Re: Perennials low-maintenance, switching to Roses?

**"* B* <l*@msn.com>**

Dee et al,

I know Knock Outs are enormously popular and I work at a garden center and sell tons of them.  BUT, they aren't so great in my garden.  When I stack them up and grow them side by side with Easy Elegance roses, the Easy Elegance roses outperform them on three counts.  First, the KOs always come down with blackspot big time and EE don't.  Second, the blooming habits of the EEs I have (Sunrise Sunset, Sweet Fragrance, Polar Joy, Lady Elsie May) are more prolific.  They don't need such a long rest between blooming cycles.  In fact, they don't rest at all.  Their bloom is sporadic as they build their energy for a bigger encore.  I follow Bill Radler's advice and don't deadhead the KOs (I "schmuss" instead) so their brains don't get messed up. Lastly, I find the foliage on the EE roses is attractive.  Sunrise Sunset is especially nice since it's glossy, with new foliage taking on a russet tone.

I suspect I'm in the minority here as I have compared notes with other local gardeners and experts in my area who can't get enough of KOs.  I feel that way about Easy Elegance and whatever Ping Li develops that comes into the market.

Lorraine 

Lorraine Ballato 
Grow the best plants you can by converting your containers to self-waterers easily and cheaply.  Go to
http://www.successfulselfwateringcontainers.com/<http://www.successfulselfwateringcontainers.com/> to get the full story.
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