I recently had a friend ask me, ‘what can I do with rose hips?’ so I thought I would do a little digging and find some answers. Seeds make plants. Plants make flowers. Flowers make fruit. Fruit makes seeds. It’s a never-ending cycle. Rose hips are simply the fruit, or the seedpod of the rose plant. They are produced after the flower dies and often … Continue reading Rose Hips
The Woodland Park Rose Garden is a wonderful place to visit. Located next to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, the 2 1/2 acres are filled with 280 varieties of roses. The garden opened in 1924 (87 years ago!) and it’s purpose was to provide a free public display of roses suitable for Seattle’s climate, and it continues to do just that. This is a … Continue reading Woodland Park Rose Garden
Trouble was brewing this spring when it appeared that all of my roses were going down. Down the river of diseases to the spot called black. Treading dangerously through aphid alley. But a miracle has occurred. The leaves once thin and yellow now have become glossy and green. Showy. A beautiful backdrop for the 48 buds that are currently on my Julia Child Floribunda Rose. … Continue reading Roses Before and After Deathly Cold/Wet Spring
The following rose care calendar is from the book Growing Roses Organically by Barbara Wilde. These suggestions are for zones 7 and 8. June: Monitor water needs, especially of plants in bloom, gather roses for drying and culinary use, deadhead repeat bloomers promptly, eliminate new rootstock suckers, prune once-flowering roses immediately after bloom, treat for insects and diseases if necessary, train new shoots on climbers … Continue reading Roses—What to do in Summer
This easy recipe is from the book Great Garden Formulas by Editors Benjamin and Martin. They say it’s proven effective, I can’t wait to try it because black spot is slowly creeping onto my roses. 1 Tbsp Baking Soda 1 Tbsp Horticultural Oil 1 Gallon Water Backpack or Pump Sprayer Mix baking soda, oil and water in the sprayer. This is a preventative, so remove … Continue reading Baking Soda Spray for Fungal Diseases
Rainyleaf 