Bolero

Bolero

Welcome to my Blog!!

When we moved to Southern Nevada, specifically Las Vegas, over 15 years ago, I quickly had to adapt to the desert and re-learn a lot of what I knew. Gardening in a hot and dry desert with poor soil can bring forth rather unique challenges. I would like to share my gardening adventures and successes as I try to add green and color to all of this brown. I will also write about my journeys elsewhere and post corresponding images. Hope you find useful information and/or enjoy reading my blog!!

Lynn

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Rose Spotlight - Chicago Peace

Chicago Peace -1962
This hybrid tea rose is a sport of the Peace hybrid tea rose. The coloring is varying, ranging from deep pink splashed with canary yellow to a softer pink, with a softer yellow. Sometimes roses on the bush appear strikingly similar to Peace. It has very pretty, dark green glossy leaves and is reported to have a mild fragrance that I have been unable to detect. My Summer climate is hot 100-110s degrees often with less than 10% humidity. The blooms of this rose are captivating, and one major plus is even when temperatures are above 100 degrees, the full-size blooms and petals do not fry in the heat


A Chicago Peace Color Variation



Click link to see another image of this beautiful rose:  Chicago Peace

Monday, June 12, 2017

For of the Love of RED... Roses!!

It seems that people love or hate red roses. When I think of the quintessential rose, in my mind, it is always the classic, long stemmed red rose with high centered blooms, that was clinched in the mouths of men, while they danced the tango. It is also the rose that appeared in many Disney films or just represents romance... love. If you walked my garden, it would be obvious that I have a strong attraction to pink, however, red roses, especially the deep dark ones, will always have a place. While I have grown many red roses, the following are top performers in this hot desert. 

But first, the Honorable Mentions:

Crimson Bouquet - A clear bright red that does not fade and holds 
                                  its color
Veteran's Honor - beautiful red, classic hybrid tea form, however, 
                                it lacks fragrance
Chrysler Imperial - dark red, lovely fragrance, however, the 
                                  blooms are unremarkable
Europeana - Magnificent sprays of blooms, very healthy dark red 
                      rose
Altissimo - Vigorous, bright red, single petal climber
Black Magic - decent repeat, dark red blooms, the bush is stiff and 
                         upright ( good for formal gardens)
Orfeo - dark red climber, nice fragrance


Now, the Best:

Firefighter - Gorgeous dark red blooms on a fairly upright,  
                      virtually thornless shrub, with a strong old rose 
                      fragrance. 
                    






Oklahoma - Gorgeous deep red, sometimes burgundy blooms.
It also has a strong, old rose fragrance.








Francis Dubreuil/Barcelona - Beautiful cupped, dark red

              blooms  held near dark green leaves. It is moderately 
               fragrant.





Munstead Wood - Beautiful, old fashion blooms that are deep velvety purpley red. It has a strong old rose fragrance. Think  I have a theme going....








Nigrette - The plant and its form is nothing special thusfar, but it is less than a year old, so I am giving it time. Why is it on the list?? Nigrette is the deepest, darkest, red rose I have encountered. It does not turn purple, it is always dark red, like a Cabernet Sauvingnon. It is moderately fragrant.









Don Juan Cl. - This climbing rose is extremely heat tolerant. The blooms are dark red and fragrant!!