rec.gardens.roses FAQ (1/3) Frequently Asked Questions
Bill Chandler
Archive-name: gardens/roses-faq/part1
Version: 0.20
Last-modified: 12 September 1994
Posting-Frequency: monthly
part1 rec.gardens.roses Frequently Asked Questions
part2 rec.gardens.roses Rose Glossary
part3 rec.gardens.roses Introduction to English Roses
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******** Frequently Asked Questions ************************************
******** rec.gardens.roses faq, part 1/3 *******************************
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--- TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Information about this document
2. Rose Care
[2.1] Why won't my rose bloom?
[2.2] How much sun do roses need?
[2.3] Which roses can be grown in shade?
[2.4] How much water do roses need?
[2.5] How do I deadhead roses?
[2.6] How do I prune roses?
[2.7] How do I protect my rose bush during the winter?
3. Diseases/Insects
[3.1] My rose has blackspot, what do I do?
[3.2] How do I get rid of aphids?
[3.3] What is eating holes in the leaves of my rose?
[3.4] Why are the leaves of my rose turning yellow?
4. Rose Characteristics
[4.1] What is the most fragrant rose?
[4.2] What kind of rose do I have?
[4.3] Are there any Blue roses?
[4.4] Are there any Black roses?
[4.5] What are David Austin roses or English roses?
5. Miscellaneous
[5.1] How do I propogate roses from cuttings?
[5.2] What is an ARS rating?
6. FAQ contributors
--- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Information about this document
This article discusses Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
in the newsgroup rec.gardens.roses.
Note: This faq is under development, much of this is under
construction and looks like it. This is a replacement for the
ROSE GUIDE that I posted in July to rec.gardens.roses.
Please post to rec.gardens.roses (or email to
chan...@austin.ibm.com) any recommendations for improving this
FAQ(parts 1,2 or 3), such as either "new or better" questions or
"new or better" answers, or recommendations that certain questions
and answers be changed or dropped. Which parts are useful and which
parts are a waste of space?
This document is posted monthly to
rec.gardens.roses, rec.answers and news.answers.
The most recently posted version of this document will eventually
be kept in the news.answers archive on rtfm.mit.edu
and should be available through anonymous ftp as
/pub/usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part1
/pub/usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part2
/pub/usenet/news.answers/gardens/roses-faq/part3
2. Rose Care
[2.1] Why won't my rose bloom?
Here are some reasons that roses don't bloom.
A. Rose plant is not getting enough sun. Roses need at least 6 hours
of direct sun a day.
B. Rose has been given too much fertilizer. Too much fertilizer can
either cause the rose to grow extra leaves and stems at the
expense of blooms.
C. Rose is a new plant. Don't expect too much from a plant during
its first year.
D. Rose is a once blooming rose. This means it will bloom only once
a year in the late spring or early summer.
[2.2] How much sun do roses need?
Roses prefer a full day of sun. As a minimum give at least
6 hours of direct sun a day. Morning sun dries the leaves which
helps prevent disease.
Most roses do poorly in shade. Plants are leggy and more prone
to fungus. Blooms are sparse.
[2.3] Which roses can be grown in shade?
Some Albas and many hybrid musks can tolerate partial shade.
A few varieties including the floribunda "Gruss An Aachen" can
be planted in partial shade.
Other roses that may grow in shade are the Rugosas,
Lyda Rose(shrub), Souvineer du Dr. Jamain(OGR), Old Blush(ER?),
Class Act(Floribunda), and Bonica(Floribunda?).
[2.4] How much water do roses need?
Water frequently, at least 1 inch/week, preferably 2 inches/week
during growing season. Water every 4-7 days during summer when
needed. About 4-5 gallons/bush/week in hot summer. Infrequent
deep watering is preferred to frequent light watering to help
promote a deep root system that will help the plant during droughts.
Try to avoid getting the leaves wet (which promotes disease)
when watering. If using a sprinkler, water in the morning so the
foliage can dry before evening.
[2.5] How do I deadhead roses?
Deadheading is cutting off flowers as they wither or don't look
as good. Old blooms left on the plant may have been pollinated and
may begin to produce seed pods(hips). The formation of hips requires
a lot of energy from the plant and slows flower production. By
preventing the formation of hips, deadheading encourages the rose
bush to grow new flowers.
To deadhead, remove the flower by making a diagonal cut
just above the next 5-leaf branch down on the stem. If this would
cause too much of the cane to be removed a 3-leaf branch can be
chosen instead. The first year cut back to the first 3 or 5-leaf
branch. In following years cut far enough down to get to a 5-leaf
branch with a leaf bud that is facing outward. This will open up
the plant.
Once blooming roses do not need to be deadheaded. They bloom
once and then they are finished bloomin for the year.
[2.6] How do I prune roses?
?? under construction
[2.7] How do I protect my rose bush during the winter?
?? The FAQ author lives in Texas and would appreciate
someone from the North contributing an answer to this section.
3. Diseases/Insects
[3.1] My rose has blackspot, what do I do?
This fungus causes black spots about 1/16 to 1/2
inches in diameter to form on the leaves and sometimes stems.
The infected leaves turn yellow around the spots and fall from
the plant. In bad cases, blackspot can severely defoliate a rose
bush. The conditions that promote blackspot are wet leaves,
splashing water and warm temperatures.
Ways to combat blackspot. These methods also apply to
preventing and treating powdery mildew.
1. Pick a variety of rose resistant to blackspot. Many
Old Garden Roses and David Austin Roses are quite resistant
to blackspot. Some yellow Hybrid Teas are especially
prone to blackspot.
2. Use watering methods that don't get the leaves wet:
drip watering, using a soaker hose, or just soaking the
ground with a light stream from a garden hose. If overhead
watering is used, do so in the morning so the leaves can
dry off before evening.
3. Remove diseased leaves immediately to prevent further
spreading of the disease. Infected leaves never get better,
they just spread the disease. Prune infected canes severely
in late winter.
4. Prune plant so there is good air flow and the sun can
reach more of the plant.
5. Remove leaves close to the ground that are more susceptible
to getting water splashed on them. Mulch well to minimize
water splashing onto leaves.
6. Keep the plant well watered. A weak or stressed plant is more
susceptible to disease.
Treatments for blackspot
1. The least toxic spray for blackspot is baking soda.
Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda and a few drops of Ivory liquid
with 1 gallon of water. Spray both sides of the leaves once
a week. The Ivory liquid helps the baking soda stick to the
leaves. Reapply after a rain.
2. Another treatments that is not very toxic is sulfur dust.
Dust roses with sulfur dust every 7-10 days.
3. Finally, there are the more toxic chemical sprays
such as funginex. They are often used once every week or two
and are very effective.
[3.2]How do I get rid of aphids?
Aphids are tiny insects about a 1/16 to 1/8 inches long, usually
light green, red or black. They come in the spring and damage tender
new growth.
Aphids are usually not difficult to control. A hard spray of
water from the hose will help remove small aphid infestations.
Ladybugs are a natural predator of aphids and are sometimes used
to remove aphids. Aphids have a mutually beneficial relationship
with ants, so ants need to be controlled if aphids are to be
controlled.
[3.3] What is eating holes in the leaves of my rose?
Leaf cutter bees cut semi-circle shaped holes in the leaves
of roses, but they pose no real threat to rose health.
[3.4] Why are the leaves of my rose turning yellow?
?? under construction
4. Rose Characteristics
[4.1] What is the most fragrant rose?
The following are some of the roses recommended as the most
fragrant rose by posts to rec.gardens.roses.
HT Double Delight(most often mentioned), HT Fragrant Cloud,
HT Mr. Lincoln, HT Perfume Delight, HT Dolly Parton, HT Tiffany
ER Evelyn, Gertrude Jekyll
OGR R.damascena Kazanlik
As a group, David Austin roses are very fragrant. So are some
of the Old Roses, especially the Damasks. Many of the Modern Roses
(such as Hybrid Teas) are only lightly fragrant.
[4.2] What kind of rose do I have?
When posting this question to the newsgroup, include as much
information about the rose as possible, such as the following:
what kind of rose is it?
(climber, Hybrid Tea, Old Garden Rose, Species, Shrub etc.)
approximate plant size (4ft tall by 4ft wide)
flower color, bud color, flower size (4 inch diameter),
approximate number of petals per flower
foliage color (light, medium, or dark green)
foliage description (dull, shiny, leathery, large, small, etc.)
how many leaflets per leaf on average (3,5,7, etc.)
once blooming (blooms once a year) or repeat blooming
thorns (many, few, large, hooked, straight)
fragrance (none, light, heavy, spicy, fruity, tea, etc.)
[4.3] Are there any Blue roses?
Though highly sought after, no blue roses exist yet. Some roses
are advertised as blue but are actually lavender or something. Most
lavender roses are difficult to grow and are quite suseptable to
disease. Some of the bluer roses are "Blue Girl", HT Blue Jay, ?? .
The genetics are just not there for producing a true blue color
in roses. It will probably be necessary to use gene splicing to
produce the first blue rose.
[4.4] Are there any Black roses?
No true black roses exist. Some roses sold as black roses are
actually dark red or maroon. The petals of many of these dark red
roses tend to sunburn easily. To see that a rose is not truly black,
hold it up next to a piece of black construction paper. To make a
dark red rose appear blacker, put its stem in water that has black
ink in it.
Below is an incomplete list of some roses that have been
mentioned when black roses are discussed. Next to some of the roses
a very subjective description of the color is given.
Black Beauty new, very deep purple, almost black
Eugene de Beauharnais China rose
Francis Dubreuil Tea rose
Guinee very, very dark red
Harry Hastings
Mirandy deep dark red
Mr. Lincoln(HT)
Oklahoma
Prince English rose. very, very dark red
Sympathie deep red climber
Taboo Popular dark rose that has deep red
flowers with darker edges. It reportedly
has nearly black buds.
Tuscany Superb Gallica? deep maroon velvet
[4.5] What are David Austin roses or English roses?
In 1969, English Roses, often called David Austin Roses, were
introduced by the English rose hybridizer David Austin.
David Austin tried to create roses that combine the best elements
of Old Garden Roses (roses varieties from before 1867) and Modern
Roses (such as Hybrid Teas, Floribundas and Grandifloras) . From
the Old Roses he wished to take some of the classic flower forms.
cupped and rosette-shaped old-fashioned flowers, often with a
multitude of petals. He also sought the strong fragrances of some
of the Old Roses. He wanted English Roses to be repeat flower well,
like the Hybrid Teas and other Modern Roses. And he wished to bring
forth English Roses with a wide variety of colors like Modern Roses,
such as yellows not very common in Old Roses.
5. Miscellaneous
[5.1] How do I propogate roses from cuttings?
?? under construction
[5.2] What is an ARS rating?
An ARS rating is a yearly rating from 1(worst) to 10(best) given
to a variety of rose. This is a U.S. national rating, combining
several district ratings. The district ratings are an average
of individual ratings given by rose growers, beginners to
experienced.
The ARS ratings are print yearly in the
"Handbook for Selecting Roses".
It can be obtained from the address below:
American Rose Society
P.O. Box 30,000
Shreveport, LA 71130-0030
phone: (318) 938-5402
6. FAQ contributors
The following individuals have made suggestions and
contributions to the FAQ (parts 1,2, and/or 3).
I have used posts from rec.gardens.roses and other miscellaneous
sources in formulating this faq. If anything in the faq looks
similar to something you have posted and you would like the credit,
send email to chan...@austin.ibm.com, and I will put your name here.
Kristine Carroll (Kris) kcar...@u.washington.edu
Bill Chandler chan...@austin.ibm.com
Cheryl Netter che...@redwood.stortek.com
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* end of Frequently Asked Questions ************************************
* end of rec.gardens.roses faq, part 1/3 *******************************
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Bill Chandler
Archive-name: gardens/roses-faq/part2
Version: 0.20
Last-modified: 12 September 1994
Posting-Frequency: monthly
This is part 2 of 3 of the rec.gardens.roses FAQ.
See part 1 for more information about this document.
***********************************************************************
******** Rose Glossary ************************************************
******** rec.gardens.roses faq, part 2/3 ******************************
***********************************************************************
This is a glossary or dictionary of rose-related terms. Hopefully, it
can be useful as a quick reference for many rose questions. Most of this
is just a rough draft and still under construction. Many of the entries
are word-for-word the same as part 1 of the FAQ. Please post to
rec.gardens.roses suggestions for improvement and corrections of any
incorrect, misleading, or unclear information. Or send email to
chan...@austin.ibm.com .
aphids:
Aphids are tiny insects about a 1/16 to 1/8 inches long, usually
light green, red or black. They come in the spring and damage tender
new growth.
Aphids are usually not difficult to control. A hard spray of
water from the hose will help remove small aphid infestations.
Ladybugs are a natural predator of aphids and are sometimes used
to remove aphids. Aphids have a mutually beneficial relationship
with ants, so ants need to be controlled if aphids are to be
controlled.
black roses:
No true black roses exist. Some roses sold as black roses are
actually dark red or maroon. The petals of many of these dark red
roses tend to sunburn easily. To see that a rose is not truly black,
hold it up next to a piece of black construction paper. To make a
dark red rose appear blacker, put its stem in water that has black
ink in it.
Below is an incomplete list of some roses that have been
mentioned when black roses are discussed. Next to some of the roses
a very subjective description of the color is given.
Black Beauty new, very deep purple, almost black
Eugene de Beauharnais China rose
Francis Dubreuil Tea rose
Guinee very, very dark red
Harry Hastings
Mirandy deep dark red
Mr. Lincoln(HT)
Oklahoma
Prince English rose. very, very dark red
Sympathie deep red climber
Taboo Popular dark rose that has deep red
flowers with darker edges. It reportedly
has nearly black buds.
Tuscany Superb Gallica? deep maroon velvet
blackspot:
Treatments for blackspot
and are very effective. Follow the directions carefully.
Since plants may build up an immunity to a single fungicide
that is used over and over, alternating between two
fungicides is often recommended. For example, use Funginex
one time, and Daconil the next, or Funginex and Orthene, etc.
blue roses:
Though highly sought after, no blue roses exist yet. Some roses
are advertised as blue but are actually lavender or something. Most
lavender roses are difficult to grow and are quite suseptable to
disease. Some of the bluer roses are "Blue Girl", HT Blue Jay, ?? .
A couple true purple roses are Cardinal de Richelieu and
Veilchenblau.
The genetics are just not there for producing a true blue color in
roses. It will probably be necessary to use gene splicing to produce
the first blue rose.
borers:
Can enter the cane through the pruned tops. Prevented by sealing
the canes with wax, white glue, or nail polish.
cutting roses:
Cut flowers in early morning or after it rains, not when
they are under water stress. Cut the stem about an inch longer
than you need. After cutting, immediately place cut flower in
warm water. If possible, with the stem under water, cut off
the bottom inch or so of the stem at an angle. This keeps air
from getting into the stem. Remove all foliage that remains
under water and would just rot. Recut the stem underwater
every day if possible. Some people add a small amount of bleach
to the water to keep down fungus and bacteria. Sugar or soda can
be used for food. Others use a commercial floral preservative.
David Austin Roses: see English Roses
deadheading: (see also hips)
Deadheading is cutting off flowers as they wither or don't look
as good. Old blooms left on the plant may have been pollinated and
may begin to produce seed pods(hips). The formation of hips requires
a lot of energy from the plant and slows flower production. By
preventing the formation of hips, deadheading encourages the rose
bush to grow new flowers.
To deadhead, remove the flower by making a diagonal cut
just above the next 5-leaf branch down on the stem. If this would
cause too much of the cane to be removed a 3-leaf branch can be
chosen instead. The first year cut back to the first 3 or 5-leaf
branch. In following years cut far enough down to get to a 5-leaf
branch with a leaf bud that is facing outward. This will open up
the plant.
Once blooming roses do not need to be deadheaded. They bloom
once and then they are finished bloomin for the year.
English Roses: (abbrev. ER) see also Modern Roses, Old Garden Roses
This new group of roses, often called David Austin Roses, was
introduced in 1969 by David Austin of England. These roses are an
attempt to combine the best traits of both Old Garden Roses and
Modern Roses. David Austin has attempted to produce roses with the
classic flower forms, fragrance, and disease resistance of the
Old Garden Roses on plants that repeat bloom like the Modern Roses.
Some of the popular English Roses are Abraham Darby, Graham Thomas,
Heritage, and Mary Rose.
fertilizer
Use a high Phosphorous fertilizer such as 5-10-5 , 8-12-4 or 4-12-4,
(Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium), (leaves,flowers,roots).
Fertilize only lightly during the first year while the plant
is getting established.
Floribundas:
Floribundas were created about 1909 by crossing the polyanthas
with Hybrid Teas. They produce flowers in clusters, not singly like
the Hybrid Teas.
fungus:
Blackspot, powdery mildew and rust are some of the more common
fungus problems that roses have. See "blackspot" for some ways of
preventing and treating fungus problems. Planting disease-resistant
roses in a sunny location with good air circulation will help
prevent funguses.
hips: (see also deadheading)
These are the rose seed pods that form after a flower's petals
fall if the bloom was pollinated. Hips are the fruit produced by
rose plants. Apple trees are members of the rosacae family and the
apple is a hip. Some varieties such as R.rugosa produce large hips
that turn brilliant colors in the fall.
Allowing the hips to develop will cause a rose to slow down or
stop producing flowers. It also helps induce dormancy, helping
prepare the rose plant for winter in colder climates. In contrast,
deadheading will keep the plant from producing hips and encourage
it to produce more flowers.
Hybrid Teas: (abbrev. HT)
Hybrid Teas are easily the most popular class of roses today.
Hybrid Teas as a group have large flowers with a high-pointed bud.
They are excellent repeat bloomers, often blooming almost continually.
They bloom one flower per stem on long sturdy stems making them
excellent for cutting. Hybrid Teas come in a large variety of colors.
Hybrid Teas are upright shrubs.
The first Hybrid Tea rose, "La France" was bred in 1867.
Japanese Beetles
A shiny copper green beetle that can eat entire flowers as well
as foliage. Can be controlled by milky spore.
leaf cutters
Leaf cutter bees cut semi-circle shaped holes in the leaves
of roses, but they pose no real threat to rose health.
mail-order sources:
A few mail-order sources for roses are listed below.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a recommendation
of the places below, just as an incomplete list to help someone
find a mail-order place reasonably close to where they live. Some
information may be out-of-date.
Canada
Hortico Springs
RR1
723 Robson Road
Waterdown, Ontario
Canada LOR 2H0
phone (416) 689-6984
Catalog for $2
Pickering Nurseries, Inc.
670 Kingston Rd.
Pickering, Ontario
Canada L1V 1A6
phone (905) 839-2111
fax (905) 839-4807
Europe
Abby Rose Gardens
Burnham
Buckinghamshire SL1 8NJ
England
Phone: (0628)603000
Clause Jardin
26, avenue Pierrre Brossolette,
91228 Bretigny Cedex,
France Paris number (1) 60 84 97 20
David Austin Roses Limited
Bowling Green Lane
Albrighton
Wolverhampton WV7 3HB
England
Phone: (0902)373931
Fax: (0902)372142
Georges Delbard
malincorne
03600 Commentry
Paris
France
Peter Beales Roses
London Road
Attleborough
Norfolk NR17 1AY
England
Phone: (0953)454707
Fax: (0953)456845
United States
Antique Rose Emporium
Route 5, Box 143
Brenham, TX 77833
(409) 836-9051
Catalog for $2. All their roses are grown
on their own roots.
Arena's Rose Company
Phoenix, AZ
email to Syl Arena, AREN...@aol.com
HT's, Floribundas, OGR's and English roses.
Edmund's Roses
6235 SW Kahle Rd.
Wilsonville, OR, 97070
Contemporary roses.
They will ship bareroot roses in either fall or spring.
Heirloom Old Garden Roses
24062 NE Riverside Drive
St. Paul, Oregon 97137-9715
503-538-1576
For $5 they send out a beautiful catalog of
Old Roses and English Roses.
Jackson and Perkins
2518 South Pacific Highway
PO Box 1028
Medford, OR 97501
Free catalog; Modern and English roses
Roses of Yesterday and Today
802 Browns Valley Road
Watsonville, California 95076-0398
Phone: (408) 724-3537 or 2755
Fax: (408) 724-1408
$2 for catalog of Old Roses.
Royall River Roses
70 New Gloucester Road
North Yarmouth, Maine 04907
text only catalog of old roses
Sequoia Nursery
2519 East Noble Ave.
Visalia, CA 93277
Mostly miniatures, also OGR's.
Ships year 'round in 4" pots.
Vintage Gardens
3003 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Sebastopol, CA 95472
antique roses
Wayside Gardens
PO Box 1
1 Garden Lane
Hodges, SC 29695-0001
Free catalog; mostly perennials,
including some roses, especially "English Roses"
mildew: see powdery mildew
miniature roses:
Miniature roses grow to only about 6"-18". The plants, leaves
are all miniatures of the larger roses. Miniature roses tend to
be quite hardy and can be grown in containers.
Modern Roses:
Refers to roses introduced since 1867 when the first Hybrid Tea
was created. Usually refers to Hybrid Tea, Floribunda, or Grandiflora
roses.
mulch:
Roses benefit from a 2-3 inch deep mulch such as pine bark,
pine needles, leaf mulch, etc. Keep the mulch a few inches
away from the stem of the plant.
Benefits of proper mulching:
1. reduced watering requirements and less water stress due to
a. milder soil temperatures
b. reduced evaporation
2. less disease from water splashing on the lower leaves
3. fewer weeds because the mulch blocks some of the
sunlight to weed seedlings.
Old Garden Roses: (abbrev. OGR) see also English Roses, Modern Roses
Sometimes called Old Roses, Old-fashioned Roses or Antique
Roses, these are the varieties of roses that existed before 1867
when the first Hybrid Tea was introduced. Some of the classes
of Old Roses are the Albas, Bourbons, Boursaults, Centifolias,
Chinas, Damasks, Gallicas, Hybrid Perpetuals, Mosses, Noisettes,
Portlands, and Tea roses. Some of the Ramblers and Rugosas are
considered Old Roses.
As a group, Old Garden Roses tend to be once blooming, though
some are repeat bloomers. They tend to be more disease-resistant and
require less maintenance than the Hybrid Teas which accounts for
some of their popularity. There are exceptions to this, especially
the China and Tea roses. The China and Tea roses are tender and
disease prone, but are very important because they provide the
repeat blooming genes to many classes of roses (notably Hybrid Teas).
once blooming: see also repeat blooming
Roses that bloom once a year, usually in the spring. They flower
on old wood, so most pruning is done just after they have finished
blooming, not in the winter.
Peace:
Peace is the most popular rose in the world. It is a Hybrid Tea
that was smuggled out of France just before the Nazi occupation and
introduced just after the end of the war. It produces large blooms
of yellow blending to pink on the edges.
planting
Bare-root
Roses that are shipped in their dormant state with no foliage.
Bare-root roses are planted during Winter or very-early Spring.
Container grown
Nurseries will often take bare-root roses from the rose
growers and place them in containers. Container grown roses
can be planted any time of the year although it is better
to plant when temperatures are moderate, usually Spring or
Fall.
powdery mildew:
This fungus forms a powdery white or grayish coating on the
upper surface of young leaves and sometimes on the buds. Infected
leaves crumple and become distorted. It thrives during high humidity
but forms on dry leaves.
See "blackspot" for treatments of powdery mildew.
propagation from cuttings
pruning
?? very much under construction
General idea: open up the bush to increase air circulation
which will help prevent disease.
Remove anything smaller than a pencil (Hybrid Teas).
repeat blooming: see also once blooming
Describes those roses that bloom more than once a year. This
varies from those that only bloom a couple times a year to those
that are in constant bloom. The terms recurrent or remontant are
sometimes used in place of repeat blooming.
rust:
This fungus is manifest by rust-colored spots on the underside
of leaves and yellow patches on the upper surface of the leaf.
soil:
Roses like rich, well-drained soil. Raised beds are ideal.
Roses prefer a P.H. of about 6.5, slightly acid soil.
spider mites:
A tiny arachnid that appears like dust under the leaves. Occurs
during hot, dry weather. Can be controlled with a water wand, or
with the miticides Avid or Kelthane.
sucker:
A sucker is a cane that starts from below the bud union. On
grafted roses, suckers should be removed since they are a different
type of rose than the main plant. With own-root roses, suckers can
be kept as they are the same type as the main plant and add vigor
to the plant.
sunlight
Roses prefer a full day of sun. As a minimum give at least
6 hours of direct sun a day. Morning sun dries the leaves which
helps prevent disease.
Most roses do poorly in shade. Plants are leggy and more prone
to fungus. Blooms are sparse.
Some Albas and many hybrid musks can tolerate partial shade.
A few varieties including the floribunda "Gruss An Aachen" can
be planted in partial shade.
Other roses that may grow in shade are the Rugosas,
Lyda Rose(shrub), Souvineer du Dr. Jamain(OGR), Old Blush(ER?),
Class Act(Floribunda), and Bonica(Floribunda?).
water:
Water frequently, at least 1 inch/week, preferably 2 inches/week
during growing season. Water every 4-7 days during summer when
needed. About 4-5 gallons/bush/week in hot summer. Infrequent
deep watering is preferred to frequent light watering to help
promote a deep root system that will help the plant during droughts.
Try to avoid getting the leaves wet (which promotes disease)
when watering. If using a sprinkler, water in the morning so the
foliage can dry before evening.
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* end of Rose Glossary ************************************************
* end of rec.gardens.roses faq, part 2/3 ******************************
***********************************************************************
Bill Chandler
Archive-name: gardens/roses-faq/part3
Version: 0.20
Last-modified: 12 September 1994
Posting-Frequency: monthly
This is part 3 of 3 of the rec.gardens.roses FAQ.
See part 1 for more information about this document.
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******** Introduction to English Roses *********************************
******** rec.gardens.roses FAQ, part 3/3 *******************************
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THIS DOCUMENT
Quite often in rec.gardens.roses, someone will make a reference
to David Austin Roses, Austin Roses, English Roses, or just ER.
These terms all refer to a group of roses first introduced in
1969 by the English rose hybridizer David Austin. These roses
have created quite a bit of interest from some rose gardeners.
This document tries to answer the following questions to those
unfamiliar with English Roses.
Questions:
1. What are English Roses?
2. What is causing the interest in English Roses?
3. What are some popular varieties of English Roses to try growing?
4. What kind of care do English Roses need?
Answers:
1. What are English Roses?
In 1969, English Roses, often called David Austin Roses, were
introduced by the English rose hybridizer David Austin.
David Austin tried to create roses that combine the best elements
of Old Garden Roses (roses varieties from before 1867) and Modern
Roses (such as Hybrid Teas, Floribundas and Grandifloras). From
the Old Roses he wished to take some of the classic flower forms,
cupped and rosette-shaped old-fashioned flowers, often with a
multitude of petals. He also sought the strong fragrances of some
of the Old Roses. He wanted English Roses to be repeat flower well,
like the Hybrid Teas and other Modern Roses. And he wished to bring
forth English Roses with a wide variety of colors like Modern Roses,
such as yellows not very common in Old Roses.
This was accomplished by crossing Old Roses, particularly those
from the 18th and 19th centuries, with Modern Roses from the 20th
century.
2. What is causing the interest in English Roses?
Interest in English Roses might be attributed to several
of their attributes.
A. Flower form
Most of the English Roses have the classic, old-fashioned
flower form of the Old Roses. English Roses usually produce
fully double flowers, some with over a hundred petals.
B. Repeat blooming
Many gardeners would not grow a rose that blooms once a
year as many Old Roses do. Many English Roses produce the
Old Rose type blooms often several times a year. How often they
repeat bloom depends on the variety.
C. Fragrance
As a group, English Roses are argueably the most fragrant
roses in the world. English Roses have a variety of Old Rose
fragrances, such as damask, myrhh, tea scent, etc. The varieties
Evelyn and Gertrude Jekyll are two of the most fragrant English
Roses.
D. Disease resistance and hardiness
Many English Roses have shown to be rather disease resistant
and cold hardy, similar to their Old Rose ancestors. Often this
means they require less care and spraying than most Modern Roses.
English Roses are often classified as Shrub Roses and can
make good overall landscape plants.
Another reason for planting English Roses is that they are new
and different, and some gardeners like to plant something that
is not found in anyone else's garden in the neighborhood.
3. What are some popular varieties of English Roses to try growing?
Those who haven't planted English Roses before may want to try
one of the popular varieties below.
'Graham Thomas' is the most popular English Rose. It was named
after one of the great experts of Old Roses. It produces clusters of
medium-sized cup-shaped flowers that are a beautiful butter yellow
when first opening, later fading to a lighter yellow. The center of
the flower opens as the flower ages. Its foliage is light-green, and
the plant has a bushy, upright growth habit with rather slender canes
and stems. It has a nice tea scent. Graham Thomas may try to be a
climber in warm climates.
'Gertrude Jekyll' has beautiful large spiral blooms of a rich,
glowing pink. Its Damask scent is one of the strongest scents of the
English Roses or any rose. It produces many sharp thorns.
'Abraham Darby' is an interesting English rose in that it is the
offspring of two Modern Roses, the Modern climber 'Aloha' and the
floribunda 'Yellow Cushion'. Its flowers have the Old Rose shape,
fully double, with many petals. The flowers are an apricot or peach
color, fading to light pink on the edges, with some yellow on the
back of the flower. It has shiny medium-green foliage. It is a
vigorous plant which can be trained as a climber. Abraham Darby has
a strong "fruity" fragrance.
'Heritage' is "perhaps the most beautiful English Rose"
according to David Austin himself. Its medium-size clear shell pink
blooms are perfectly shaped and grow on stems with few thorns. It
has a strong Old Rose scent with a hint of lemon.
'Mary Rose' is an excellent bush that produces rose-pink flowers.
It has a Damask fragrance. Mary Rose has produced many sports.
4. What kind of care do English Roses need?
The care of English Roses is similar to that of Modern Roses with
some exceptions.
?? input would be greatly appreciated on this section from those
?? who have experience growing English Roses
Disease:
As a group English Roses seem to be rather resistant to blackspot
and other diseases. Because of this, some English Roses may get by
with less spraying than most Modern Roses, or no spraying at all,
depending on the climate. As more gardeners grow English Roses,
their disease resistance will be better understood.
Hardiness:
Many of the English Roses are more hardy than most Modern Roses
and can survive harsher climates.
Planting:
While English Roses can be grown as individual plants, group
plantings of two or three plants of one variety planted closely
together are often recommended. A group planting will produce a
fuller looking growth and more flowers in an area than a single
planting.
Pruning:
Much of the beauty of English Roses is not in just the
flower, but also in the plant. English Roses should not be pruned
as heavily as Modern Roses, allowing them to assume their Shrub
Rose forms. The first couple years English Roses should be pruned
only lightly or not at all to allow the bush to fill out.
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* end of Introduction to English Roses *********************************
* end of rec.gardens.roses FAQ, part 3/3 *******************************
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