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rosarian

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MWrosarian 

The other day Martha's guest was a 'rosarian" from the New York Botanical Garden.  I learned a few things about planting – good to know as we just introduced 3 more rose bushes TODAY…making 13!  I love that title and figured it was reserved for official rose specialists or rosologists…is that a word?  When I looked it up at Merriam Webster is simply said:  cultivator of roses.  I'm that.  I'm a rosarian ;) 

MWrosegarden1 

Above is the view of my five original bushes.  If you are considering getting one for yourself let me suggest Double Knockout.  Ours are really growing up and out and I have been cutting roses from them daily.  Here's the thing – when I first got these last July I was afraid to cut the roses off.  Once I finally did it I was rewarded with many many more.  Don't be afraid to cut some and bring them in to enjoy.  I promise you they grow back.

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I have lost count of how many roses I have cut this year.  The first bloom opened only two weeks ago and I'll bet I have had 100 since then.  Seriously.  I did some reading and came across a great trick - have a bucket of water out with you to drop the roses into when you cut them.  And cut early morning or late afternoon when it's cooler because the stems are more likely to be filled with the food that keeps them nourished and they will last longer in your vase.  I'm sure that's good advice for any kind of flower you cut from your garden.

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I noticed our newest roses came in a container from Jackson and Perkins – the same company that Martha promoted on her show.  I went to their website and uh-oh…..I think I found a few more things I need for the sunny spots in our yard.  Climbing roses called Stairway to Heaven?  Need 'em.  I'm ready to tackle climbers (I think) and so I was looking at the arches and trellis options when I saw these dome things.  Need 'em.  Yep, I'm a rosarian.

EDIT:  Linda commented about using coffee grounds on roses….my mother-in-law in England does that too, so we have been saving both coffee and tea and have used it on the Mother's Day rose bushes as a test.  I'm still waiting for that garden to begin showing optimism.  (I think the rabbits have been enjoying them.)  My morning check brought this…..just yummy….it's yellow down in the center.

MWrosegarden4

Comments

21 responses to “rosarian”

  1. Megan Warren Avatar
    Megan Warren

    Hey Michelle – I’m a rosarian too! – what a great word – I love it! All my roses are sitting in pots in the backyard waiting for their new garden at the front of the house to be set up. Will have to keep an eye out for the Stairway to Heaven! Congrats for a wonderful interview on True North Arts.

    Reply
  2. Jennifer White Avatar
    Jennifer White

    I’ve always been afraid of trying to grow roses, especially in WI since Winter is brutal and they need a bit of TLC to make sure they’ll survive… but… hearing about the Double Knockout sure makes this tempting! Your roses, my dear rosarian, are gorgous. Can you imagine if your name was Rosario and you were a rosarian? That would just be too much.

    Reply
  3. Sam Marshall Avatar
    Sam Marshall

    They are beautiful!

    Reply
  4. kim mailhot Avatar
    kim mailhot

    Man, you wear a lot of wonderful hats, Madame Ward ! So beautiful…your roses are obviously loving being cultivated by you ! “Stairway to Heaven” roses – now that works, doesn’t it ? I have a lilac bush called “Miss Kim’s” (what my kids used to call me when I was teaching elementary school) but that’s not quite as poetic !
    Hope your Monday stays rosy !;)
    (I know, cheese-a-mondo !)
    Hugs from Miss Kim

    Reply
  5. Linda Avatar
    Linda

    Hi Michelle….Your roses are lovely. I used to have 3 or 4 bushes at one time but they had to be removed because of disease. I really miss having them! I’m not much of a gardener, I like having them but am not the best at taking care of roses. However, I have learned a few tricks over the years. Used coffee grounds. That’s right, used coffee grounds sprinked around the base of the bush on the ground. They love the acid. Just thought I’d put that out there incase you haven’t heard of it. Take care!

    Reply
  6. Julie Prichard Avatar
    Julie Prichard

    Rookie Rosarian here…. four rose bushes. 🙂 Ohh….climbers…I want climbers BAD… I need something for them to climb first..and then I have to convince my husband that rose bushes are indeed part of a tropical landscape which he is insistent on installing.. LOL

    Reply
  7. LIsa Hoffman Avatar
    LIsa Hoffman

    I always considered roses the territory of REAL gardeners.
    I was assured by a greenhouse person that those days are over and that everyone should give them a go. Your posts are inspiring and the words of a true Rosarian!
    I want one that smells SO sweet that it knocks birds out of the trees.

    Reply
  8. Kelsey Avatar
    Kelsey

    Your roses look absolutely beautiful M! Thanks for the tip about the bucket of water. We only have 3 rose bushes and they fight for their space amongst the other plants in the garden. My favourite is one called “Spiced Coffee”…it smells just like a mocha-flavoured coffee and is a beautiful latte colour.
    OMG!!! I love that cross you have in your garden!!! I’ve never seen anything like that in Australia. We get kangaroos and lizards and the usual buddha statues but never anything as cool as that cross. Darn, now I’ll have to start checking out the internet for that and unless it’s made out of foam, the shipping could kill me!!! lol

    Reply
  9. JeriAnn Avatar
    JeriAnn

    Those roses are scrumptious, Michelle!
    I didn’t see Martha, but did she mention using Epsom salts (just a couple of tablespoons worked into the soil at the base of each plant)? Another great tip is baking soda dissolved in water in a spray bottle to reduce mildew. And don’t forget well rotted compost and manure. Roses are heavy feeders and natural food will help them develop strong root systems.
    Let me know if you have any questions!

    Reply
  10. cindi Avatar
    cindi

    love, love, love the roses. incredible. and you so need those dome thingys. *nods*

    Reply
  11. suze Avatar
    suze

    I can almost smell them! They are beautiful. I can’t grow roses anymore since my transplant. The thorns can harbor some pretty nasty bacteria…so be careful.
    I will come back and enjoy yours.

    Reply
  12. CatHerder Avatar
    CatHerder

    beautiful pics…one of my sons is going on a trip to the botanical garden today …i told him to take lots of pretty pics! 🙂

    Reply
  13. Carole Avatar
    Carole

    I love roses, but I have to admit that we took out all but our two heirloom climbers a few years ago. It was just too tiring fighting black spot and mildew issues, which only the toughest varieties can fend off in this area.
    It’s funny too, as we live in an area known for it’s roses, rose test gardens, and rose festival, but growing them in a home garden is difficult at best.
    The city even has a group called “The Royal Rosarians”, who promote the city and the Rose Festival.
    Jackson and Perkins is one of the biggies, and they have some beautiful varieties.
    If you get the chance, uou might also check out Heirloom Roses. This garden is near where I live and it’s a wonderful place to visit.
    http://www.heirloomroses.com/
    Your roses are gorgeous. 🙂

    Reply
  14. Elisa Day Avatar
    Elisa Day

    I love your roses! Actually I am from Finland but I live in Sweden. I have been to some HIM concerts in Finland. It was amazing!

    Reply
  15. Marble Blue Avatar
    Marble Blue

    I know your post was about your beautiful roses, but I got really excited when I read you had wild rabbits in your garden!!!! Can you tell I am an animal person?
    We have some rose bushes at our house too – I reagularly trim the white one in the front garden. It keeps reaching out past the fence and I don’t want to wipe out the poor postie when he wizzes by!
    Love MB.

    Reply
  16. Chris Meissner Avatar
    Chris Meissner

    Beautiful roses! I’ve not had much luck growing them, maybe it’s our hard clay soil. I grow absolutely fabulous thistles;)

    Reply
  17. Penny Patten Avatar
    Penny Patten

    mmmm they smell sooooooo good. I love roses too! We have them all around our property, older ones that have such a lovely aroma! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  18. regina Avatar
    regina

    I love that word – rosarian. I didn’t know it’s meaning before, but I am one too. I select only cold hardy breeds that require lots of care. This past winter was hard on my roses – my oldest had some winter kill, but it is coming back gloriously. It should be blooming soon. Several years ago we bought a Buck rose – Carefree Beauty. It is blooming now. It also had some winter kill – a first – but this time it was critters that nibbled on some of the stems. Buck roses are great for colder climates. They were bred in Iowa to withstand our cold winters with no protection! http://www.heirloomroses.com/cgi-bin/browse.cgi?page=cat&cat=Buck+Roses
    Rabbits nearly destroyed my 3 other roses. A couple of them were eated down to within about an inch or so above the soil. They are amazingly resilient and are coming back! I’ll be waiting longer for blooms, but I’m so glad they didn’t die.

    Reply
  19. Anna Avatar
    Anna

    My paternal grandfather was a rosarian, it was his major hobby after he retired. So funny, I was just thinking about him and his roses – I walked the dog on a different route this evening and passed a house surrounded by rose bushes which were growing over the fences so I was able to “stop and smell” them. Yours are beautiful!!

    Reply
  20. Janine Davies Avatar
    Janine Davies

    Michelle your roses are divine! Lucky you! xo

    Reply
  21. Anne Kelly Avatar
    Anne Kelly

    Hold back on the tea. I’ve tried substituting tea for coffee in houseplants. Old coffee works well when you dilute it with water. I did the same with tea and almost killed the plants! Now I’m just putting my teabags in the compost pile. I think that will work better.
    Your roses are so lovely! Right now, I’m trying to propagate some heirloom (I’m assuming) roses the way my grandmother used to with a quart jar instead of a fancy bell jar. Keep your fingers crossed for me…

    Reply

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