At the end of the growing season I get a little frantic thinking about the long winter and start working on my list of roses to add to my garden next year. Click here to read about the preliminary list.

Before we even had the first snow I began to “weed” through my first list of ideas to get down to the nitty gritty of what I will add to the garden–armed with URLs and a stack of catalogs.

Here are the roses I couldn’t resist and have ordered for 2012!

Flamenco Shrubs (2)  from Edmund’s Roses

Clusters of old-fashioned, cherry-red blooms with a dark pink reverse are proudly displayed non-stop from spring to fall above dark green, glossy foliage. With a relaxed, open habit, this shrub rose can easily get a bit wild, but a little pruning will ensure it dances only where you want it. This performer is extremely disease resistant. A natural for borders and mass plantings. Grown own root. Flower Size: 2-4″ Fragrance: Mild Hybridizer: Beales, 2006.

The Grande Dame (2) from Rosemania

Grande Dame (Read about the one I planted last year … here.)
Everything old is new again … or is it the other way around? Here’s a clean mean flowering machine whose big bountiful beauties reek with old rose romance, style & fragrance. Each lovely blossom invites you to bury your nose…to swoon from the perfume of the ‘old time’ roses of your dreams. A big vigorous ‘shrubby’ bush whose nodding clusters, abundant deep-green leaves & low-thorned cutting stems provide a perfect touch to a landscape or bouquet.

Lady Ashe Climber from Edmund’s Roses

This sport of the free-flowering Aloha climbing rose bears large, full blooms in a beautiful blend of apricot and salmon. Enhanced by dark, glossy green foliage, the flowers are borne in flushes all season and infuse the air with their strong fragrance. An easy-care, hardy, disease resistant climber that won’t take over and can easily be trained on a pillar. Grown own root. Flower Size: 4-5″ Fragrance: Strong Hybridizer: Beales, 1996.

Eden Rose from Wayside

This climber is a nicely manageable size just right for arbors and patios. You will love the soft color and subtle fragrance, not to mention the easy-care, disease-resistant foliage! Eden reaches 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide.

Cupcake Miniature (4) from Heirloom

This minis have lovely blooms the color of medium pink icing on a cake. The flowers are borne in great abandon. One of the most beautiful of all pink miniatures. Excellent for garden or for show.

Julia Child (3) from Rosemania

Just before our wonderful American icon left us, she selected this exceptional rose to bear her name. Julia loved the even butter gold color & the licorice candy fragrance. Yet it wasn’t just the old-fashioned blooms that inspired the recipe. The perfectly rounded habit, super glossy leaves & great disease resistance finish off the dish. An awesome AARS award winner.

Doesn’t that sound beautiful! Add to all that … my friend Chris, The Redneck Rosarian, shared picture after picture after picture of his beautiful Julia Child roses last summer. I was green with envy and just had to have some for myself. Did you see his pictures??? Take a look at his blog, then look in the mirror …  you just might turn green too! Click here…

I rarely see a rose I don’t want but this year I am focusing more on disease resistant roses to eliminate the need for chemicals.

What about you, what are you adding to your garden this year?