Rosemania

When I’m ready to purchase roses or looking for information to better care for my roses, I start with these guys:

American Rose Society was founded in 1892 and is the oldest single plant horticultural society in America. The ARS is an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the cultivation and enjoyment of roses. Rose care info here. Membership information here.

David Austin started something new in roses–English Roses.
His first rose, the fragrant Constance Spry, was released in 1961. Since then he has released nearly two hundred English Roses. Few new flowers have caused such a stir in the horticultural world. The website is full of information on English Roses, Old Roses and a few modern roses. And, you cannot beat the pictures of the David Austin rose gardens. Take a look … David Austin Roses.

Rose Petals Nursery … Preserving history one rose at a time! Rose Petals Nursery is a little specialty rose nursery in rural North Central Florida. They have a lovely website just full of interesting rose information!

Antique Rose Emporium is your mail order nursery source for Earth-Kind, Pioneer and old roses. Ever heard of a group called The Rose Rustlers? Read about them here. (Prepare to be fascinated!)

For historical roses and own-root rose information, it is hard to beat Heirloom Roses. Unlike the majority of rose growers, Heirloom Roses does no budding or grafting and sells own-root roses for hardiness and disease resistance.

Roses of Yesterday and Today have an amazing selection of old, rare, unusual and select modern roses and is where I purchased one of my first old roses. I still have one of their catalogs I received about 20 years ago. This was in pre-web days when a beautiful catalog meant everything.

Paul Zimmerman Roses is dedicated to making sure everyone knows how easy and rewarding Garden Roses are to grow. Excellent how-to videos and a rose forum joining you to other rose experts. And, you just might want to check out his latest rose book, Everyday Roses.

Rosemania is the place for rare rose care products, rose information and many roses for purchase.

S & W Greenhouse has been in the rose business for more than 25 years. They specialize in many varieties of roses, mums and many other plants. Check out their Facebook page here.

Wayside Gardens always have a nice selection of roses. I have a collection of their catalogs. Such great information and pictures. I am pretty sure it was through Wayside that I first heard of David Austin Roses.

Edmunds Roses is where I purchased the roses from the Biltmore collection, Flamenco and Lady Ashe. They have a nice selection of roses. Take a look…

Authentic Haven Brand offers a full line of all-natural, premium soil conditioner teas for the home gardener. Alfalfa has long been associated with being used in livestock feed, but many rose growers have found it to be a “secret weapon”. Alfalfa has been found to boost bloom production and increase basal breaks.

Other rose articles you might enjoy …

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?