KINGS LOVED them. One
even demanded that they be
grown by all his subjects.

But monarchs of centuries past
are not alone in their overwhelm-
ing appreciation for roses. These
sweet-scenied beauties are widely
considered the best known and
most loved flower in the world.

Unfortunately, roses have a
reputation for being difficult to
grow. In actuality, roses are very
self-sufficient plants. Add to that
a hospitable growth environment
of water, plenty of sun, and soil
amended with peat moss, and
there’s nothing to stop anyone
from growing majestic roses.

Types of roses

Roses come in many different
sizes and shapes. Categorized by
class, they range from tiny
miniatures to lengthy climbers.
And within each class of roses,
there are a variety of flowers,
each with a name and patent of its
own,

Miniatures are usuaily 10-15 in-
ches tall with proportionately siz-
ed blooms. They are available in
as wide a range of colors as their
full-size counterparts. Popular
varieties include ‘‘Cinderella’’
(white) and ‘‘Rise ‘'n Shine”
(yellow).

Floribundas grow. to approxi-
mately 3 feet. These hardy roses
grow an abundance of smali
flowers in huge clusters on their
short stems. Favorites in this
group are ‘Little Darling’? (salm-

Friday, January 31, 1992 ~ North Shore News - 19

HOME & GARDEN
Self-sufficent roses give what they get

Flower’s difficult growing
reputation unjustly deserved

grow in almost any direction.

Some common climbers are

“‘Blaze’’ (red), **Goiden Showers’’

(yellow) and ‘*Handel’’ (pink).
Planting roses

Roses are sold either bare-root
or in containers. Bare-root roses
need to be planted as soon as
possible. If they cannot be planted
right away, wrap the roots in
burlap and place in a plastic bag
filled with damp peat moss. Leave
the plastic bag slightly open for
air so the roots do not mold, and
place the plant in a cool, dark
location. Plants can be kept this
way for a maximum of one week.
Before planting, soak the bare
root in a bucket of muddy water.
This allows the rose to absorb
maximum moisture. It also coats
the roots and protects them from
drying out. Container roses can be
planted at any time.

Roses perform best when they
receive full sunshine. An_ ideal
planting location is an area with
eastern exposure. if your front
door faces this direction, you
might consider creating a flower-
ing dooryard.

Dooryards can be traced as far
back as the earliest English sez-
ders. Colorful roses adorning «
wood fence and arched trellis
above the gateway welcome in
friends and neighbors.

Rose experts say that growing
beautiful roses depends on healthy
roots. And in return, healthy
roots depend on good soil. Unfor-

- th Roses perform best
when they receive full

sunshine. An ideal planting

location is an area with
eastern exposure. 9¥

on-pink), ‘‘Europeana’”’ (red) and
“Sea Pearl” (peach-pink).

Hybrid teas are the most popu-

lar class of roses due to their wide
color range and strong fragrance.
These roses range from 2-6 feet in
height. Commonly grown hybrid
teas are ‘‘Tiffany’’ (pink),
**Peace”’ (yellow with pink tips)
_ and ‘Chrysler Imperial’ (red).
. Grandifloras are large hardy
shrubs which grow 8-10 feet tall.
Their flowers resemble those of
hybrid teas, but similar to
floribundas, they grow in clusters.
Popular varieties are ‘Queen
Elizabeth’? (pink) and ‘‘Love’’
(red). :

Shrub roses are tough, low-
maintenance plants. Most grow to
be 6-10 feet tall. Although they
are not usually available in
nurseries, they can be ordered
from catalogues.

Tree roses can be trained to
grow on stems of about 3% feet,
but they are not very hardy. It is
important to keep this variety
protected from the extreme cold
and heat. Frequently available tree
roses are ‘‘Cherish’’ (pink),
“Margo Koster’? (salmon-pink)
and ‘*Tropicana’’ (orange-red).

Climbers can grow anywhere
from 10-50 feet long, but they do
not climb on their own. Unlike
ivy, these roses do not have ten-
drils with which to attach
themselves, so they must be sup-
ported by a fence, trellis or even a
tree. Climbers can be trained to

tunately, the majority of soils are
not as well-conditioned as
gardeners would like. Most soils
contain either too much ciay,
which
penetrating, or mostly sand, which
allows water and nutrients to
drain away too quickly to benefit
the plants. :

It is suggested that the garden
bed be dug up a month before
planting. This will give the soil
time to aerate. Dig the earth
about 10 inches deep and two feet
wide. Work three inches of peat
moss into the top 10 inches of
soil. All-natural peat aerates clay
to give roots room te grow and
binds sand to hold in water. In
fact, peat holds up to 20 times its
weight in water and will release
slowly to thirsty roots.

A month later, dig a hole in the
center of the planting bed. Posi-
tion the rose in the hole and slow-.
ly fill in the amended soil around
the roots. Water thoroughly after
planting. Build a mound of soil
around the rose, covering the bud
union (the swollen stem section at
soil level), to hold moisture and
provide protection from the
weather.

Roses afe among the toughest
of all plants. But they also give
what they get. Give them the basic
elements — sun, water, amended

soil, and a little fertilizer — and -

what you'll get are a bounty of
beautiful blossoms from ‘the
queen of flowers.”’

roots have difficulty . J

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