This year I planted the Peggy Martin rose after hearing the amazing story behind the rose. Many of the historical roses I love are true survivors, but no rose has a more amazing story than the Peggy Martin Rose.
This rose was one of only two plants surviving 20 feet of salt water over the garden of Mrs. Peggy Martin, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina in late August, 2005. Peggy lost her home, her parents, her rose garden of more than 450 antique roses she had collected for 30 years, as well as their commercial fishing boat to the storm!
Peggy Martin
MEET PEGGY MARTIN…
Peggy Martin has a new rose garden of more 300 roses and has been a no-spray organic gardener for 40 years!
I will have the pleasure of chatting with Peggy Martin about her experiences on August 3 when she joins us for Rose Chat Radio. You can join us too — more information about that here.
Below is a Peggy Martin Rose that is growing in Peggy’s “new” garden…
The Peggy Martin Rose that now grows in Peggy Martin’s new rose garden….
Chamblee’s Rose Nursery acquired cuttings from the original rose in New Orleans in January, 2007. I bought mine from them this spring. They sent a very healthy little plant that has grown to be about 2.5′ high. For info on ordering this rose, read on.
This rose is obviously extremely hardy as well as a vigorous climber. The fact that it is virtually thornless makes it even more desirable for walkways or around children’s play areas! As far as blooms are concerned, the pictures tell the story of what this rose does in early summer! And I’m told this rose often comes back with another bloom cycle in late summer/early fall.
My Peggy Martin rose will be roommates with Francis E Lester on the wonderful new rose arbor Mr G built. (Read more about that here.) I think they will be very happy together! But, just may compete for space! 🙂
Neighbors…. on their way to great things!What a beautiful place to “grow up”! Thanks Mr G!You’ll see a BIG difference in me next year!
Hard to believe that June is coming to a close. I have enjoyed spending National Rose Month with you and sharing some of my favorite roses. Thank you for going on this journey with me.
What’s Next?
So far I have not seen my first Japanese Beetle but I know they are on their way, so I will be out there protecting my roses! There may not be many rose blooms to see for the next few weeks, BUT that just gives my perennials an opportunity to take center stage–stay tuned–I love to share about them too!
Here’s one of the perennials making a great show right now as a companion to my Poseidon Roses … Yarrow!
Since my garden style is cottage gardening, companions play a key role along with “all those roses.” There are some plants in my Zone 5 garden that are wonderful rose companions, but I really have to keep an eye on them. I affectionately call them my over achievers. They can and will take over! However, I have to say that after 2 years of extremely hot and extremely dry conditions, I am very grateful for my over achievers. They perform beautifully–even when other plants are giving up.
I don’t know what this summer will bring, but even if it is H O T and D R Y again, these are some plants I will be able to count on to be companions to my roses.
Top 7 Over Achievers…
#7 Daisies: A determined and prolific bloomer in most any condition. And as we learned in You’ve Got Mail, they are the “friendliest flower”!
Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flowers? -Kathleen Kelly, You’ve Got Mail 🙂
#6 Black-eyed Susans: Bright, dependable and beautiful in mass.
Beautiful in mass and peeking through fences!
#5 Catmint: Low, sprawling and brings in the bees!
Bees can’t get enough of me!
#4 Autumn Joy Sedum: Truly low maintenance and they say to hot, dry conditions, “Bring it on. We can take it!”
We can beat the heat!
#3 Yarrow: It comes in pinks, yellows, white, reds, lavender and on and on. Great to hug up to and around other flowers and roses and fill in around the edges of borders. Perfect as filler in rose arrangements.
NOTE: Recently I interviewed Baldo Villegas (leading expert for the ARS on rose insects and diseases — entomologist, gardener, horticulturalist and self professed rose nut) on Rose Chat Radio. One of the many wonderful things he said about companion planting as it pertains to the over all health of roses and other plants, was that he considered Yarrow to be one of the premiere companion plants for roses! Listen to the his entertaining and informative interview HERE.
Pink YarrowYarrow is great to fill in the edges.
#2 Moonbeam Coreopsis: Easy, breezy, long blooming and beautiful. Love Love Love! There are so many varieties of coreopsis … check them out!
Moonbeam Coreopsis around pink rose…Moonbean Coreopsis up close and personal
#1 Feverfew: Tiny little daisy-like flowers that are great fillers in rose arrangements!
Tiny little feverfew…Feverfew in arrangement…
Do you have plants in your garden that are over achievers —- one day they are all over the place and you are ready to “shovel-prune.” Then the next day they are glorious and you think you can’t live without them?
There are some plants in my Zone 5 garden that I really have to keep an eye on. I affectionately call them my over achievers. They can and will take over! However, I have to say that after 2 years of extremely hot and extremely dry conditions, I am very grateful for my over achievers. They perform beautifully even when other plants are giving up.
So, today let’s celebrate over achievers!
MY TOP 6 OVER ACHIEVERS FOR 2011 ARE:
#6 Daisies: A determined and prolific bloomer in most any condition. And as we learned in You’ve Got Mail, they are the “friendliest flower”!
# 6 Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flowers? -Kathleen Kelly.
#5 Black-eyed Susans: Bright, dependable and beautiful in mass.
#5 Beautiful in mass and peaking through fences!
#4 Catmint: Low, sprawling and brings in the bees!
#4 Bees can't get enough of me!
#3 Autumn Joy Sedum: Truly low maintenance and they say to hot, dry conditions, “Bring it on. We can take it!”
#3 We can beat the heat!
#2 Yarrow: It come in pinks, yellows, white, reds, lavender and on and on. Great to hug up to and around other flowers and fill in around the edges of borders. Perfect as filler in flower arrangements.
#2 Use us to fill in the edges.
#1 Moonbeam Coreopsis: Easy, breezy, long blooming and beautiful. Love Love Love!
#1 I have a long, long blooming season.Little Blooming Machines.
Do you have plants in your garden that are over achievers —- one day they are all over the place and you are ready to “shovel-prune.” Then the next day they are glorious and you think you can’t live without them?
