well!)
1 Corretta Scott King
As you can see from the pitiful picture below, they are indeed getting off to a sad, slow start. But, this is our benchmark … May 3, 2015 … let’s see where this goes.
May 3, 2015 … Fingers crossed!
Speaking of raised beds… Mr. G built himself 2 small raised beds for tomatoes. Look at the “decor” he added …
I see this little sign made it through the winter!
He knows me!
2014 EXHIBITION BED…
On a happier note, here are some pictures from the Exhibition Bed last summer… (If you click on one of the pictures below, it will start the gallery feature for better viewing.)
I am going to be doing some traveling in May so I have been taking advantage of every moment of good weather to get the roses on their way to a spectacular growing season.
The existing roses have been trimmed, fertilized and prayed over! 🙂 The new bareroot roses have been soaked in moo poo tea and planted.
Of the new ones, there are 4 beautiful new roses from Star Roses and Plants that I am trying this year. I am very excited about these beauties and can’t wait to share them with you…
The Icecap™ Rose is a pure white landscape shrub resulting from the combined breeding efforts of Will Radler and Meilland international.
The Peachy Keen™ Rose, an exceptionally disease-resistant landscape shrub, so impressive you’d swear it was a Knock Out® Rose!
A good moo poo start…
Many of the Hybrid Teas and Floribundas had to be cut back to the ground 4 weeks ago but they are coming back strong!
Gertrude Jekyll was cut back to about 3” from the ground and baby look at her now. She is ready to grow. And, if you know anything about this rose you know that when she’s happy you are happy. She is gorgeous! Classic old rose form and very likely the most fragrant of all the David Austins.
Gertrude Jekyll getting ready…
Here’s one that surprised me today…. The Queen of Bourbon rose appears to have a bud! This is the first “bud” in the garden so far. Exciting! Read more about her here.
Look closely. Yep, it’s a bud…
First bud on the Queen of Bourbon…
The frost came this week and those that were a bit taller like The Generous Gardener … had a bit of burn. I’ll just trim and she’ll be fine.
Late season frosts are not our friends…
Next week the temps are going to soar into the mid 70s, so we could have an early bloom cycle!
ROSE FIREWORKS
Since I am that person who counts down the days until spring—starting the day after Christmas, I am looking for ROSE FIREWORKS when spring finally comes. My old garden roses and the rugosas are happy to oblige. They are very predictable “spring fireworks.”
Look at these Rugosas! Hardly a bit of winter die back. Lush, green and on their way.
Rugosas starting out strong…
Here’s a peek over the garden fence…
Yes, the garden is waking up and we expect FIREWORKS soon!
I am so excited to share with you something new in the world of roses from my good friend Paul Zimmerman… an online class.
