Bred from Knockout roses, Home Run rose is extremely disease resistant and in my mind one of the best new red roses for the garden, should you be comfortable with single roses (which hopefully you will be). Knockout roses, both the original and offspring such as Pink Knockout roses, are extremely disease resistant and a laugh (in more ways than one) to grow. It says something about the toughness of Knockout roses when highway departments begin planting them…see this photograph of some ridiculously healthy knockout roses as proof. Home Run roses share the basic good qualities of Knockout Roses, but also offers up lovely lovely red roses of single-form. Five scarlet petals surround bright yellow stamens. True red in the landscape is always welcome.

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: Knockout roses, Home Run roses

Moondance is a white Floribunda rose honored by the AARS in 2007. We can always use more white (and true dark red) in the garden and the loose somewhat casual nature of the blooms is a juxtaposition with the clear, precise white color. We can always use more fragrant roses, and Moondance’s fragrance is described by the AARS as ‘delightfully spicy’, and spicy it may be, but the copyrighters over there at the AARS need a swift kick in the rump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Recently I’ve covered the original Knockout rose as well as Pink Knockout rose as garden plants, and thought I’d pass on some insight into effective garden placement. This advice applies to garden roses (and indeed garden planting design) as well. The way most people plant Knockout roses is as a single specimen plant or in mass. However, a friend of mine pointedly pointed out that the newish versions of Knockout roses allow for mixing in the garden. The fortunate thing (I wonder if the breeders envisioned this) is that the color tones of different varieties of Knockout roses are sympathetic to each other. An example in the photograph to the right demonstrates a stepping down from the original Knockout rose to a Pink Knockout rose to a light pink in the background, which if memory serves me is Bonica. A really effective planting and perhaps a way to use these tough and desirable roses with some artistry in the garden.

Recently, I wrote a briefish introduction to Knockout roses, and with the introduction of Pink Knockout roses and 2007’s Rainbow Knockout roses, there is ample evidence of hybridizing efforts aimed at toning down the brash color of the original Knockout rose while maintaining the vigor and good health charactistics of this line of shrub roses. Excellent roses for beginners, although I heard an interesting point of view from a nursery woman I greatly respect that suggests Knockout roses may end up being a victim of their own success.

Read the rest of this entry »

Knockout roses have been the rage in recent years. Introduced in 1999 by Star Roses, and an AARS winner, Knockout roses have been the subject of some controversy (the ‘why’ in a bit) within the rose community. Truthfully, I had to conduct some soul-searching of my own about this rose. Even my mother started a crusade to get some type of answer out of me with regards to the Knockout rose. After much consideration, I have to (surprisingly to those who know me and even to myself) give the Knockout rose an enthusiastic thumbs up. A little late perhaps, as it seems the market has already spoken. So what exactly is the deal with Knockout roses?

Read the rest of this entry »

I have to be honest about this rose, or most accurately, I have to be honest about my sorry treatment of Livin’ Easy in my own garden. I betrayed it, I really did. Just plunked it the ground and walked away. And yet…Livin’ Easy survived, prospered even. Rewarded my miserly care with flower after flower and no diseases to hand wring over. Livin’ Easy, I’m here to make amends. You are the bomb.

Read the rest of this entry »

Prior to the introduction of China and Tea roses to Europe, roses grown there bloomed once per season; bear in mind that the climate for northern and central Europe is characterized by relatively short summers. Most roses would come out of dormancy, bloom, and go dormant again, all within a relatively short time span. While the China and Tea roses brought repeat bloom to Europe, they were not reliably cold hardy in northern reaches. Rose Autumn Damask, introduced into Europe almost two thousand years (yes, twenty centuries) before either China or Tea roses was in fact the first remontant rose introduced into Europe.

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: roses, China

Blooming once in midseason, Gallica rose Tuscany is an old, old rose. Referenced as Velvet Rose by the herbalist Gerard in 1596, Tuscany bears semi-double flowers of dark, rich, red. Golden stamens complete the picture. A larger version, ‘Tuscany Superb’ (also known as ‘Superb Tuscan’ and ‘Superb Tuscany’) is often found in Old Rose nurseries.

Read the rest of this entry »

Susan Harris over at Garden Rant did her usual exemplary job in an article on garden roses. Tons of information in the Rant’s direct style, of which I am a huge fan. Susan took the time to recommend roses that have a bit of shade tolerance. So…here’s a recommendation in homage to Susan’s article. Shrub rose Scarlet Meidiland is somewhat shade tolerant (all things being relative). It would be accurate to say that Scarlet Meidiland is more tolerant of shade than many of its brothers and sisters, but this should not be received as a recommendation to plant it in the middle of one’s fern garden. Oh, and it’s almost infallibly disease resistant.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bred by legendary breeder Griffin Buck, shrub rose Folksinger has soft buff yellow blooms that are soft and lovely. Folksinger might be the answer for those of us who appreciate a yellow rose or three. This is a rose for those who enjoy fragrance and toughness of character. Yellow roses tend to be blackspot ridden problem children. You might want to read about yellow roses and blackspot.

Read the rest of this entry »