Fall/Autumn Blooms Part II

Round II - Fall/Autumn Blooms

This year, many of my roses will be moving into their third or second year. My garden is comprised of grafted and own-root varieties. Some of my own-root roses have really surprised me in terms of their vigor and heat tolerance. For 20017, I will begin a featured rose post for all of those who are specifically looking for rose varieties that can withstand or look great during the dry heat of Summer....stay tuned

Short Video: Fall/Autumn Blooms

Featured Roses:

Koko Loco          Souvenir de la Malmaison          Princess Alexandria of Kent

Young Lycidas          Archduke Charles          Annie Laurie Mc Dowell

Rita Sammons          Unknown          Radio Times

Love Song          Ebb Tide          Eyes for You

Francis Dubreuil/Barcelona          Duchesse de Brabant

lil' Hummingbird

Fall/Autumn Blooms

Fall is by far my favorite time of year in the garden. The roses are in bloom, many of the pesky insects are gone, and the air is cooler. October also ushers in prime planting time for roses and so many other plants. Why October?? Having mild Winters, planting this time of year allows plants to become better rooted prior to the Hades that Summer will bring.

November 2016

My Garden is Still a Baby

( Roses that are Thriving in this Hot Summer Climate)

Annie Laurie Mc Dowell

Aloha Cl.

Belinda's Dream - Blooms and leaves crisp during July

Archduke Charles - Heat tolerant

Bishop's Castle - This one definitely seems to prefer temperatures under 100F

Blush Noisette ( Continuous Bloomer)

Carding Mill - Gorgeous blooms!!

Chicago Peace - one of its many faces

Ebb Tide - When you must have purple...

Eyes for You

Gruss an Aachen

Love Song

Mme. Franziska Kruger 

Munstead Wood - The blooms look as if they are 2/3 rose petal 1/3 velvet!!

Nigrette - The darkest red I have seen.

Radio Times

Souvenir de la Malmaison 

South Africa

Young Lycidas - beautiful "old rose" fragrance - My favorite!!!

Roses Still Bearing the Damage from Summer

My goal with this new garden is to creation that is organic, with a focus upon improving the soil, supporting all that grows above it. Well, it is not "there" yet. The video below shows some of the damage from pesky insects and all sorts of crud. Some roses fared better than others.


Desert Roses - Post Summer... still battered

Souvenir de la Malmaison

Souvenir de la Malmaison Bourbon rose, bred by Jean Beluze. 

The soft pink multi-petaled blooms, embedded in the dark green leaves, buds swirling open, with each bloom appearing slightly different than the last. Beautiful on its own, but the pink plays so well and helps to create visual interest and garden beauty.

Souvenir de la Malmaison (1843)

Color in the Garden During Heatwaves

During July, the height of the Summer heat here, many of the roses take a break from blooming. It is during this time that other plants can provide color. Here is a short list of plants that flower during the summer heat:

Agapanthus                        Angelonia

Salvia                                 Vinca

Yarrow                                Penstemon

Russian Sage                      Mexican Sage

Mexican Sage                     Chaparral Sage

Texas Ranger                      Lantana

Gazania                               Lavender

Zinnia                                 Verbena

Petunia                                Echinacea

Society Garlic   

Upright Rosemary

Spanish Lavender

Texas Ranger

SPRING BLOOMS!!

Souvenir du Dr. Jamain - Gorgeous color. I was ambivalent about growing this one as there was so much information regarding it sneering at heat. I grow it in a position where it receives filtered sun for 7 hours and it is fine... kind of stingy with blooms.. but well worth it!!

David Austin's Carding Mill. This one is growing in my Austin's bed.

Chicago Peace. This one, along with Pink Peace are my favorites among the "Peace" clan.

Unknown rose. It was "supposed to be" Boscobel. Not... but I like the apricot, grapefruit like coloring.

Golden Celebration - gorgeous, and my is it fragrant!!

Huntington Rose. I love the shade of cool pink and the wonderful sprays of cabbagey blooms. It reminds me of peonies (which I cannot grow here).

Aloha Climbing

If I could only grow one rose, I know... shudder to think.. but it would likely be Mlle. de Sombreuil

For all you hot, hot summer gardeners, this is Chicago Peace.. in June... 100+ degrees!!!

Princess Alexandria of Kent - Very heat tolerant. I have read that it will become very large.

Souvenir de la Malmaisson - June. It is heat tolerant.

Own Root vs. Grafted Roses

Old Garden Roses - Own Root Bands or Grafted??

My quest to perfume the air with roses led me to Old Garden Roses. I was smitten by the charm, utter beauty, and found the history related to many of these roses fascinating. With fondness, I refer to many of these roses as Madame, or Mademoiselles, because it was beginning to appear that many of my favorites had French names with these salutations attached. 

The local nurseries are a hub for modern roses grafted onto Dr. Huey rootstock, with a David Austin rose; still a modern, but with a lot of old fashioned charm, thrown in here and there. I wondered, where have these roses been all of my gardening life? I quickly discovered that many, if not most are NOT sold in the United States as grafted plants by the suppliers who stock them. Most are sold as own-root plants, and many are only readily available as bands. I purchased a tiny band of a rose over a decade ago, and being accustomed to seemingly more rapid growth and size of grafted plants, lacked the patience to continue growing that rose. Fast forward 14 years. Not having much choice, as the new rose varieties I desired were only available as bands, I began to conduct research and determine how to grow roses from this stage; in earnest.

Own Root Vs. Grafted

Due to soil alkalinity, Dr. Huey root stock is commonly used to graft roses in the United States; although roses on other root stock is available . Grafted roses are definitely further along in maturity than own root bands, or even one gallon own root roses, so the instant gratification in terms of size happens quicker. A disadvantage is suckers that grow from underneath the bud union producing Dr. Huey roses, not the rose purchased. Deep watering could be beneficial, as the roots do not tend to congregate near the  planting surface.

Own root roses are often available as bands or one gallon plants, but up to five gallon roses are  sometimes available. The plant from the roots up is the rose you purchased, but it can sucker, sometimes many feet away from the bush. 

Many roses are only available either own-root or grafted, and others just perform better one way or the other. Unless the rose already has a history or reputation for better performance grafted or own- root, the choice between the two for many gardeners will likely be based upon trial and error.

There is a saying sleep, creep, and leap regarding the first, second, and third year growth for own-root roses purchased as bands. Below are examples of own-root rose growth. All of the bands (quarts) were potted up into 1 to 5 gallon pots and most were planted during Fall 2013 with one exception remaining in the pot. I find that early Fall is the best time to plant roses. It allows for the establishment of good roots prior to the mild winter and the summer heat that will arrive months later. 

La Reine Hybrid Perpetual received as a band and immediately potted in a one gallon pot. (July 2013).

Bishop's Castle band, immediately potted in a one gallon pot (July 2013).

Excellenz von Schubert ( July 2013). Sometimes they are really tiny.

Grandmother's Hat A.K.A. Barbara Worl band. It will be  placed in a one gallon pot (July 2013).

Bourbon rose Souvenir de la Malmaison band, planted in a one gallon pot (July 2013).

Paul Neyron Hybrid Perpetual, received as a band (July 2013).