There are many flowers that mix with our roses. To begin with the dwarfs, for spring we can have Snowdrops, Muscari or Grape Hyacinths, winter Aconite, small Narcissus, and Scilla, or the dainty blue and white Chionodoxa. All these are short enough to do well under the branches of the rose trees.

For planting in the spaces between the trees (and for the first year or two these will be fairly large) such flowers as Forget-me-nots, spring Anemones, young Wallflowers, Aubrietia, and Violets can be used. Both the Violets and the Wallflowers must be taken up as soon as they have finished flowering, or their roots, particularly those of the Violet, will be inextricably entangled with those of the roses. They need not be thrown away, but can be divided or cuttings may be taken, and put out in a shady place until the autumn comes round, when they will return to their beds.

Summer friends

For summer more subdued colors must be employed, such as will not detract from the loveliness of the rose itself. The brown Wood-Sorrel, Oxalis, which is only about two inches high, makes a very pretty carpet. The leaves are shaped like a shamrock, but a rich brown, and it bears tiny yellow flowers which only come out when the sun shines on them. It is easily brought up from seed, and if sown one spring there will be no further trouble, as it comes up every year. It must not be allowed to get too thick, or to approach quite close to the stems of the roses.

There are several lowly Campanulas also suitable for carpets. Pansies and Violas, if the delicate shades are employed, they sometimes look very happy amongst the roses. Both like much the same soil, and both, specially Pansies, do not like a blaze of sun, and therefore will do very well with them. They must not be planted too close and only last year's cuttings must be set, as old plants are much too large and straggling.

Some of the smaller growing Saxifrages make a nice carpet, and are excellent for edgings. S.Caespitosa, S.Hypnoides, and others of the mossy tribe, are extremely pretty if not allowed to grow too thick. Thrift is another good edging for rose beds. Naturally it is only where the beds or borders abut on a gravel path that any edging is required and turf makes the best frame of all.

Annuals

Some annuals make very good plants for associating with roses. Shirley and Iceland Poppies, Leptosiphon, Whitlavia, and Godetia, look as well as anything, but care must be taken to see that the color of the annual harmonises with that of the roses. The Poppies, if chiefly shades of yellow and orange, should only be planted amongst cream roses or yellow roses, and the Leptosiphon, being rose pink, only amongst white roses, or those of a similar shade of pink.

Round the standards

For rose standards something taller is needed. Salpiglossis look beautiful grouped around the stem of a rose, and are such graceful quiet annuals that they enhance the beauty of flowers overhead. Coreopsis Tinctoria, which has yellow flowers with brown centers is also excellent for this purpose. The Salpiglossis give blooms of several shades if a mixed packet of seed is sown, purple, tawny, terracotta, and many other common shades. The great thing is to get these annuals up in time. It is a very good plan to buy the seedlings when a few inches high and the result is more certain.

Japanese Pinks are exceedingly pretty, and so easy to grow.Their fringed crimson and white flowers can be cut in quantities without detracting from the appearance of the rose beds, and they continue in bloom right up to the frosts. Statices are much employed instead of grasses, their innumerable tiny flowers are so light and airy, and are produced very freely. They grow from eighteen inches to two feet high, and take away from the bare effect of the rose stems very well indeed. Celosias, too, are feathery annuals to be had in various colors, and not half enough known. The golden colored variety is the most distinct and has a good effect grouped round some cream standard roses.

All these annuals should be treated as half hard. If an early show is desired, frames must be brought into use or the young plants can be bought.

When rose trees are rather far apart, plants with a greater amount of foliage and deeper roots can be used. Columbines, for instance, are well adapted for association with roses, especially when these are growing in shady places. They do not flower for so long a period as the annuals, but their leaves are very fresh, and plants which flower later can be mixed with them.

About the Author: Please visit http://www.grow-roses.com for more rose growing information.

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For brightness perhaps nothing equals Paul's Carmine Pillar rose. For a few weeks it is simply a mass of color, and that of a lovely rich pink rose. The flowers, produced the whole length of the shoots, are single and none the less beautiful for that. With its pretty golden stamens and shell-like rose petals, glossy green leaves and picturesque habit, this rose tree is one of the most artistic we have.

Turner's Crimson Rambler, one of the Polyantha roses, is also a first-rate pillar rose. Those who have tried and failed with it on a wall should bring it away, and provide it with plenty of space and a pole, and almost before we can turn round, it has scaled the heights and is looking down on us in blushing triumph. To grow it well plenty of feeding is necessary, though even in a light, poor soil, it will give a great many bunches, but the individual flowers will be smaller, and not so perfect. This is another tree in which artists delight, its habit of growth is so unconventional and free.

Aimee Vibert is a pretty little white rose, each of the under petals being touched with pink in the manner of a daisy. It blooms in clusters, and lasts some time in flower, but when the blossoms die they must be cut off by hand, as, unlike most roses, it does not shed its petals one by one. The whole flower shrivels and turns brown, and the tree naturally is an eyesore until they are removed.

Isaac Pereire, a Bourbon, is a hardy free blooming variety, with deep rose-colored flowers of large size. It blooms abundantly, and is altogether very vigorous, and suitable for a pillar. It is a Hybrid Perpetual.

Gustav Regis, a Hybrid Tea, is a climber, and can be tried as a pillar too, it should indeed be grown in every possible form, so excellent is this delightful rose.

Madame Alfred Carriere, a Noisette, is good as a pillar, and continues in flower much longer than the Hybrid Perpetuals.

The position has a good deal to do with the roses chosen. Teas, Hybrid Teas, and Noisettes should never be put in draughty, exposed situations, but in warm, sunny nooks. Hybrid Perpetuals, Bourbons, Polyantha, and Evergreen Roses do well in colder quarters.

Of the evergreen varieties, Leopoldine d'Orleans is a most vigorous, free-blooming kind. At a distance a mass of it looks like snow, so white are its petals and so profusely are they borne. Unfortunately, it does not last longer than a month in bloom, but it is well worth having nevertheless.

William Allen Richardson is sometimes recommended for pillars, but I scarcely consider it reliable enough for that position, except in very warm gardens. It is inclined to canker occasionally, and is scarcely quick growing enough to give a good effect soon. Where it does well, and there is patience, it makes a pretty picture, and of course there is no other quite the same rich shade of creamy orange.

Waltham Climber is an easy and effective rose to grow. Though a Hybrid Tea it is quite hardy, and bears sweet scented crimson roses, large and full.

About the Author: Please visit http://www.grow-roses.com for more rose growing information.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

In North America, wild roses grow from Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico, and no indigenous rose has ever been found growing south of the Equator. In 1921, in fact, the American Nature Study Society made a study of roses native to the Americas and of the 200 plus then known species, the Society found 35 that are indigenous.

In reality the history of the rose in America would probably have begun with the forty million year old fossil found at Florissant, Colorado. Then in 1492, Columbus and his crew found a rose branch and hips floating in the Sargasso Sea where they were becalmed, and carried it with them to the New World. The early English settlers also brought slips of their favorite varieties with them but found there to be many already established.

Roses were loved by many of those who forged American history. William Penn brought 18 rose bushes back from England when he returned to the colonies in 1699, and George Washington planted roses at Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson was very fond of the roses he had planted at his Monticello gardens. In fact, by 1800, John Adams had planted a rose garden at the White House, which later became a formal rose garden right outside the President’s office. This was constructed in 1913, under the auspicious eye of Mrs. Woodrow Wilson.

The first rose to be hybridized in America was a pink climbing rose. John Champneys of Charleston crossed two roses and named his seedling Champneys Pink Cluster. Unfortunately a local florist sent it to France where it was renamed and sold as Blush Noisette. This was in 1816. Another American rose that was highly prized in Europe was the Dorothy Perkins rambler. This pink climber was introduced in 1901 and became very famous on the pillars of Europe.

The rose is entwined forever into American history and in recognition of this, states have chosen them as their official flowers. Georgia chose the white Cherokee for example and North Dakota the prairie rose. Then in 1958 a bill was introduced into Congress by Senator Margaret Chase Smith and Representative Frances Bolton to designate the rose our national flower. In recognition of its rich history, the National Floral Emblem of the United States was selected by the U.S. Congress in 1986 to be “The Rose”.

About the Author: For more interesting information about roses, check us out at: http://www.rose-works.com :Helping you get the most from your roses!....cultivating, cutting, showing, arranging, photographing, using petals, oils, hips and rosewater. Free newsletter and Q & A.

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Although all kinds of gardening is my passion in life, nothing but nothing gives me greater pleasure than my beautiful rose garden. They are just so stunning, and I do really love the colors and the amazing varieties which are available.

To get the best from your rose garden however there are quite a few important pointers to bear in mind, and I would like to share some of these with you.

When the spring comes and the ground is thawed it is time to start planting your rose garden. Roses have actually been a cherished aphrodisiac since biblical times, and have been around for over 3000 years. Despite this, they still hold a particular mystery and fascination, not to mention the fact that they look and smell fantastic.

One of the most important rules of growing roses is to plant the rose bush in an area that receives around 4 to 6 hours of sunlight every day. It is also advisable not to plant too many trees or other plants around the rose bush, because many of these are likely to either mix with the rose or stifle it's growth. If you are replacing an old rose bush, approximately 1-1/2 cubic feet of old soil should be removed, and fresh soil added to replace it. When positioning your rose in the garden or landscape, make sure that you consider the growth characteristics of the rose in question.

To give you an example, place climbers and ramblers along fences, trellises, or next to arches or pergolas. This location offers them unrestricted growth and greatly increases the potential for some superb looking blooms.

Roses also look really beautiful in island beds mixed in with perennials, and miniature roses make great edging plants in front of the taller varieties. If you plant them singly, shrub roses can make excellent specimen plants, or they can be clustered to make a flowering hedge. You can also use them to camouflage unsightly parts of your garden.

Dig a hole large enough for the root mass, and loosen the bottom of the hole. I suggest that you should also add some bone meal which is a slow acting source of phosphorus. This leads to healthy root growth in the rose plant.

The plant should then be placed in the hole very carefully and the hole refilled with soil, making sure that the roots are properly covered. Water the rose plant well, and let it absorb the water before applying the final covering of soil. When this has been completed, water the plant some more and create a mound of soil about 6 inches high. The dome will keep the stems from drying out until the plant is rooted. Gradually remove the excess soil as the leaves start to open.

Special care should be taken with the planting depth, which varies considerably according to the climate you live in.

If you live in a colder area, plant a bit deeper and consult with other people growing roses in your area. If you are buying potted roses, you should plant them about 1 inch deeper than their potted level. The best time to plant roses varies depending on the winter temperature.

Where temperatures don't drop below -10 degrees F in either fall or spring, planting is satisfactory. If you live in an area where winter temperatures drop below -10 degrees F, spring planting is preferable. Plants should be planted in a dormant condition if purchased bare root, but container grown plants may be planted throughout the growing season.

Spacing of the rose plant is highly influenced by the temperature. In regions where winters are severe, the rose plant does not grow so large as when in mild climates. Taking this into consideration, hybrid tea roses should be spaced 1-1/2 to 3 feet apart, but large vigorous growers such as hybrid perpetuals will need 3 to 5 feet of space, while the climbers need from 8 to 10 feet of space.

If the winter temperature is below 10 degrees F, roses can grow healthily if proper care is taken, so the gardener must be prepared to endure that cold and probably wet experience. In colder areas, roses enjoy their last fertilization of the season by August 15th or thereabouts.

These few pointers will help to ensure that your roses grow well, and bloom nicely all summer long.

I would also like to share with you a few important additional thoughts on how you can avoid the diseases which can attack your roses.

To make sure that your most prized roses are in the pink or even red of their health, simply follow these tips on dealing with the most common rose health problems.

Black Spots On Leaves.

This disease is commonly known as black spot. Black spots appear as circular with fringed edges on the leaves, and they cause them to yellow. The solution is to remove the infected foliage and pick up any fallen leaves around the rose. Artificial sprays can be used to prevent or treat this kind of rose disease.

Stunted Or Malformed Young Canes.

Known as powdery mildew, this is a fungal disease that covers leaves stems and buds with wind spread white powder. It makes the leaves curl and turn purple. Spray with Funginex or Benomyl to treat this particular disease which could totally ruin your rose garden.

Blistered Underside Of Leaves.

A disease of roses known as rust, it is characterized with orange-red blisters that turn black in fall. In spring it will attack the new sprouts, and this disease can even survive the winter. What you should do is to collect and discard leaves that are infected in fall, and also spraying Benomyl and Funginex every 7-10 days will help.

Malformed Or Stunted Leaves And Flowers

The one most likely cause of this is the presence of spider mites. These are tiny yellow red or green spiders which cling to the underside of the leaves. They will suck the juices from the leaves, but the application of Orthene or Isotox may help in treating this infestation.

Weak And Mottled Leaves Showing Tiny White Webs Underneath.

This might be caused by aphids, which are small soft-bodied insects which are usually brown green or red. Often found clustered under leaves and flower buds, they suck plant juices from tender buds. However Malathion or Diazinon spray may help roses to survive these bugs.

Flowers That Do Not Open Or Are Deformed When They Do Open.

Thrips could be the reason behind this deformation and unopened flowers, which is characterized with slender brown-yellow bugs with fringed wings thriving in the flower buds. They will also suck the juices from the flower buds, so therefore you should cut and discard all infested flowers. Using Orthene and Malathion will also treat this health problem with your roses.

I do hope that the information I have given you regarding the diseases that you can find in roses will prove very helpful in making your rose gardening more rewarding and fruitful.

About the Author: Marie K Fisher is an avid gardening enthusiast with a passion for exotic flowers and wonderful colors. She is a regular contributor to Garden Center Showplace a leading online Garden Center. For more details of the superb range of products offered, and also more Featured Articles and Tips on Gardening visit http://www.gardencentershowplace.com

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As well as having medicinal uses, the beautiful, aromatic Apothecary’s Rose (Rosa Gallica) and other scented rose hybrids, have long been associated with beauty and romance.

Rose scented cosmetics are very popular right now, but they are surprisingly simple to make, and their greatest value is that the aromatherapy qualities keep you feeling fresh and calm through the day.

If you have an abundance of roses in your garden, or a supply of Rose Essential oil on your shelf, you can create a range of ravishing rose products to pamper yourself with.

If you are using fresh or dried rose petals you will need to infuse them in oil and witch hazel or pure alcohol, and set them in a warm place (but not in direct sunlight) for a few days. Keep testing the product to see how the aroma is doing by dipping a fresh cotton wool bud into the liquid.

If you need more aroma after about a week, strain off the petals through muslin and add more fresh petals.

Or you can just use the essential or “craft oil” (that is essential oil mixed with a carrier oil like Almond, quite aromatic enough for our purposes).

Rose Scented Skin Cleanser

A good skin cleanser is a must. Cream skin cleanser is gentle and good for most skin types. Start with plain old Sorbolene cream, available from any Chemist or herbal supply store. It’s a plain white unscented cream, which can be used as a base for almost any cream preparation. To make the basic skin cleanser, add a few drops of rose oil, and the contents of three or four Vitamin E oil capsules to a small jar of sorbolene cream. Blend well together.

Honey and Roses Cleansing Cream

To one-quarter cup of sorbolene cream, add 1 tsp Almond Oil (for the Vitamin E), a dessertspoon of warmed honey, and as much Rose oil as will give an aromatic scent. With a wooden spatula, whip the ingredients together. Put the combined cream and oils into a dark glass jar, seal and keep in a cool place.

To use, smooth some of the cream over your face and gently remove with tissues.

After cleansing your skin, you will need to use a soothing toner that will not irritate or inflame sensitive skin. This is mild and effective.

Rose Toner

Mix equal parts of witch hazel and distilled water (about 1 or two cups, depending on the capacity of the container). Add to this one-tablespoon of cider vinegar and as much Rose Oil as you desire. Store in a cool place and apply to the skin with cotton wool pads.

A gentle soothing moisturizer should be applied after the toning, to calm the skin and keep its natural oils and moisture locked in.

Rose and Oatmeal Moisturiser

Soak a half a cup of oatmeal in half a cup of distilled or spring water. Strain the oatmeal through muslin, squeezing hard to extract the milky liquid and add a tablespoon of warmed honey, and mix well. Soak rose petals in the liquid in the fridge for a day or two or just add enough rose oil scent the mixture. Apply with a piece of cotton wool.

Before you go out, don’t forget to carry the scent of roses with you.

Rose Spritzer

Steep rose petals in a cup of witch hazel or pure alcohol (you can use Vodka) for about a week, or until the aroma has permeated the liquid. Alternatively, for a quicker result, you can add a few drops of rose oil to the liquid, and go on to the next step straight away.

Add one cup distilled or spring water, and a tablespoon of aloe vera gel (you can extract it from a stem of the plant) put in a bottle, cap tightly and shake well. Keep in a very cool place, (the fridge is fine) in a bottle with a spray attachment. You can float a few rose petals in the bottle for a pretty look.

Spray on as a cooling spritzer cologne any time.

Rose scented body powder

Soak several cotton make up remover pads in rose oil and allow to dry. Use the pads to line the bottom of small lidded container like a talc box. Mix half a cup of cornstarch with half a cup of bicarbonate of soda and tip over the cotton wool pads. The powder will take up the scent, but you may have to stir or shake it now and again. Use as regular talc. The bicarb acts as a deodorant.

About the Author: From the book The Apothecary's Kitchen by Gail Kavanagh, available at http://www.lulu.com/kavanaghsattic