Resource Section One
Six articles for Rose-Works readers.

Caring For Wild Roses
by Jo Williams

Wild roses are source of all other rose species. They are found in the wild, hence their name—wild roses. They have small single flowers with usually five petals. These are normally not pruned, but it is during the early stage of growth that they must be shaped so that they will not grow too wildly.

Sometimes, wild roses are easy to detect because of their color. Their colors can range from pink, yellow or white. They will become very hardy, and, given the chance, will grow into large climbers or bushes. Because of their hardiness, they become resistant to diseases and pests. The flowers will appear only during summer and will sometimes be followed by attractive hips during autumn.

Caring for wild roses can be done as with the normal roses, although wild roses can be hard to restore. You must give a lot of attention to the wild rose if you wish to bring one back.

If you want to turn your wild roses into healthy ones, you must be patient and fertilize it regularly. There are fertilizers available in the market that can be very useful in reviving your roses.

All plants and bushes need to be watered properly. Not too little, not too much, just right. Adequate water can revive the old soil in which your wild roses have grown. This will make the soil damp and refreshed. You should water slowly, taking care not to over-water.

To keep your wild roses flourishing remove surrounding bushes as they may consume the fertilizers you use taking nourishment from the rose.

Pests are everywhere and that includes on your plants. To prevent pests, you can inspect your roses for deadwood. For wild roses, it is expected to have some areas of the plant as withered and non-thriving. You should remove the dead areas to reduce pest infestation.

You can also prune your wild roses. By pruning, you can shape the rose plant rather than having it branch out and appear wild. But do remember to only prune during the proper season.

Jo Williams has an interest in Home and Garden Topics. To find out how you can get more information on cultivating your roses please visit this Growing a Rose Garden site.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Caring-For-Wild-Roses/31064

There are two main reasons we should winterize our rose plants.

1) We are protecting the plant from dying 2) We are protecting the canes from damage.

Here are some tips for winterizing your favorite rose plants:

First, you must steer clear of fertilizing during the winter because if you try to encourage new growth in the winter it will only make your roses more accessible to dying from freezer burn.

Second, you should stay away from the white plastic cones when doing your winter protection because they shut in too much heat during the winter thaw.

To winterize your rose bushes you will need to start by cutting your bushes back. Most will recommend 3 feet up from the ground. Small limbs should be removed, leaving 3-5 of the most vigorous canes. All remaining leaves need to be removed. After doing this you need to bring in extra soil or you can use mulch such as; wood chips, sawdust, shredded hardwood, or pine bark, instead of the soil, this should be mounded 15 to 18 inches high. This will provide the extra heat needed in the winter without over heating your plant later in the season.

To winterize your climbers, remove them from the lattes or what ever their support may be. Dig a trench on one side of the plant. Loosen the soil around the plant and tip it into the trench and cover them with the soil from the trench. If this is not possible, gather the tips together, tie them, and wrap in straw. The base should be covered with at least 10 inches of soil.

If you live in an extremely cold climate you may want to think about planting some of these breeds of roses, which are very hardy when it comes to harsh winters. These are just a few:

• Rugosas • Griffith Buck • Modern Roses • Centrifolias • Species Roses • Gallica • Alba • Shrub Roses

Remember do not winterize until the ground is frozen or you have had at least two good freezes.

Sara Nightingale is an avid gardener who specializes in helping newcomers to rose gardening simplify the rose gardening process and begin enjoying a beautiful rose garden. The Garden Stop

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Rose-Winterization/97895

There are a number of decisions of a design nature that determine whether or not your roses will look good. There are also special seasonal tasks, such as pruning, that are essential for success. But sandwiched between the two, are the basic cultural requirements that have to be met in order to get the most from the rose bushes. These requirements could be termed the preconditions for success.

Choosing the right location.

Roses require exposure to at least six hours of direct sunlight in hot Mediterranean climates, mostly in the morning. In regions with less light intensity, they probably need more. Roses should not be planted under trees, not only because of the shade, but also because they compete poorly with the trees' roots. For the same reason, they should not be planted too close to shrubs either.

While roses can thrive in hot, dry climates, they suffer in warm, humid ones. Gardeners can unintentionally create excessive humidity, by planting the bushes where there is insufficient movement of air, or by placing the plants too close to each other. Whatever the cause, humid conditions are ideal breeding grounds for fungi that plague roses, such as powdery mildew. It is important therefore to know the width of the plants' growth, and to fix the distance between the roses, accordingly. Do not be tempted to over-plant.

Soil conditions

To grow well and flower profusely, roses need highly porous soil. If the earth is clumpy and hard, it must be broken up and improved with massive quantities of compost. In either very heavy, clay soil, or alternatively, extremely light, sandy soil, some 60 liters per square meter, is by no means excessive. In medium, loamy soils on the other hand, about 20 liters should suffice.

While many wild species of rose are of Mediterranean origin and even harsher Central Asian climates, the cultivated varieties that make up the bulk of garden specimens are not especially drought resistant. In areas without summer rain, it is essential to supply them with regular water. Unquestionably, drip irrigation is preferable to overhead sprinklers, because not only do the latter waste more water, but they add 100% humidity into the bargain! Never forget that an improper watering regime is liable to deplete the soil of oxygen; a condition to which roses are particularly sensitive.

Mulching the soil

Covering the soil with an organic mulch helps to reduce water loss, retard weeds, and perhaps most crucially in hot climates, moderate the temperature at the topsoil level. In my view, mulching with an aesthetically pleasing material like wood chippings is preferable, design wise, to under planting the rose bushes with flowers. While in cultural terms, infinitely improved growing conditions are attained, without the roses having to contend with any competition from rival plants.

My name is Jonathan Ya'akobi. I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to help you get the very best from your garden, so you're welcome to visit me on http://www.dryclimategardening.com or contact me at [mailto:jonathan@dryclimategardening.com]jonathan@dryclimategardening.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Ya'akobi http://EzineArticles.com/?Growing-Roses-In-Dry-Climates---Preconditions-For-Success&id=1146999

Spring is the season when the splendor of rose bushes is at its height. Despite their drop in popularity in recent years, mainly due to difficulties in care and maintenance, the sight of a large group of roses in full bloom, is unquestionably one of the highlights of the gardening year. While success depends on adopting correct horticultural practices, it actually starts or ends with a clear understanding of the design role to be played by the roses.

As roses are almost always grown for their flowers and not for the shape or form of the bush, (with the possible exception of climbing roses) the primary task is to carefully choose a color scheme. Randomly throwing colors together is as unlikely to achieve satisfying results in the garden, as it would be in the sitting room. Massing a single color, creates a strong, decisive design, and is always more effective than mixing colors together in a small space. A large group of Bordeaux rose flowers by a white wall for instance, can create a dramatic focal point in the garden. White flowers on the other hand, are often used by designers as a bridge or transition between different color groups.

For roses to be most effective, they have to relate well to the other elements in the garden. They are at their best where a quiet hedge serves as a background, while they tend to look "lost" in the middle of a large lawn. Roses should be given their pride of place. Planting herbaceous flowers between the bushes, whether annual or perennial, usually weakens the composition. It is preferable in my view, to cover the ground instead with a neat mulch of wood chippings.

Thought should also be given to the flower-type of the roses to be chosen. For this reason, familiarity with the various groups is desirable. Typical of hybrid tea roses for example, are large, spectacular flowers that appear singularly on each flower bud. In small intimate spaces, the "architecture" of the individual flower assumes greater significance than in a large border, so hybrid teas are often more suited to such locations. Floribunda roses on the other hand, produce a far greater quantity of flowers from each bud, although the individual flowers are invariably smaller and less interesting in their structure. If the effect desired is a very powerful mass of color, in a relatively large space, then choosing a variety from the floribunda group, could be preferable to a hybrid tea. Furthermore, many hybrid teas are highly fragrant, whereas floribundas are rarely so.

Although roses are grown essentially for their blooms, other design functions can also be considered. If a climbing plant is desired to cover a fence or a wall, a suitable rose could well be the answer. Miniature roses can look excellent as a transition between a lawn and a shrubbery, while some species roses (that is wild roses) enhance a Mediterranean style garden with their arching, sprawling form. Rambling roses of course can be used as large-scale ground covers.

My name is Jonathan Ya'akobi. I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to help you get the very best from your garden, so you're welcome to visit me on http://www.dryclimategardening.com or contact me at [mailto:jonathan@dryclimategardening.com]jonathan@dryclimategardening.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Ya'akobi http://EzineArticles.com/?Selecting-Roses-As-Part-Of-A-Landscape-Garden-Design&id=1144240

Roses have been appreciated for generations for their beauty but that isn’t their primary attraction. Most are drawn to roses for their incredibly strong aroma which is the reason women love them so much. Nothing says I love you like a dozen roses and they will definitely give you huge brownie points. All women want to be treated as if they are very special and the gift of roses is something that all women love.

So now I have you thinking about giving your lady a rose or even a dozen roses, now you will probably want to know what the best smelling roses are. There is an association known as the All American Rose Selection that is responsible for choosing the best roses annually in the United States. The AARS has been judging roses for decades in a number of different categories as well as on diverse criteria. The Most Fabulous Smell is one of the most exciting and well liked categories and they always pick a winner.

We have a copy of the latest list from the AARS but let’s also look at some of the varieties of roses. One of the more popular types of rose is the Climbing Rose. These roses are the ones that you see growing up fences and trellises and are also found growing wild in many places in the United States. Hybrid Tea Roses are roses that cover many different varieties of roses which are created through genetic mutations and blending of different types of roses. These are among the most sought after of all roses. The Floribunda Rose features blooms with usually more than five that grow in clusters on the stem of the plant.

Going back to the 1970s, the rose known as the Double Delight won the award for smell and is suited for growing in the climates zones of 5-7. This rose is from the Hybrid Tea category and has white petals with a pale pink center and features a spicy sweet smell. The Elle Rose which one the best aroma award in 2005 has a fruity smell with light pink petals and large blooms of four inches or more. This rose is best suited in the 7-10 climate zones. If you are into very strong scents you may want to consider the Memorial Day Rose which is a Hybrid Tea rose and is good in hot climates in the 7-10 zones. This rose one the award in 2004 and has a very strong damask rose fragrance that can produce an aroma that fills the room with only a handful of petals. The first climbing rose to win since 1977 is the 4th of July rose which won the best aroma award in 1999 and is best grown in the 5-9 climate zones. This beautiful rose spans over 14 feet in width in many cases. This rose comes in red and white petals.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about aromatic roses as well as personal rose gifts at http://www.personalroses.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregg_Hall http://EzineArticles.com/?If-You-Want-Roses-That-Smell-Great-These-Are-Some-You-Will-Want-To-Consider&id=641047

Roses were spread across the U.S. when early pioneers brought their rose cuttings with them in mason jars to plant them in the new areas they were moving to. This art of propagating roses has been around since Victorian times and it remains one of the easiest and most enjoyable endeavors for anyone with a garden. This also makes for a very inexpensive way to begin your own rose garden if you can simply obtain some cuttings from a friend or relative. There are many different ways to prepare and plant the cuttings and you should try different ways to see what works for your particular garden but below I will cover one of the methods to get you started.

The method we will discuss is simply called the “Stick In The Ground Method” and is probably the simplest way to start propagating roses. Finding a good stem is the first step when it comes to prepping your rose cuttings to plant. If you have already decided that you want to propagate roses you have probably already decided on a particular plant and have access to it. What you want to look for is a stem that is healthy and green that is about twelve inches long. You should also try to get them from bushes that active growth has not yet started. Be sure that you take a stem from a bush that has been watered so that the stem will not be dry when you plant it in your garden.

Choose stems with smaller buds whenever possible and try to find one that has at least three and that it is totally free of any disease. One you have identified a stem that meets all of the criteria take a pair of very sharp pruning shears to remove it from the plant and remove the excess foliage for it. After you have cut the stem from the bush you now want to cut it down to a smaller size. Hold it with the buds pointing up and make a 45 degree cut above the top bud then do the same below the bottom one.

Now that you have trimmed it down the stem is ready to be put in the ground. Choose a place in your garden where the new rose cutting will not be subjected to any traffic from people walking through or animals. You should also be sure that the soil is very fertile and receives the right amount of sunlight. It is also crucial that the area has good drainage so that the plant does not get over saturated. To plant the cutting use a trowel to create a small hole and insert the cutting, pushing it about halfway down. Press the soil down so that is firm around the cutting and keep it hydrated.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about rose cutting as well as rose gifts at http://www.personalroses.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregg_Hall http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Propagate-Your-Roses-Through-The-=641032 Proper-Use-Of-Rose-Cuttings&id

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