Characteristics of Old Garden Roses: Damask Rose
Karen The Damask roses have a certain mystic. Is it the name that suggests an exotic origin? or the recollection of a heavy fragrance? Both are true of the Damask rose.…
Characteristics of Grandiflora Roses
Funny thing about grandiflora roses, the name suggests large flowers but the flowers aren’t as large as those of hybrid teas. Maybe the English rose growers know something we don’t…
Characteristics of Floribunda Roses
The name “floribunda” says it all; flora means “flower”, and abundo means “having in large supply” so the name “floribunda” aptly describes a rose having an abundance of flowers. Floribundas…
Characteristics of Polyantha Roses
Known for their profusion of flowers, polyantha roses arose in France in the late 19th century. Their parentage is vague but probably involved a China rose and Rosa multiflora, the…
Characteristics of Hybrid Tea Roses
Everyone loves roses and why not? They are beautiful flowers, suggest romance, and have been featured in literature and art for over two thousand years. Most of the roses you…
How to Maximize the Fragrance of the Roses in Your Rose Garden
Most of us select our roses on the basis of color, form, size, number of petals, and disease resistance, rarely on fragrance. Yet most gardeners enjoy the scent of their…
Four Roses Join the Earth-Kind Roses List
Four roses have recently met the standards established by the Texas AgriLife Extension to join the list of Earth-Kind roses bringing the total number of roses on the list to…
How to Care for Roses in Winter
Roses take a rest in winter and so can the rose caregiver once the rose beds have been properly prepared. Winter care is not difficult but is important to protect…
How to Prepare the Rose Garden for Winter
Autumn in my rose garden is a beautiful time. The sunny days and cool, longer nights give the blooms more time to grow and develop so the flowers are larger…
An Elixir for Roses: Alfalfa Tea
As a member of the local rose society, I get many tips for growing roses and this is one of the best. It is an alfalfa tea that I use…