Garden Roses

It wasn’t until I started growing that I discovered just how different locally grown flowers are from the ones you typically see at the grocery store or flower shop.

This is not a post to bash either — but rather to showcase some of the cool things I’ve learned and perhaps you’ll learn something new as well.

I wanted to start with roses because it seems like a long stemmed red rose is the ‘staple flower’.

Don’t get me wrong, they have their place and beauty in their own way. But before I started growing flowers in general, I truly thought the tall stemmed red, yellow or white rose was representative of all roses.

And WHOA, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

There is such diversity in roses. And for me, I’ve fallen head over heels for garden roses.

I mean, how can you not when they look like that?!

I planted nearly 30 roses bushes in the spring of 2022.

And they’re really starting to get established this year.

I’ve still got an absolute ton to learn.

For staters, give them space. I gave them approximately 2.5 feet and I think 4 would’ve been much better.

The majority of my roses are the English shrub variety, as well as some floribunda.

I can’t exactly describe the difference.

I think it comes down to growing habit, but I cannot tell the difference to be honest.

I went for a mix of colors, and these Honey Dijon ones are pretty eye catching.

The petal structure is more along the lines of the classic upright red ones, but the color is unique.

I finally invested in some goat skin gloves because I was shredding my already shredded hands.

I think the major distinguishing feature between garden roses and the commercially cultivated red ones is the petal structure.

Garden rose petals are cupped.

Similar in shape to peonies and ranunculus. These are the double cupped variety, both from David Austin, the two pink ones are Queen of Sweden and the coral orange is Lady of Shallot.

Probably my most favorite is a heirloom variety called Distant Drums. Here’s what they look like in the vase upon cutting and over the course of 8 long, sweetly scented days…

Even though I’m cutting them in the morning and evening, I still miss some.

So I bring in the blown open ones to enjoy for a couple of days on my bedside table.

Here’s another view of Distant Drums when it’s opening on the plant.

The coloring changes across the bloom in the most intriguing way.

I’m still learning how to arrange with them. So far I’ve learned they need a bit of space so that they have somewhere to go when opened.

I’m also still learning how to care for the plant. Right now the biggest issue I’ve encountered is spider mites, weevils & earwigs.

The spider mites seem to set up shop on all of them, leaving nasty webs but not seeming to hurt the buds or blooms (that I’ve noticed so far).

Now the weevils seems to prefer the lighter colored roses and they inflict quite a bit of damage. I believe they lay eggs inside an opening bloom, and using their piercing & sucking mouth, they snack on and infect the bloom. This causes the flower to ‘crash’ (this is my made up term) where they start to open and then stop. It’s a sad thing to see a perfectly lush bloom beginning to open and then immediately start to die before its full display.

I have a beautiful Earth Angel rose bush with blooms that start out white and then have a blush center. Those darn weevils get it every time. I’m reluctant to spray a chemical on them so I’m trying to be ultra diligent about catching it in tight bud and harvesting quickly.