22,795 Garden Web Discussions | Roses
Gardenbug, Here are a couple of sites about using alfalfa in the garden, i bought a bag of alfalfa cubes and put a couple of cups in a big bucket and let sit for about a week before straining out the tea. Be careful about putting much alfalfa in the soil though as it really heats up, found that out the hard way!
http://learningandyearning.com/10-benefits-of-using-alfalfa-in-your-garden
http://www.rose.org/rose-care-articles/the-value-of-alfalfa/
Meridith, those three roses you mentioned are truly beautiful.
I just saw a Pink Eden in one of the catalogs I got a few weeks ago--maybe White Flower Farm? They are also online, so you might check there. The Pink Eden is all-over solid and bright pink, so would contrast in color nicely with the white Eden. Supposedly Pink Eden otherwise has traits very similar to white Eden. I haven't grown the pink one, so can't say from first-hand experience, but as you know, white Eden is a wonderful climber.
Kate
I once clambered about in a pretty undignified manner in a jungle of all four of the basic Banksiaes - the white single and double, and yellow single and double - in order to subject them all to a thorough sniffing.... I was thinking at the time it might be a good substitute for violet essential oil, since the real one dissipates very quickly. So I wanted to know whether they really did smell of violets and which was the strongest scented. I concluded that some of them at least did indeed smell delightfully (though not super-strongly) of violets, and I did manage to pick a 'winner' - but I've forgotten now which it was.... and that wonderful jungle is no more.
I may be mistaken, but aren't the petals of the single white pictured in Virginia's link just a little narrower than those of the regular R Banksiae normalis?
Re 'Rosa Trepadora'; I found it interesting that as well as simply translating as any 'climbing/clambering plant', the word 'trepadora' could also be used to denote a 'social climber', with some suggestion of climbing (the 'trep' part) over others to get at the gold/money (a d'ora?)... Maybe rather appropriate in this case...
Comtesse :¬)
Comtesse, you make me smile at the thought of you sniffing at four Banksias in succession... especially since I've had visions of trying that myself. I have rooted cuttings of R. banksia lutea (what old-timers in this area call 'Lady Banksia'), and R. banksia alba, though they are pretty small still. This new plant should- if the description is accurate- bring me up to a Banksia trio, but I guess I'll need a 'Purezza' or some other sort to get to a quartet.
I'm supposing that this rose was a seedling of 'normalis' as Kim says, and possibly one that is a result of an Italian tradition of selecting for fragrance and/or disease resistance? Maybe I'm reading too much between the lines there.
The description of 'Snowflake' implies that only well-established plants will flower, so I'm not expecting flowers anytime soon, but if I do get some, i'll report back.
Virginia
Thanks Comtesse, I looked into Mme Alfred Carriere and she looks perfect!
It looks like several folks grow her in my general area, so I feel hopeful she will do well and grow to the size I am looking for. I am thrilled with the bonus of a strong fragrance.
Roses Unlimited carries it so I am adding her to my order today.
I may have to find a place for Francois Juranville, tho, possibly a tree in the back yard to ramble on, he is just too pretty ...
Thanks for the great options.
Adrianne
This cracks me up. Not only is your life filled with roses, you want to talk about your life being filled with roses -- and now, I am talking about you talking about your life being filled with roses. . .of course, I do not stand in judgment whatsoever. I have chosen a life focused on roses as well. Have tried to find a Roseaholics Anonymous -- to no avail!
Ah, Patty - thanks for clarifying, though I wish your arthritis weren't the tricky kind that leaves deposits. Still, I expect that some motion is better than none on your joints, and gardening is definitely good for the spirit regardless. Life's always about a balance, isn't it?
Ha, Kentucky rose - I appreciate the encouragement to do a video or something, but I'm very glad Paul Zimmerman has done such terrific ones since I'd never really make the time. One thing I'm planning for this week is to work on getting my kids' baby pictures actually into albums. That doesn't sound too bad, but I have 12-year-old twins. Can we say procrastination? Well, at least I can rope them into helping, and they might enjoy it.
That's a hoot, cjrosaphile. I expect I'm even worse since I'm on my fourth posting in this thread. That means I'm talking about you talking about me talking about me talking about you talking about me talking about roses (I've probably missed a few). Regardless, that's what GW does for us - no one on this forum thinks endless talking about roses is weird at all!
Cynthia
I agree it looks like damage from the pesticide spray hitting the new baby leaves. Approx where are you gardening? Do you really have to spray poisons once a week? Can create all sorts of other bug problems by killing the beneficial insects, as well as damaging the roses you are trying to protect.
Definitely not rust - we get that here and it looks completely different.
Jackie
I love the joining hands!!! :-) In our last home I had all Earthkind roses in beds around the house that were already there when we moved in. I was pruning everything back in February. The spacing between the roses was irregular and I was grumbling about it. Two of the Sunny Knockouts were planted too close together and my granddaughter who was 3 at the time said "it's okay Grandma, they are hugging each other"
Mine came from Palatine so it is on multiflora. Check RU for own root. This rose has a slight fragrance to me. I have never had blackspot or thrips on it. It grows large 5 ft by 3 ft. Never without a bloom. I use Rose tone or Holly tone and I spray with Monty`s Joy Juice for foliar feed. Hope you order one...I believe it will bring you joy! Lesley
Thanks for the fertilizer tip Kippy.
Appreciate the creative suggestions. I think Alfalfa would fit aesthetically and it is a Mediterranean native, but I also agree with fduk that it would be competitive. As a crop it is about 2' tall in Pennsylvania, which would be a bit too tall but I don't know if there are short varieties. Dry gardeners in soCal and South Australia who want to use alfalfa may want to get the Dormancy 9 varieties which are very winter-active and would go dormant in summer. Maybe thereby mildew could be avoided because of the seasonal differences from conventional alfalfa. Don't know.
FWIW, Patty, I have grown Belinda's Dream for about 7 years here in zone 5, in the cold zone 4 parts of my yard, and she's resolutely hardy and pretty BS resistant. She's in part shade too, so I don't get the jaw-dropping profusion of bloom she shows elsewhere, but she's definitely a keeper and hardy for me. I don't think your conditions in IL should be that much different than here in NE, so I'd say go for it.
Cynthia
Oh my there's nothing like the challenge of a rose. Thank you so much for letting me know there is a chance. Whoo Hoo! Bye the way I'm pretty easy to please as far as bloom is concerned.