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Re: A selection of Roses for Houston, TX

Bill Groth wrote:

As a Houston native (now living in Atlanta) I can empathize with all the 
problems of growing roses in Houston's gumbo/heat/humidity. Teas is a 
decent source for the "usual" roses and some of the more common antique 
varieties. Your greatest resource, however, is in New Braunfels at the 
Antique Rose Emporium. And Dr. Welch at A&M. Get Welch's book on growing 
roses in the South and take a drive to New Braunfels (or is it in 
Brookshire...I've been gone too long!). 

I noticed your e-mail address is at Rice. I don't know if the woman is 
still living, but there's a *serious* rose nut a few blocks from the 
campus. Her house is between South Shepherd and Univeristy...on Sunset. 
It's a corner house; two-story with a huge rose garden plainly visable 
from the street. I can't remember the cross street, but it's worth a 
cruise down Sunset to see if you can spot it. If you are driving on Sunset 
towards Main, it will be on your right. If she's still living, I'd ring 
her doorbell. She used to love to talk roses (can't remember her name).

Re specific varieties: Mutabilis is outstanding throughout the area. As a 
*very* general rule, the simpler the flower in terms of numbers of petals, 
the better the rose does. The so-called English roses of David Austin and 
others tend to do miserably....too many petals to open well (humidity is 
the problem).

Good luck....and avoid peat moss like the plague. It is the absolute worst 
thing you can ever add to Houston's gumbo. 

Catharine, Atlanta/zone 7b
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