Roses for Spring

Tradescant, English Rose

This time of year, my inner gardener gets a bit antsy.  I want to get out and work in the garden but it's often cold and it gets dark so early.  So I've been working over my list of roses I will be adding this spring. 

Before I get to the list let me say that I do not buy any of my roses from local nurseries.  I would prefer to buy locally, but it is simply the case that no nursery in Oklahoma sells the roses I want to grow.  But if you're on a budget, here are some Lowe's promotional codes to save you some money on your roses.  I might be able to find the two English Roses and Fourth of July at a local nursery but they would probably not be grown as own-root plants.  I think own root plants are better and longer living roses.  Many of the roses I like are only available from a few sources. Such as Pam's Choice which I am really looking forward to growing this year but is only offered by Rogue Valley Roses or the Dr. Griffith Buck roses which I am getting from Heirloom Roses.  For the past 17 years I have ordered my roses by phone or internet from the growers in My Favorite Rose Resources list on the right and down the page.  They come with my highest recommendations.

 I have never grown any of Griffith Buck's roses before this year.  I have often wanted to, but I think the attention they have received as being very winter hardy has caused me to hesitate before ordering.  So, under the strong influence of the good ProfessorRoush I am adding four this year. 

       Griffith Buck Roses
Distant Drums While I have not seen ProfessorRoush rave about this rose, I have always wanted to grow it.  I have always loved lavender and unusually colored roses so I will give it a try this year.

Folksinger As a lover of folk music this one was added to the list with prof's approval.

Prairie Harvest  This light yellow shrub rose produces large hybrid tea style flowers.  It's also supposed to be very fragrant.  Prof says its his favorite Buck roses so it was a must add.

Queen Bee is another of Dr. Griffith Buck's shrub roses with dark red, very doubled, cupped blooms.  I have a feeling this will be my favorite of the Buck roses.  Did I hear someone say "Boomer!" 

       English Roses
Evelyn  I have often seen Evelyn's large fragrant blossoms of soft apricot in other gardens and have always been envious.  I guess this is the year she will be added to my garden.

Golden Celebration  I am a fan of David Austin's English Roses and while I like Graham Thomas, I am looking forward to adding Golden Celebration.  I have heard that it has the same beautiful color but in a larger fuller flower on a healthier bush. 

       Unusually Colored Roses
Pam's Choice This may be the rose I am most looking forward to this year.  I have always loved the flowers of Angel Face but it performs so poorly that I haven't grown it for years.  In fact it is Angie's favorite. I'm hoping Pam's Choice can be a suitable replacement.  This will be my seventh rose from Paul Barden.  I've been very pleased with all of them so far.

Fourth of July This will be my fourth variety of striped rose in this garden.  I just can't resist the splash they provide.  It's a red and white striped climber with semi-double blooms.

       From Cuttings Given To Me
F.J. Grootendorst The first two roses here are Hybrid Rugosas.  I have grown more interested in the rugosas for their health, winter heartiness and crinkled leaves.  So this will give me the opportunity to learn more about the rugosas.

Sir Thomas Lipton  is a white bloomed vigorous growing plant with bright green foliage.  This rose is probably the farthest reach from my current comfort zone of roses. 

Maggie I was surprised to find Maggie listed as a Bourbon Roses as I was under the impression that she is a Hybrid Perpetual.  In either case, her color and form are very appealing to me.

Red Cascade This will be my only Ralph Moore rose to add this year.  Red Cascade is a red
climbing/ground cover miniature rose depending on how it is trained.

Tradescant I love Tradescant and it is the best red English Rose I have grown.  However, my plant was taken out by Rose Rosette Disease.  Before it dug it up I took a couple of cuttings from the unaffected part of the plant.  Hopefully a cutting will take and I won't have to reorder it.

If you want to see the full list of the Roses I Grow just follow the link or the tab at the top of the page.

Next week I am going to try something a little different.  I am going to begin writing a monthly entry that reflect from a gardener-pastor's perspective on a relevant scripture.  I have been wanting to do this for a little while and feel like the timing is right.  I hope each of you will enjoy it.