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hoosier_bob

Marechal Niel in Indiana

Rose Lovers,

I always enjoy everyone's posts on this site, though I only have a couple of roses, the remnants of a larger collection before we had kids and before we moved. This is one of my favorite oldies....Marechal Niel. It was looking pretty good today, so I thought I'd share.

Thanks for all the pictures you post on this forum....the large climbers and shrubs in warmer climates are unbelievably lush and beautiful. Bob

Comments (13)

  • floridarosez9 Morgan
    9 years ago

    Beautiful photo.

  • portlandmysteryrose
    9 years ago

    Hoosierbob, in INDIANA!? I haven't even dared to try Marechal N in Oregon. You brave and successful gardener you! Lovely photos. Thank you. One of my favorite roses. Carol

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    9 years ago

    That was my thought too, Carol. He's growing the tender and fussy Marechal in a place with serious winters? Bob, you must be doing something extremely right. Such lovely blooms, too.

    Ingrid

  • daisyincrete Z10? 905feet/275 metres
    9 years ago

    Lovely photo. He is gorgeous, isn't he.
    Daisy

  • melissa_thefarm
    9 years ago

    Wow. I am highly impressed. 'Marechal Niel' is fussy even here in the middle of rose heaven. Yours look mighty good.
    Melissa

  • vabyvlue
    9 years ago

    Hi Bob,

    I'm in Indiana too. I've been lusting after this rose for a long time. I've haven't grown it b/c of hardiness. Is your yard protected or do you grow it in a pot? How many years have you had it?

  • HoosierBob SW Indiana Zone 5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Vabyvlue,

    I had thought someone would have asked for more details before now, but maybe everybody thought I made it all up! I live in Terre Haute, so, a little bit more south than you are, but we did hit 15 below twice this winter.

    Marechal Niel is in a pot in a small greenhouse that stays at 50 degrees. However, I've had my greenhouse for 8 years and I've had the plant for 20 years. It's an own-root plant from Sequoia Nursery, from Ralph Moore's supplemental list that used to have so many neat varieties on it.

    The plant was always small and twiggy. I never pruned it, just moved it to a larger pot as needed. MN produced its flowers on 1" twigs, but I didn't care. The fragrance from one bloom was amazing and I could detect it from many yards away ( in a still corner of the yard). In the winter, I buried it a foot deep and dug it up in the spring. I kept it that way for a number of years and it stayed about a foot high, maximum. I think the key was minimal fertilizer in the fall so the wood could harden. I only ever cut off dead wood.

    Once we moved and I got my greenhouse, I sat MN on the floor in the corner and it rooted in the ground through the holes in the pot. It's still that way. It is never sprayed and probably gets up to 100 degrees on many days in the summer. I pour some Miracle Gro on it once in a while and it's still doing well so far. Blooms a lot in spring and some during summer.

    BTW - I did grow Rosette Delizy and Lady Hillingdon in the ground, also. Both were HEAVILY mulched each fall and then still dead to the ground every spring, but they did each give me some bloom by the end of the season. I was thrilled with even one bloom since I had never seen either in person.

    Hope that answers your question. I got your question via email, also, but couldn't reply since you have your email disabled. If you want more info via email, you'll need to change your profile. I'm happy to communicate here, but we may be boring the warm-climate growers! Bob

  • vabyvlue
    9 years ago

    Hi Bob,

    Thank you for the quick response! I am certainly going to try growing MN and the other two teas that you mentioned in pots.

    I do have several roses that I overwinter in pots in the garage but haven't really tried with teas. I bought Lady Hillingdon last year but it was a very small plant and died on me before it got established.

    I planted Duchesse de Brabant in the grown in the front yard against a brick wall. It was a very small plant last year. It seems to be coming back from the roots but i'll probably dig it out and just try growing it in a pot.

    So glad someone in Indiana has succeeded with growing teas!

  • vabyvlue
    9 years ago

    Bob,

    What size pots do you grow your roses in? What type of pots (material)?

    Thanks!

  • HoosierBob SW Indiana Zone 5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    It depends on the plant size. If I get a small, own-root plant like MN, it starts in a 4" pot. I grow in plastic, which gets brittle after a couple of seasons. Pretty soon I would expect it to move to a 6" pot for a while. I use good quality potting soil, something like Miracle Gro. It is peat-based, but I have had no issues with rot. Roses definitely don't like to dry out.

    Right now, I have a Gloire de Dijon in a small pot (4"). I got it from High Country Roses in Utah last year. It is all of eight inches high, but has produced three blooms this spring in the greenhouse.Just like MN, the blooms are all on 1" necks...not much for the show table, but at least I get to see and smell it.

  • vabyvlue
    9 years ago

    Bob,

    I just sent you an email. We would love to have you at one of our Indy Rose Society meetings or garden parties sometime. :)

  • melissa_thefarm
    9 years ago

    This warm climate grower isn't bored at all. Back in the days of abundant servants, people in cold climates used to grow tender roses in greenhouses, so you're continuing a tradition.
    I can see greenhouses springing up all over Indiana after a tour of your garden....
    Melissa

  • soncna 9a Slovenia
    9 years ago

    I agree with Melissa. Is always useful to learn something new. And your method is very interesting. So keep posting.

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