BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Roses Rose Gardener in Winter

What does everyone who enjoys rose gardening do to pass the winter? I'm usually ready for a gardening break by the fall, but I still can't seem to stay away entirely.

Once my roses are prepped and set up for winter, catalogs are always fun. I enjoy just flipping through and envisioning new plants to add next year. Perhaps considering yanking out and replacing a plant that has been really frustrating. It's always fun to verbally threaten non-perfomers with a "shovel prune", sometimes they really put on a show. I think occasionally they can tell you really mean business.

I've been looking into joining a country or state wide rose society. The ARS (American Rose Society) seems interesting and membership appears to come with quite a few benefits. I'll have to research this more and post an article on it.

Hi again Charity - I am running out of space in the borders so will spend winter dreaming/researching of expanding into climbing/rambling roses! I will be coming back here for some tips on differences and ideas for my typical English country garden! I;ve toyed with the idea of "Irish Eyes" for a while but have a feeling we may have it already. Any pointers?

Hello Siobhain - "Irish Eyes" seems really beautiful. I looked up some different discriptions of it on-line. It's a Floribunda rose, which are suppose to be easier to grow than hybrid teas. It seems to be disease resistant and a prolific bloomer. The only problem is my research showed it only grows to about 3 or 4 feet. It seems to be a bush style rose. It did win Rose of Year for 2000 though, and it looks gorgeous in the on-line photos I found. The variations in flower color on a single bush were quite eye catching.

I can try and look up some other types that would be better climbers and have a somewhat similar color.

I love the name "Irish Eyes" though, I might have to find room for it just for the name! The name and the beautiful colors.

Do you want to grow climbers on a fence, trellis, arbor or pergola?

I have attempted to create an English style garden now even though I live in FL. It was much easier farther north, but that is the look that I enjoy also.

Thanks Charity - I guess Ill have to find room for just one more border rose then! Im disappointed it doesnt grow very high but its worth it for its beauty.
I would like a couple of old-fashioned looking roses to scramble up and through a hedge.
I am also determined to treat myself tp a couple of shrub Rosa Mundis too!
My poor roses are in for another shock I think!

"Irish Eyes" does seem great even though it's a border rose.

I'll have to see what research I can do on old-fashioned climbing roses. I'm in the middle of moving and would like to purchase some as well for my new place.

I had a gorgeous pink climber about 5 years ago, but it only bloomed once in the spring and it had thorns over an inch long. I fell off my ladder onto it once when I was pruning it and then stuck out my hands to catch myself. I was a mess for weeks.

I'd like something that rambles more and can be easily manipulated onto a structure rather than a stocky, completely vertical grower. Preferably with small thorns. I'll let you know if I find anything good.

The only problem with shopping for roses with England and the US is that I couldn't find "Irish Eyes" for sale here. Everywhere that had it on-line was in England. I'll have to keep looking.

I have plenty of time until the spring anyway.

My husband is getting me an American Rose Society membership for Christmas and I'm suppose to be getting a book or listing of their recommended favorites. Maybe there will be something good there.

I used to have a neurosis about allowing plants near the house walls, but with space running out I am tempted to have some climbers/ramblers.

Wouldnt it be great to start with an early season one, and pace them out through the year to have blooms right through til Fall?

There are different things you can do. On Martha Stewart she was talking about creating a trellis with a hinge on it so that you could tilt it slightly away from the house to clean once a year or so. I think the idea being that you might just be able to bend it out enough to power wash or spray your garden hose to clean behind it.

I have some ivy that's creeped up onto my chimney and I need to go pull it off.

Spacing the blooming time of roses throughout the year is a good idea. I've never been able to coordinate that much though. I usually just try for repeat bloomers. It seems that they always bloom nicely in the spring reguardless. I love the ones that keep the blooms coming throughout the summer. Even my good repeat bloomers look tired by August though.

I just received my free David Austin rose catalog. I signed up for it on their website. I'm not sure if I'll be placing an order or not, but it's certainly a very nice catalog. Each page has full color glossy photos of the various roses they sell. At the least it could certainly be fun to get ideas from.

Has anyone ever ordered from David Austin?

I'm considering ordering some Earth Kind Roses in the spring.

Various types of roses are tested by a program run by Texas A&M. Only the roses that can take the most abuse, still bloom and look great pass. So far only 11 have passed and are considered "Earth Kind," but I'm excited to try some and see if they're as hardy as they say. Each rose is tested for 5 years.

Has anyone heard of Earth Kind Roses or tried growing them?

No, not those but I DO still have a couple of David Austins that I sort of gave up on. They are straggly and not much to look at but have a powdery scent thats like heaven on earth - to die for !!