Nashville Rose Leaf April 2010

Nashville Rose Leaf

Official Publication of The Nashville Rose Society Serving Rose Enthusiasts Throughout Middle Tennessee APRIL 2010

Affiliated with the American Rose Society - www.ars.org

Volume Vl 44 44, IIssue 3

April 6th NRS Meeting at Cheekwood

6:30 pm - Refreshments 7:00 pm - Planning and Planting a New Rose Bed by Ron Daniels & Wayne Metcalf

Growing David Austin Roses in Middle Tennessee

By: Kathy Brennan ARS Consulting Rosarian

By: J. Scott Rankin, MD

Awakening is a new member of the R.Wichurana group of ramblers. It is a sport of New Dawn, which makes it the grandchild of the well known Dr. Van Fleet. This small rambler was found sometime in the 1930’s. It is quite disease resistant with some repeat blooming. The spring bloom of this bush is very beautiful with soft pink, fully double flowers all over the bush making a lovely sight, very pleasing to the eye, and a wonderful addition to the garden. Medium in size and, with the correct pruning, this rambler can be used as a shrub.

I acquired my Awakening rambler from Roses Unlimited, Laurens, S.C. about 5 years ago. We enjoy its spring bloom sprawling up and around a tree at the top of our driveway every year. This rose bush makes quite a display and is a

Since the 1950’s, Mr. David Austin and his associates in Shropshire England have introduced a new type of rose hybrid into horticulture – a line he now calls “English Roses”.

Austin’s concept was to cross breed old antique roses, which are beautiful and fragrant but single blooming, with hardy ever-blooming modern roses. The goal was to develop a line of hardy bush roses with a fragrant but ever-blooming old rose flower style. After 50 years, and with over 100 new rose hybrids introduced, most would agree that Austin exceeded all expectations. While all English roses are worth including in the garden, many growers at present have little experience upon which to select varieties. The goals of this article are to relay impressions from English rose growing in Tennessee and to illustrate several Austin varieties for potential future planting.

(Cont’d on Page 9)

(Cont’d on Page 6)

Photo courtesy of Roses Unlimited

Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rankin, MD

April Rose of the Month Awakening - A Sport of a Sport

Editor’s Desk

President’s Column

We have a lot of things to talk about, a lot of information to exchange, and a lot of new rose friends to meet. Our “Back to Basics” program for this month promises to be a very informative and enjoyable presentation by our vice president Ron Daniels and Wayne Metcalf on the timely subject of planning and planting a new rose bed. Something a lot of us will be doing with our new roses.

Did I really buy that many new roses this year? So much for cutting back.

Cheekwood Botanical Gardens is hosting a very special event this spring consisting of the beautiful Chihuly Glass exhibition.

Look for further information soon. Due to this special event the NRS will not be able to meet at Cheekwood for May and June, We have made arrangements to meet Monday, May 10 (note the special date) at Ellington Agricultural Center, for a fantastic program on Old Garden Roses presented by our own Lynne Wallman. If you have not heard Lynne talk about roses you are in for a treat.

Make plans now for June. Our very brief June meeting will be conducted in conjunction with the annual picnic at the Duck River, TN, rose gardens of Connie and Larry Baird on a special Saturday afternoon on June 5th.

I can’t end this column without once again thanking our editorial team for all their great work delivering an unbelievable newsletter and giving them a big “ATTA BOY’ for once again being recognized as one of the best local society newsletters in the country (we already knew it) by the awarding of the ARS silver award. Think about it folks, that is second best in the country, and if this is second best, can you imagine how good first is? A great job, congratulations Jim, Starla, Charles, Sam, Nancy, Marty, and Leann and again thanks a lot!

— Larry Baird NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, APRIL 2010

to please our noses…. Won’t you stop to smell His roses?” It turns out that the roses themselves are invitation enough.

Jim and I did not know we would become rose addicts when we bought our current home. We are smack-dab in the middle of a subdivision complete with busy sidewalks, frequent car traffic and tons of children that span a wide age range.

Our home has very little land, neighbors on all sides of us and nearby trees that are not ours to remove. This hasn’t stopped us from “finding” more room for roses, mind you. But, after reading the article Ted Mills wrote, (page 10), I’m beginning to think that God put us right where we are supposed to be, anyway.

Photo courtesy of Jim Harding

Phew, Christmas Party in December, no meeting in January, ice and snow in February, Vendor Night in March. It has been almost five months since we have had a regular rose meeting of Nashville’s premier rose growers. Five months of not seeing and talking to our rose friends about our favorite flower. Some of us got a small infusion of roses at the Tenarky Midwinter Meeting, but while it was a great meeting, it was not the same. But now the April meeting is almost here, so don’t miss it.

Two years ago, a young mom was passing our home with a newly-walking toddler. She beckoned him to smell a beautiful pink rose that we planted next to the sidewalk. He leaned over and took a huge whiff. He looked, confusingly, at his mother again then bent over even further to take a full-body whiff. Unfortunately, he lost his balance and toppled head-first right into the center of the bush. Thankfully, he was fine but he was none too pleased with Mommy who did not know that this particular rose was scentless and he let her know it as they walked away, yelling repeatedly through his tears “no mell good!” He was not the only passerby that would approach the rose smiling and walk away disappointed.

I hated to think that this would be the little guy’s first memory of a rose so I determined to make sure this would not happen again. Last year, Jim built me a beautiful bed right next to the sidewalk and we filled it with roses that are known to be fragrant. We even toyed with designing a sign to post in it … “Scent from God 2

Our initial purpose was to share the love of roses with people, particularly children, who still expect them to be fragrant. We were trying to be selfless, but the rewards have been tenfold. I cannot express the shared joy we feel when looking out my office window to see an entire family walking around that wall sharing the experience of each rose with one another. A few people have even walked up to ring the doorbell so they could express their appreciation for the roses in person.

People have started taking little breaks from their walks, sitting on the wall and smelling roses. It’s as if the garden has taken on a life of its own. Because of its location, we don’t get a lot of peace or solitude while tending to it, but that is a small price to pay for the returning smiles we receive when handing out freshlyclipped roses to admiring on-lookers.

My favorite reward stems from the response of the children… tomorrow’s rose growers. Many of them rush over to help me when they see me in this garden and their enthusiasm leaves me with great hope. Ted Mill’s article reminds us that sowing seeds does not always involve moving dirt. Our efforts may be as small as our little “rose apprentices” but we believe many good efforts begin this way. I wish the tipping toddler that inspired our fragrance garden knew that his tumble launched a rose garden that has been enjoyed by many. If I happen to see him again, I will make a rose-lover of him yet!

— Starla & Jim Harding

NRS Patrons Our thanks to the following businesses and foundations who have made sustaining donations to support the educational programs of Nashville Rose Society:

Houghland Foundation

from the ground up

by: leann barron

“Dirty Words 101” Come on, just one time. Say it. We won’t tell anybody. Go ahead, say: “botanic nomenclature.”

Practice phonetically with me now: bo-TAN’ic NO’-men-CLAY-ture. And no, it’s not some new-fangled yard art. Simply put, it’s the scientific naming of plants.

It has a very long history, starting with the ancient Greeks, and in 1753, a Swedish botanist named Linnaeus took on the daunting task of giving plant species the Latin names that eventually became the standard, universal language for botanists, horticulturists, and the plant industry. It is used throughout the world, no matter what your mother tongue. It’s a very good thing.

Now I know that many of us are uncomfortable using “big” words, especially those that sound pompous, like you are a dreaded “know-it-all.” And once you use one or two of those “big” scientific words, people will expect you to say more of them, and to know everything there is to know about plants, and then they find out you actually DON’T know everything, and they roll their eyes behind your back--that’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it? But fear not. If you enjoy gardening, even just casually, learning some horticultural language is fun and interesting.

You will also find it useful when working crossword puzzles, you won’t be duped into buying the wrong plant by your local nursery salespeople, and you can dazzle your friends at church, cocktail parties, soccer games and grocery store lines. But don’t take the attitude of the kid who flunked botany: “Latin killed the Romans, and now it’s killing me!” Have fun, relax, and learn something new this month. You can finally even practice out loud in the privacy of your garden.

Here is a bit of basic nomenclature and terminology associated with rose gardening : Rosaceae: (rose-A’-see-aye) This is the big Family of about 3,000 plant species.

Roses are the kissing cousins of strawberries, apples, raspberries, cherries, quince, laurels, crabapples, hawthorns, spiraea, cotoneaster and other favorite

plants, also in the Rosaceae family.

Note: This can be a good selling point when talking with people about growing roses. Just tell them if they can grow any of these plants, then roses are a snap!

Species: you know how to pronounce this one. When used in rose descriptions, species refers to roses that existed before all other rose classes, often called “wild roses.” They existed long before man, with some rose fossils dating back 33 million years. They are usually singlepetaled blooms on plants that range from 18 inches to over 20 feet. Most species roses are listed by their Latin (botanic) name, beginning with “Rosa.”

Breaking down rose classes requires scientific clarification. For example, you take a cutting of Granny’s old rose and it’s identified as ‘Rose de Rescht’ (pronounced duh Reshht). It would be classified as a Damask (also called Portland) rose, believed to be a genetic cross between the species (there’s that word again!) roses, Rosa phoenica and Rosa gallica. There is still a good deal of scholarly disagreement, with others arguing the Damask is a cross between Rosa gallica and Rosa moschata (musk rose). And this is just one rose--gives new meaning to the term “doublecrossing!” The enormous work done by Linnaeus in the 1750s still remains the only extant working classification system at present that enjoys universal scientific acceptance.

blooms continuously. ‘Knock Out’ is an example of a remontant rose.

Dr. Huey (both rootstock and rose): This is literally the most common rose grown in the USA. And not on purpose. It is used as a vigorous root stock for grafting buds from other hybrids onto. It propagates easily, it has a long budding season, the plants harden off and ship well, they store well when bare-rooted, and the general adaptability to the broad area of climates and soils that are shipped to is pretty good.

Own-root rose: rose grown by rooting a cutting from a stock plant. Many rose gardeners prefer this rose plant for health, hardiness and fewer suckers.

Sucker: An unwanted growth that comes from below the bud union on a grafted rose. Suckers usually have leaves of a different color and shape than that of the cultivar and don’t produce blooms. It is important to rip off the sucker directly from the rootstock; simply cutting it off will stimulate it to regrow. We don’t want suckers. They are not lollipops.

At the very least, I hope this month’s column stimulates your brain’s language center, the left temporal lobe. Hurry Spring!

Cultivar: a variety of a rose that has been deliberately selected for specific desirable characteristics (such as fragrance, disease resistance, color, form of the flower, etc.).

Bud union: the swollen junction on the main trunk of a grafted rose plant, located at or near soil level.

Basal break: a strong new cane growing from the bud union. This is a good thing.

We want this.

Remontant: a rose that repeat blooms, or 3

Dr. Huey

NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, APRIL 2010

The Aprril Rose Ga arden Comp pil i ed d By: Jim m Ha arding

Watering - April showers bring May flowers, but if April doesn’t bring any showers and you do not provide your own showers then you will have no flowers in May. In other words the roses need water. Adding a little insurance by following good rosarian practices will make your roses even better!

Where to start. When in doubt Starla and I seek the advice of our nearest Consulting Rosarian (See list on page 11). pH - One thing I have learned from ARS Master Rosarians Anne Owen and Jimmy Moser is that no matter how much fertilizer you apply - organic or chemical - your roses cannot receive the full benefit if the soil’s pH is off. The only way to be sure is to have your soil tested either with a pH meter or by sending a sample to your local agricultural extension office. The closer the pH is to 6.5 the better. Too low, add 1 cup dolimite lime around the drip line of each bush. Too high, add sulfur in the same manner.

These methods take time to correct your pH. Rosemania offers a quick fix called Limestone F that is a dust free product which is useful for raising the soil’s pH. Because of its extremely fine particle size, the desired effect of pH modification begins rapidly.

Rosemania recommends using 6-12 ounces of material per 100 square feet of treated area for a fast, safe and easy way to quickly raise the pH of your soil.

Winter Protection - Like many aspects of growing roses, there are different ways to go about it and winter protection is no different. However, one thing all of our consulting rosarians will agree on is to be careful when removing the winter protection because there may be a future Queen hiding underneath in the form of a basal break! These are fragile new canes growing out from the bud union.

This is an embarrasing but true story. The first year Starla and I uncovered the winter protection we did not know what a basal break was so we stood around looking at this albino growth thinking something horrible NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, APRIL 2010

was wrong. In a combination of ignorance and arrogance we concluded these were suckers and proceeded to surgically remove them all. The next spring we visited the garden of Lyle and Ruby Worsham where Lyle demonstrated how to carefully remove the winter protection and more imporatnly why. A quick glance at Starla confirmed our mutual horror as we both realized that we had brutally murdered last year’s crop of basal breaks! Don’t let this happen to you.

Fertilizing - Now that you know the pH in your rose beds it is okay to think about fertilizing your roses. Fertilizing established bushes should be started in the spring after the winter cover is removed. After applying your fertilizers and spraying your roses you will want to cover them back up or at least keep the material handy, because the last frost date in middle Tennessee is April 15th.

As stated earlier there are two basic types of fertilizer, organic and chemical. Both types can yield excellent results. Organic methods are slow but sure. Chemical fertlizers are faster acting; especially ones that are water soluble. Some rosarains prefer an all natural method using materials like composted manures, alfalfa meal, cotton seed meal, fish meal, bone meal, blood meal, worm castings and liquid seaweed or kelp. Other good options are products like Mills Magic Rose Mix that contains many of these materials already pre-mixed (scratch in 2-3 cups into the soil around each bush). Experienced rose growers like Anne and Jimmy will also recommend adding Gypsum and Epsom Salt around each bush. Gypsum naturally contains calcium sulfate. The calcium builds strong stems. Sulphur makes the other nutrients work better by sweetening the soil and helping remove salt buildup left over from chemical fertilizers. Use 1 cup for a hybrid tea and ½ cup per miniature rose. Epsom Salt contains magnesium sulfate to make the stems stronger, encourage the growth of basal breaks, and make clearer and brighter colors in the blooms. Use 2-3 tablespoons per rose.

Chemical fertilizers also offer excellent results. For rosarians with limited time a simple application of a timed release fertilizer like Osmocote or Mills Bloomkote is a great way to deliver the right amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium needed for your 4

prized roses. The novice rose grower can do very well using a good balanced fertilizer - one that has an equal percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, such as 10-10-10 or 13-13-13. For faster feeding, apply water soluble fertilizers. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to avoid burning your roses.

Pruning - The primary goal of pruning is to improve the health of the bush by removing all dead, damaged, or diseased canes, and by removing all twiggy growth (stems smaller than the diameter of a pencil). You do this by removing canes in the middle of the bush to provide air flow and sunshine to the center of the bush to make way for new and more vigorous growth. Cut back any long canes needed to keep the rose within the size limits required to enhance its position in the landscape. Depending on the rose and its location, the pruning height can vary but 18” - 24” is a good rule of thumb.

All of this pruning sends a signal to the rose to create new growth!

Spraying - As soon as pruning has been completed, spray your roses with a good fungicide. Let it dry and replace the winter cover until April 15. After removing the winter protection, start a regular spray program for fungal diseases on your roses.

The exception is rugosa roses which should never be sprayed; another lesson I learned the hard way. The spores for these diseases tend to over-winter on any old leaves or other debris so keep your rose beds clean throughout the growing season. Now that the bushes are leafing out, you can start a spray program using Banner Maxx mixed with Manzate.

Follow in two weeks with a combination of Compass and Manzate. The Nashville Rose Society has an extensive spray reference chart on our website listing many of the chemicals used in rose growing.

Calendar - Last but not least trying to remember when you last sprayed or fertlized your roses is tough enough, but rembering exactly what chemicals or fertlizers you used can be down right impossible.

Avoid any confusion and get yourself a rose calendar to record everything! If you still have questions and want to avoid some of the mistakes that Starla and I have made don’t hesitate to refer to page 11 for the consulting rosarian nearest you.

Photo courtesy of American Rose Society

The rose expertise in this column is based on the combined knowledge gleaned from ARS Master Rosarians Anne Owen from Franklin, TN. and Jimmy Moser from Bartlett, TN.

Photos courtesy of Sunset.com

Rambler Roses By: Kathy Brennan, ARS Master Rosarian “Anyone knows you can train a rose to be a clinging vine. So, from this day hence there’ll be a picket fence round that rambling rose of mine” — Joseph McCartney, Jr. As a child, I remember my mother and her sisters talking about the rose growing in their yard on the split-rail fence next to the barn. According to them, as memory has it, it was white with small fragrant flowers blooming in sprays and sprawling all over the fence. Their Grandmother Baker, who lived with them to help take care of the 12 children, reminded them to throw the dishwater on it every evening and the coffee grounds around its feet in the morning. No doubt this was a rambler, blooming only in the spring, around May through June. No one can recall its name; maybe it was Rambling Rector or Banksiae Alba (Lady Banks). These two ramblers were very popular in the early to mid 1900’s along with many other rambling beauties. No one much bothered with their names out in the country, they were just pretty in the corner of the yard.

Look for them in old cemeteries, old home places, or around historic homes.

There are a few main species roses used to breed ramblers, R. Multiflora. and R.Wichurana are the most popular and widely used. The R. Multiflora is native to Korea and Japan and was introduced to Britain in 1862. The Multiflora Hybrids are easy to recognize with their stiff growth and strong shoots coming from the base of the plant. Their leaves are dull and an opaque green.

Two examples of this variety are Phyllis Bide, pale yellow flushed with pink blooms and a pleasant fragrance with some repeat flowering. This rose exhibits true rambler characteristics.

Second is Rambling Rector which has large clusters of small, very fragrant, flowers showing cream at first and fading to white. This rose can be grown as a shrub with proper pruning or it is very well suited for scrambling up trees or over bushes.

The Wichuranas, introduced in 1891

to Britain, are the largest and most widely used group of rambler roses. The R.Wichurana comes from Japan, East China, Korea and Taiwan. This species lends itself more suitable to ramble with its bendable, long trailing growth and glossy, disease-free foliage. Wichurana Hybrids are easy to grow and train into trees, over arches, pergolas and beautifully trained on walls. While the Multifloras have small more typical rambler flowers, the Wichuranas bloom a wider range of color and larger flowers more like those of the large climbing rose. Most varieties are very pleasing to the nose with fruitlike scents of apples. Examples of this group are Albertine, which blooms very freely with large coppery-pink flowers looking somewhat like a hybrid tea, very rich in fragrance; excellent in covering a fence. Next we have Super Excelsa, rich in crimson color showing large clusters of small double round flowers with white at the center. This rose makes an excellent effect when grown on a pillar or arbor.

Because of its flexible branches, it is also well suited as a weeping standard. Standards, (tree roses) make a nice addition to any garden.

There are a few other species used to breed ramblers that are minor players in this group of roses that definitely need mentioning. They are the “Sempervirens Hybrids”, “Ayrshire Hybrids” and the “Boursault Roses”. This last group, “Boursault Roses”, is almost thornless ramblers that have never become a major class, but do have an Old Rose character that still appeals to a number of Rosarians.

David Austin calls the rambling class of ramblers “Scramblers”. Perhaps one of the most famous of these roses is Paul’s Himalayan Musk. This rose, when allowed to scramble up a tree with its flexible branches will trail gracefully, cascading out and down. Covered with dainty, fully double, soft pink rosette like blooms, the large open sprays are a spectacular sight. They also send out a strong delicious musk fragrance in the air.

David Austin suggests allowing ramblers to scramble through and over shrubs, being careful not to smother the shrubs. Another similar suggestion is to encourage ramblers to scramble over hedges. Stay-

ing on as small a scale as possible, these situations can provide a pleasing addition to your garden. One can control these roses by occasionally removing a shoot here and there and training the remaining shoots in a suitable direction to enhance your garden plan. There should be plenty of room for this type of rose as we must allow the rambler to scramble in order to get the most out of its sprawling habit.

Culture of a rambler rose is very simple as opposed to the large climbers and the more modern hybrid teas and floribundas.

For instance, if you grow the rambler up a tree and you can’t reach it, then no pruning is to be done. Pruning should be done in the winter. January is a good time to prune ramblers. If you prune right after the flowering season, the rose may go into shock and after it recovers from shock, it may be encouraged to grow out of control.

Ramblers are generally tough and reliable and will grow in difficult conditions.

Some soil preparation might be needed such as garden compost or manure. You may want to feed in the spring before bloom time and always water if there has been insufficient rain during the first 2 years. Little to no protection in winter is needed since these roses are very hardy.

Remember, ramblers in general are disease free and trouble free; however, a few varieties suffer from mildew and black spot. Multiflora species can be susceptible to diseases more than the other species. If the rambler is planted under or near a tree, give it a year or two to take off.

As a group, ramblers are the easiest to take care of and the most floriferous of roses. They are certainly a group of roses to explore, plant and enjoy in your garden.

Rambling roses have a special place in the garden no other rose can fill. They are capable of a beauty that is hard to equal even though they bloom only once a year. The blooming period can last up to 6 weeks and is so awesome that most Rosarians are happy with one blooming period. If pruning is kept to a minimum, the rambler will create its own natural effect, maybe on a fence in the back yard next to the barn.

See back cover for photos of these beautiful rambler roses.

Growing David Austin Roses in Middle Tennessee By: J. Scott Rankin, MD

1 Austin roses can be obtained from several sources. Some plants are grown on their own roots, but the roses obtained from Austin USA (grafted on standard Dr. Huey root stock) have performed best in our garden (davidaustinroses.com). It is recommended to plant them as early in spring as Austin will ship, to provide maximal growth before the heat of summer. As with most roses, they perform well when planted in slightly raised beds with good drainage, and we prefer to include them as important components of mixed perennial borders. They grow best in clean new artificial soil (we use Miracle Grow bagged garden soil “tree and shrub”) and as with all roses, excellent irrigation is important.

With good continuous feeding, most will bloom prolifically all summer and we apply an organic slow release solid fertilizer in early spring and again at mid-summer (Austin slow-release pellets or Mills Magic Mix). This is supplemented with organic liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks (Monty’s Plant Food or Mill’s Easy Feed).

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2 In the late fall, feeding and deadheading are stopped and the bushes develop long shoots and nice hips. They get a little “leggy” then, but some have especially beautiful hips, e.g. Gertrude Jekyll. They are left alone most of the winter, believing that a fully intact plant is stronger to handle the harsh weather. Some will even bud or bloom a little with a warm period.

3 grow into large bushes and we support them with metal frames, posts, or pillars, and generally prune them into large bushes, most at chest height. Like all roses grown in Middle Tennessee, they perform better with good disease control (rosemania.com), although most are hardier than hybrid teas and require less spraying. Finally, of course, full sun exposure is a necessity for optimal performance.

Then in late February, fertilization is started again, and they are cut back to 3-5 feet tall, depending on the variety. If one doesn’t prune, the major spring growth will make them too long for the blooms.

However, many have climbing roses and Rugosas in their heritage, are naturally larger than hybrid teas, and should be left longer at pruning.

The most famous David Austin rose is Graham Thomas, a yellow ochre fragrant old rose form that grows into large bushes, or best on 6-8 foot posts. With proper nutrition, it blooms prolifically all summer.

Graham Thomas grafted on fortuniana root stock (available from K&M Nursery).is highly recommended (Figure 1).

Then with spring growth and blooming, they are pruned back aggressively as roses are cut. Each plant is different and some are larger than others, but pruning stimulates healthy growth and new bloom cycles. Most Austin roses are meant to

Another excellent variety is Abraham Darby, which produces very fragrant apricot old rose flowers on a large 8x8 foot bush. It is exceedingly hardy, and blooms continuously from Mother’s Day to the first frost (Figure 2).

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Photo courtesy of J. Scott Rankin, MD

Growing David Austin Roses in Middle Tennessee (Cont’d from page 6) By: J. Scott Rankin, MD

7 Our favorite mid-pink variety is Brother Cadfael, again a large bush that grows to 8 feet with frame support. It has especially appealing strong stems and leaves, with a tint of red in the foliage. Like all Austin roses, it is quite fragrant with large cupped flowers (Figure 3).

The nicest red variety is L.D. Braithwaite, a medium-sized bush with the most vivid red color of all English roses (Figure 4).

Othello follows close behind, with a crimson color and a bush that will grow to 10 feet with pillar support (Figure 5).

8 with frame support, and we have a 12-foot specimen in our garden that is a show of color and fragrance in early spring. It reblooms, but not vigorously.

Heritage is a medium-sized bush with a lovely light pink cupped flower (Figure 8), and Scepter’d Isle is a smaller 3x3 foot bush with a similar pink cupped flower (Figure 9).

Austin’s orange offering is named for his wife, Pat Austin (Figure 10). It is a vigorous mid-sized bush and the orange flower blends surprisingly well into the garden design.

Another pillar rose that will grow large is Golden Celebration, displaying one of the most beautiful of Austin’s flowers – gold as in the name, but with touches of red in the buds and at the center (Figure 6).

Benjamin Britten is a large vigorous bush with a particularly pleasing flower form and unique light red flower color (Figure 11).

Gertrude Jekyll is a medium pink old rose form with a smaller flower but remains Austin’s most beautifully fragrant (Figure 7). Again, it can grow very large

In the final analysis, however, each of Austin’s roses has been hybridized and selected with great care, and each has much to offer. They all have unique char-

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Dr. Scott Rankin’s garden with Graham Thomas from K&M Nurseries on Fortuniana root stock

acteristics and are worth cultivating. Part of the pleasure of growing English roses is learning about each of the diverse personalities and experiencing the large variety of flower forms, growth habits, and fragrances. Unquestionably, Austin’s contributions have enriched the enjoyment of rose growers everywhere.

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I bought a “bare root rose”. Now what do I do ?

By: Larry Baird, ARS Master Rosarian Have you noticed that many of the beautiful roses seen in the major magazines and at rose shows are not available in your local nurseries? It seems that those roses can only be found in the mail order catalogs that magically appear in your mailbox.

Due to the expense of shipping, most of the time, these roses are sold as “bare root”.

This means, they are shipped without being in a growing mixture or soil. So, when you receive them, they look like a large dead stick with roots. Don’t despair, they will become the beautiful roses you saw in the catalog, they only require a little more love and care, but it will be well worth the effort.

But, before we talk about that, a little advice from someone who has done it all wrong many times. Roses are sold in several “grades”, (grade 1 being largest and strongest as well as the most expensive and the 1 ½ and 2 grades being smaller and less expensive). For future enjoyment of your rose, the extra expense of the #1 grade rose is money well spent. So read the catalog carefully to be sure you are getting what you want. Good advice for a lot of mail and electronic orders.

Once your roses arrive, don’t get over anxious to examine them. They will be packed in a protective package to conserve their moisture. If you cannot plant them in the next day or two, leaving them unopened in the shipping package for a week or so will not hurt.

STEP 1

Once you are ready to plant, carefully unpack and separate the roses. Inspect the canes and roots. If you purchased your plants at a local rose society fundraiser, the above may not apply to you, but from here on, pay attention. Any canes that may have been broken in shipping should be pruned back below the break, (be sure your pruners are sharp, we don’t want to crush the canes). Don’t worry, they grow back.

Do the same for any roots that may have been broken to deter any disease that could enter through these breaks.

Now we are almost ready to plant. But first, be aware of the bare root rose’s need for moisture. Let’s be sure it has enough.

1. Fill a large container, (I use 5 or 7 gallon buckets) with water. (Many rose growers add a very weak bleach mixture to attempt to kill any diseases that might have been shipped from the fields. It can’t hurt. Gently place your plants in this water as deep as possible, being sure all the root system is submerged. It will not hurt the canes to be covered. Leave overnight to fully rehydrate the plants.

2. On planting day, for each plant dig a hole ideally at least 1 ½ times the size of your root system, setting aside the topsoil from the hole to mix with sand and compost or organic matter to refill the hole (remember 1/3-1/3-1/3 )

STEP 2

Build a mound in the center of your hole, and gently spread the root system of your rose over this mound positioning the bud union (the knot on the plant where the graft was made) at or about 1-2 inches above the level of the surrounding ground.

3. Gently (are we seeing a pattern yet?) fill around the roots with the soil mixture that you set aside earlier. When the hole is about half full, carefully water the mixture to settle and fill around the roots and eliminate any air pockets. If the plant has settled, gently pump it up and down until the bud union is back at the proper depth, finish filling the hole, water again and spread a protective layer of mulch around the plant to deter weeds and conserve moisture. Some growers, at this time, add a quality granular fertilizer; some wait until the rose produces leaves to begin feeding ( I haven’t seen a lot of difference).

4. Last, but not least, mound up mulch around the canes to form a little hill. This will keep the canes from drying out as the roots get established. Once your plant begins to produce leaves, it is time to pull away the mounded mulch (carefully so that new growth is not broken) and expose the bud union. This is also the time to establish a regular spray and fertilization program to ensure full enjoyment of your roses.

To maximize your enjoyment of roses, join and support your local rose society and take advantage of the consulting rosarians in your area (refer to CR list on page 11).

STEP 3

NRS

Dirt Dawg Nursery (Jeff & Jennifer Harvey)

News

VENDOR NIGHT Another Vendor Night has come and gone, with maybe smaller numbers, but with just as much fun and excitement.

As most of you know, this is a major fund raiser for the Nashville Rose Society, and an opportunity for acquiring the various supplies that we need to grow our roses for the coming season. Our special thanks to all the vendors who took their time to come out and make these supplies available to us.

The Davidson County Co-Op The Compost Farm Dickens Turf and Landscape Beaty Chemical The Rose Gardener Rosemania

Awakening

(cont’d from page 1)

We appreciate the support of all our vendors, and urge our members to support them whenever possible. Extra thanks to Sam and Nancy Jones for taking care of the rose sale, to Cindi LeMay and Linda Ring for the usual fine refreshments; to Connie Baird for the various duties performed; and especially Marty Reich who did an outstanding job with the pruning demonstration.

And not enough can be said for the excellent job done by Gary and Lycrecia Spencer for coordinating all the vendors and running another successful Vendor Night. Thanks to everyone, you make being President easy.

TENARKY NEWS Highlights from the TENARKY District Mid-Winter Workshop can be seen on the district website at www.tenarky.org

April Rose Tips I cringe when I see rose growers leave garden centers in loaded pick-up trucks whose open bed contains a load of potted roses sporting new growth. Exposure to the rushing wind creates damage to the new foliage. Those doing so might as well expose the plants to a flaming fire. Always cover the roses with a tarp so that the burning effects of the ride home will not adversely affect the new foliage. Never expose them to the rushing wind. Cover them with some form of protection.

— Ted Mills, ARS Master Rosarian If you are having a disease or insect problem and would like to see photos to help identify the problem, go to these websites. http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740 http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/68637758syCecE One of the first problems we see in the spring on roses is leaf damage caused by the rose sawfly larvae. It can be treated with applications of Malathion or Merit.

Monty Justice recommends adding ½ tsp of Monty’s 2-15-15, 1 TBSP of Epsom Salts and 1 TBSP of vinegar (all amounts are per gallon) to your spray. He says the humics in Monty’s Joy Juice take the pesticides and nutrients into the plant effectively and buffer the potential for burn or other damage. Monty also says the magnesium in the Epsom Salts makes the sunshine effective in creating energy, keeps the lower leaves darker green, and metabolizes other nutrients within the plant. The vinegar acidifies the solution making the pesticides retain their viability for an extra day or two.

— Anne Owen, ARS Master Rosarian 9

sight to behold. It also repeats flowering through out the blooming season, however, this display is not like the spring bloom.

In my garden, this rambler is so easy to care for with its small rambling size, very bendable canes. I just allow it to ramble on its own. Where it is planted, under a tree, there is no competion for space. We fertilize the rose twice during the growing season, pruning very little except for taking out only the dead and unwanted canes. After watering well the 1st two years, it is watered only when it rains. I strongly recommend this rambler to anyone who wants a no fuss, carefree rose somewhere in their garden; maybe in a corner, on a fence, under a tree, or on a pillar.

SPORT: A sport is an anomaly in a plant’s cells that causes a cane and flower, that look entirely different, to grow from the bud eye of the original plant. Sometimes the “sport” is much better than the original plant. Sporting is a fairly common occurrence among serious rose growers, but finding a “sport” in one’s garden is always fun – especially if it’s a good one.

Look for anything not typical and different from the mother plant. If you think you have found something different, invite an experienced grower to your garden for proof of a “sport”. Many of the roses offered at our local nurseries are sports, like Chicago Peace is a sport of Peace.

In this article, we have Awakening a small to medium size rambler sport of New Dawn a medium to large rambler sport of Dr. Van Fleet which can be huge and out of control, and so it goes. Like I said, “sports” can be better than the original plant. Here we have a parent, a child, and a grandchild. I choose the grandchild, Awakening.

NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, APRIL 2010

BECKON THE BEGINNERS – ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG By: Ted Mills, ARS Master Rosarian and Judge youngsters to remain inside rather than to journey outside and become involved in such a thing as growing roses. Texting on cell phones consumes much of their time. It was only a few days ago that the newly-crowned Miss America spoke to the importance of young people going outside to really enjoy the creations that God has provided. Outside they might be drawn to the hobby rosarians revere.

It is a startling fact that the median age of ARS members is quite elevated. There is a dire need for youthful participation in this revered hobby. In order for ARS to continue its role, more young people must abandon the lure of sports and rock bands and join the ranks of those who grow roses. Truthfully, there is so much glamorous activity available that youngsters shy away from the seemingly placid activity of growing America’s floral emblem. All rosarians who love the hobby must endeavor to eradicate this myth.

Convincing the youth that rose growing is exciting and rewarding to the spirit is the clarion call.

How best can this important activity be accomplished? First, rosarians must encourage ARS officials and Consulting Rosarians (C/R’s), to respond to the need of recruiting young people to grow roses.

Local rose society leaders must join in this campaign with increased enthusiasm. It should be a priority. Remember the words of General McArthur when he stated: “old soldiers never die, they just fade away.” Unless the established rosarians answer this call for added youthful membership, it is possible that much “fading away” will occur.

The abundance of gray hair among the present members speaks to the urgency of this endeavor.

Every rosarian is acquainted with the desires of youth. Television, with its abundance of games, lures the NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, APRIL 2010

Consulting Rosarians and society officers throughout ARS must shoulder major responsibility for attracting members whose life expectancy is far greater than the majority of current members.

Willingness to initiate help for the struggling rosarian is good insurance that membership will not diminish. It is well to recruit new members, but retention of them is far more important. RoseDoc stands ready to fulfill his obligation to teach members the art of rose culture.

The first days of membership are the most critical period that newly-recruited rosarians experience. They must be welcomed with open arms, not with just a handshake, but with a pledge that instruction in rose culture will always be provided. Far too many new members leave by the back door when this pledge is not kept. A dedicated C/R will not shirk this responsibility. As new members join, a C/R should be assigned to monitor the activity of the rookies. Once a C/R completes the test, he or she must not retire to the chair and feel that the job is completed. Vigorous action should include all aspects of teaching their adopted “rookies” this revered art.

One of the most effective ways to attract and retain new members is to provide them with interesting programs.

Keep teaching simple. This method is far better than speeches that are highbrow, just to impress the audience. Leave the pathology of rose-leaf structure in the library books for interested persons to research. Persons attending rose meetings are not there to be entertained, but to receive instruction on how to grow roses well.

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Included in local rose meetings should be a period of questions and answers conducted by skilled C/R’s. This eliminates idleness among them. It makes them feel necessary. An active C/R is a continuing C/R. Retention of members can best be accomplished through their being heavily involved in teaching new recruits. It is vital that a record be kept of the progress of new members in the art of rose growing. Monitoring their progress keeps them interested and prevents losing them “through the cracks.”

Each local society meeting should provide a social period that is accompanied with refreshments. Delicious snacks are provided voluntarily by members whose monthly service list is prepared for an entire year. Such fellowship provides a great opportunity for new members to get to know the entire society membership.

It also allows knowledgeable members the chance to communicate rose-growing information, one on one, to persons who shy away from asking questions in an audience.

A special feature of ARS membership is the opportunity to exhibit roses.

Exhibiting enables new members to gain recognition from their peers. Rose shows should be prefaced with training sessions in exhibiting. Small monthly-staged rose shows in local societies allow new members to practice exhibiting and hone their skills. Winning entries have a way of establishing confidence. Also, victory entices the novice exhibitors to improve the quality of roses entered through better rose culture practices. Even on a small scale, frequent recognition has a way of eliminating the desire to abandon the hobby. The retention of wavering members is a most important result. Once major trophies are won, the new member is usually “hooked” for life. Timely instructive visits to new-member rose gardens by C/R’s would really cement the newcomer’s continued membership.

Remember - attraction of young people to our cherished hobby is the bedrock of a sustained membership program.

A Rose Lover’s Calendar

NRS, Tenarky, & ARS Coming Events APRIL 6 29-2

NRS Meeting at Cheekwood - Pickup Fortuniana Roses 6:30 PM - Refreshments 7:00 PM - Planning and Preparing Rose Beds - Ron Daniel & Wayne Metcalf ARS Spring National - Shreveport, LA - for details visit www.ars.org MAY

10 22

NRS Meeting at Ellington Agricultural Center 6:30 PM - Refreshments 7:00 PM Old Garden Roses by Lynne Wallman Bowling Green Rose Society Rose Show - American Legion Hall Contact Bob Jacobs at r.jacobsa@insightbb.com JUNE

5

NRS Meeting & NRS Annual Picnic at the home of Larry & Connie Baird

5

Huntsville Twickenham Rose Show - Parkway Mall - Contact Bill Chappell at greenmtnroses@comcast.net

Welcome New Member!

Nelson Hughes 1018 Aenon Circle Spring Hill, TN 37174 eaglesx2dad@charter.net

Take time to introduce yourself to a new member and then each of you will have a new rose friend!

ARS Consulting Rosarians South Nashville Leann Barron ....................(615) 269-0240 *Marty Reich ....................(615) 833-0791

Details & other event news available at

www.nashvillerosesociety.com

West Nashville

Nashville Rose Leaf is printed by: The Print Authority Brentwood, Tennessee

Keith Garman ....................(615) 352-6219 Sam & Nancy Jones ..........(615) 646-4138

Contributions Nashville Rose Society is a 501c-3 organization and all contributions to the society are tax-deductible. Contributions may be made as memorials or to honor some person, group or occasion. Checks for contributions should be made payable to Nashville Rose Society and mailed to: CINDY WORCH 137 Urban Farms Rd. Manchester, TN 37355 ((931) 723-2142 rosegardener@hughes.net

Nashville Rose Leaf The Nashville Rose Leaf is published eleven times annually by the Nashville Rose Society, Nashville, TN Editors: Jim & Starla Harding, Sam Jones & Leann Barron Editorial Advisory Committee: Marty Reich and Charles Lott

Nashville Rose Society 2010 Officers

Brentwood Area

President Larry Baird................(931) 729-5259

*Cecil & Bessie Ward ........(615)373-2245

Vice-Pres Ron Daniels...............(615) 330-7083

Jerry & Marise Keathley ....(615)377-3034

Treasurer Susan Sinclair............(615) 386-3818 Rec. S’ty Hayes Gibson ...........(615) 794-1708 Cor. S’ty Cynthia Worch ..........(931) 723-2142 Previous Pres. Sandra Frank..... .(615) 383-058

Nashville Rose Society Membership We are a non-profit organization serving the middle Tennessee area to educate persons on growing and exhibiting roses. Membership is open to everyone who supports the objectives of the organization. Annual dues of $20.00 per household include a subscription to The Nashville Rose Leaf, the official newsletter of the society. To join, send a check payable to Nashville Rose Society to: Marty Reich, 5020 Dovecote Dr., Nashville, TN 37220-1614 Phone: (615) 833-0791; E-mail: marty615@bellsouth.net

Franklin Area *Anne Owen .....................(615) 794-0138 Logan & Joan Shillinglaw (615) 790-7346 Robbie&Marsha Tucker ....(615) 595-9187 Hendersonville Area Ron Daniels.......................(615) 330-7083 Charles Lott.......................(615) 824-5614 Jack Wedekind ..................(615) 824-8696 Murfreesboro Area Dillard & Diane Lester......(615) 896-0203 Columbia Area Lyle Worsham ...................(931) 388-4547 Lebanon-Watertown Area Jeff Harvey ........................(615) 268-7089 Jennifer Harvey .................(615) 268-7032 Duck River-Centerville Area

Disclaimer: While the advice and information in this newsletter is believed to be true and accurate at the time of publication, neither the authors nor the editor(s) accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may have been made.

The Nashville Rose Society makes no warranty, expressed or implied with respect to the material contained herein.

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*Larry & Connie Baird .....(931) 729-5259 *Indicates ARS Master Rosarian

NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, APRIL 2010

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID BRENTWOOD, TN PERMIT NO. 162

5020 Dovecote Drive Nashville, TN 37220-1614 Address Service Requested

Photos from “Rambler Roses” By: Kathy Brennan - ARS Consulting Rosarian

Rambling Rector

Paul’s Himalayan Musk

Veilchenblau

Photo courtesy of Charles Dean

Phyllis Bide

Photo courtesy of Roses Unlimited

Photo courtesy of Cliff Orent

Albertine

Photo courtesy of Cliff Orent

Rambling Rector

Photo courtesy of www.muddykneesphotography.co.uk

www.nashvillerosesociety.com