Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 6, 1995 TAG: 9504060046
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOE HUNNINGS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
I'll have to admit, though, that I do enjoy cutting those beautiful blooms from some roses that the previous owners of our home planted. Even though they are probably in the worst spot in the yard (poor soil and shady) and get little attention from me, they consistently have nice flowers each year. And that's the point about roses.
Planting roses
Roses are extremely hardy plants and will grow in just about any area of the country. In cold sites, however, plants do require some winter protection. Roses can be planted in any locations that meet these requirements:
The spot must receive at least four to six hours of direct sun each day.
There must be enough space to allow 18 to 24 inches of space around each plant for air circulation.
The soil must drain well enough so there is no standing water.
The best time to plant is either in the fall or in the early spring, when the roses are dormant and the ground is workable. Floribunda, hybrid tea, and hedge roses bloom six to eight weeks after planting. Climbers bloom a little during the first season, but they are at their best by the second year. Climbing roses send out long shoots or canes that can be trained over fences, arbors, or trellises.
Because they originated from several types of roses, climbing roses have a range of characteristics. Some bloom only once, while others bloom continuously. Some have large, hybrid tea-type blooms, while others bloom in small clusters.
When planning a large rose planting, consider color combinations. A mix of many colors needs to be unified. Landscape designers accomplish this by surrounding a rose bed with a hedge or edging. Beds of roses look best if outlined in a neutral color, such as green or white. Some materials to consider are boxwood; a low-growing, spreading yew, such as Taxus x brownii; the woody herb germander (Teucrium species); or the miniature rose "Green Ice." The fastest edging for a rose garden is white sweet alyssum, an annual.
When selecting roses, look for the letters AARS (All-America Rose Selections) on rose tags. Roses bearing this insignia have undergone two years of comparison with other new varieties as well as previously introduced ones and have proven superior. This selection process helps the consumer decide which of the many new varieties available each year should do well.
The test roses are judged by official AARS judges, usually either professors of horticulture or supervisors of large public gardens. During the two years of evaluation, the roses are graded by a prescribed numerical scoring system on vigor, growth habit, disease resistance, foliage, flower production, bud and flower form, opening and finishing color, fragrance, stem, and overall value.
Joe Hunnings is the Virginia Cooperative Extension agent for agriculture in the Montgomery County Extension Office in Christiansburg. If you have questions, call him at 382-5790.
by CNB