A Rose By Any Other Name...

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, so Shakespeare tells us.

Links to antiquity are strong among old roses and is one of the many reasons gardeners love them. The oldest rose planted today was in existence some 2,000 years before the birth of Christ. Rosa Gallica var. officinalis migrated from Iran through Turkey to France and finally into England just in time to be named “The Red Rose of Lancaster”, figuring prominently in the Wars of the Roses during the 15th century. Known as “The Apothecary’s Rose”, because during the past thousand years or so it has been extensively utilized by herbalists.

Ancient civilizations have revered roses for their beauty, aromatic oil and medicinal powers. Rose petals have tannin, which is an astringent and were used to control bleeding. Rose oil and rose water were used in China for stomach and colon problems. Rose hips are rich in vitamin C.

The supremely fragrant “Desiree Parmentier”, a Gallica rose, was called so after the Frenchwoman who became the queen of Sweden. In her younger years, she financed Napoleon’s second campaign with her jewelry after her father had refused to do so. When one of Napoleon’s commanders ended up getting himself crowned king of Sweden, Napoleon played matchmaker – introducing Desiree to the king, who was in the market for a wife.

“Souvenir de la Malmaison”, was first grown by Josephine Bonaparte in her chateau gardens near Paris and was so loved by Catherine the Great that she filled the Imperial Garden at St. Petersburg with these pale pink Bourbons.

While a truly “easy”, carefree rose doesn’t really exist outside of our imaginations, some are easier to grow than others and a few tricks will help make sure your endeavors are a success.

Be sure to choose varieties proven in your climate. When in doubt, look for AARS winners. They are invariably good bets for your garden.

Plant your roses where they will receive a minimum of five or six hours of full sun per day. They would probably like even more than that.

Diligently water your roses. They are quite thirsty plants and you should soak the entire root zone at least twice a week during dry summer weather. If it’s really hot, you may even need to do this daily. Don’t let the leaves get wet. Wet foliage invites fungus and, once you have it in your garden, it’s not easy to get rid of. I like a soaker nozzle on my hose, but a drip or soaker hose also works well. Water in the morning for best results. Please avoid frequent shallow sprinklings, which won’t make it to the deeper roots and could encourage fungus, the bane of rose gardeners everywhere.

For newly planted roses, the experts tell me that one of the most important things is this: DO NOT FEED YOUR ROSES WITH FERTILIZER IN THE FIRST YEAR!! Sounds crazy, I know, but the logic behind it is infallible. When you plant, add LOTS of organic material to the soil, preferably composted manure. With all these cows and horses around, we should all be able to locate some, right?

The reason for this? If you feed heavily with a commercial fertilizer, you will discourage the development of a strong root system. The rose thinks it doesn’t have to look very far for food and the result will be a puny and weak root system. The developing roots will not be able to use a lot of this easily available food and you could easily kill a newly planted rose by giving it soluble fertilizers. One expert, local to the Rogue Valley, suggests “If you MUST feed your roses, a mild feeding of ½ strength fish emulsion can be applied once or twice in June or July. But they won’t really need it if you’ve done your job correctly.” He further recommends a vitamin B solution at the rate of ONE DROP per gallon of water. It is a growth stimulator and has the ability to encourage strong root growth.

Once they’re established, feed your roses. They have big appetites. The absolute best thing to feed your roses with is the age-old gardener’s choice of soil amendment – aged manure. Fork in a 3 to 5 inch layer of manure every spring for established plants. You might want to add more later after the first blooming has ended. Fish emulsion fertilizers are wonderful as well since this kind of organic feeding can actually contribute to the long-term health of the soil by introducing compounds that feed the naturally occurring organisms. In May and June, add a tablespoon of Epsom salts. Magnesium sulfate encourages new growth. Kelp is also an excellent natural fertilizer. Stop fertilizing one month before the first expected frost. In my opinion, fertilizers that offer a sudden burst of harsh chemicals damage the soil and could – over time – render your garden toxic. That’s just my opinion – I’m OK with those who prefer the three-in-one granulated insecticide/anti-fungus/fertilizers. I personally prefer a different way.

Roses like a nearly neutral soil pH, somewhere between 6.5 and 7. For best results, test your soil and follow the recommendations for adjusting the pH levels. Contact a good local nursery or the Master Gardeners for help with soil testing. In addition, roses need really great drainage. Many of us in Rogue River have the rocks-and-clay soil that simply puddles up water. If you can’t provide good drainage to help keep their feet dry, perhaps a raised rose bed would be a better alternative. Allow at least one foot of space between rosebushes for good air circulation. This helps prevent disease as well. Remember that one foot of space means that you will probably need to plant them about three feet apart to allow for growth.

It is so much easier to prevent disease than to cure it! Many die-hard rose gardeners treat their roses weekly with a general-purpose spray such as Funginex. I have been told that a solution of 1 tablespoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of Ivory dish soap and a gallon of water will prevent black spot. Use a hose type sprayer to apply. When the weather is damp and spores are abundant on old diseased foliage is when your plants are at the greatest risk. Deadhead regularly and religiously. Keep your beds clean. Don’t leave your rose trimmings lying about. Keep your plants strong – pay attention to their other needs such as sun, food and water – and it will help hold your losses – if they occur – to a minimum.

Insect pests can really be pests. My first choice in insect control is ladybugs. They eat enormous quantities of aphids and other pests. Spider mites and praying mantis are also lovely to have help keep order in your garden. An excellent natural insecticide is neem seed oil. Garlic plants and sprays are fine organic techniques to help keep a variety of beetles away from your roses.

Another method of helping your roses be all that they can be is mulch. Mulch after they are planted. Mulching is the practice of adding plant material, such as leaves, dead grass or shredded bark on top of the soil. The plant material will eventually be broken down and pulled into the soil by the friendly denizens living there. It will become humus. Mulching also helps the soil retain moisture. In a natural environment, leaves fall to the ground and stay there. They act as mulch. Your roses will appreciate your activities in this area very mulch.

Roses should be pruned in the spring. Cut out any dead wood and damaged branches. Always sharpen your shears and soak them in a solution of half water and half bleach before pruning. This will help protect your bushes from diseases and insects.

Plants of all kinds are a little like humans – some play well with others and some don’t. Some plants grow well together and actually help each other survive. Other plants are oppressive to neighboring plants. Plants that grow well together are referred to as “companion plants”. I mentioned garlic earlier and have to restate that roses really do love garlic as well as other members of the onion family. The onion family is made up of around 500 species. While planting garlic will help protect your roses, there are many other onion varieties that will protect your roses and provide beautiful flowers to enhance the roses. In addition, marigolds, mignonettes, lavender and thyme are good companions for roses.

All in all, roses are very rewarding to cultivate. There are few things in the garden more beautiful. Roses truly are the “Queen of Flowers” and will add elegance and a real sense of joy to any yard.