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| Roses! Roses! Roses |
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There are many varieties to choose from. The first things to look for are the color of the blooms, the bloom shape and size, the fragrance and the height of the bush. After you have picked the perfect rose, consider whether it will survive the Front Range winters as well as how disease and insect resistant it is. For example, if you choose a zoned 5-6 rose, do you have a protected area where it might flourish? Use books, catalogues, library resources and the internet or go to actual gardens to help in making your selection. The Denver Botanical Gardens has an excellent display of roses while the Monument Valley Demonstration Garden also has a nice selection. Many pictures do not do justice to the flowers. Seeing the roses growing is a big plus! Today we are seeing a return of these roses because of their easy care, marvelous fragrance and lovely blooms. The choices are unlimited and increasing each year. David Austin, with his English roses, has over 90 varieties to choose from. When he started hybridizing in the early 60’s his goal was to produce the old-fashioned bloom, the aromatic scent, plus repeating blooms. Some David Austin roses to consider are the Graham Thomas, Mary Rose, Abraham Darby and Pat Austin. The House of Meidiland offers many different types of roses. Among them are the landscape and ground cover roses which are winter hardy, versatile, disease resistant and easy to grow. Bonica, Magic Meidiland and Ruby Meidiland are a few examples. Each rose lover has his or her favorite, but there is a good chance that whatever rose it is, it is tied to a childhood memory—perhaps of grandma’s garden. For any questions you have on this article, or any topic of concern, email us—or better yet, come by and talk to one of our professional staff members. Remember, Phelan Gardens is open year around! For additional information, check the following links: |
Perhaps
you remember walking through your Grandmother’s garden as a child
and smelling the wonderful perfume of the old roses.