RE: [Rose-list] Rose garden design question

**"* S* <S*@schwabe.com>**

Hello Phillip,

It's a good thing you already know what you love.  Most of us fool around
with gardening for a while before we realize.

I would like to promote two things to you:

First, not planting a seprate rose bed.  From all I've read it encourages
pests and disease and of course that makes sense.  Nature never is a
monoculture.  I would highly recommend planting your roses in mixed borders,
with many other perennials, ground covers, even shrubs.  This of course will
take care of the problem of the roses being different ages/sizes, as well.

The second recommendation I have is: take a look at the old roses.  They are
very hardy, don't need any chemicals or fussy treatment, as a rule, and
can't be beat for fragrance.  Many, many repeat bloom as well.  

I've been "seriously" into roses about 10 years now, and after about 2
years, I was hooked on the old or English roses.  They really tolerate the
mixed border conditions, as well, and don't mind rubbing elbows with other
plants.

Another recommendation is to grow own root roses.  I can't tell you how many
roses, even in my mild climate, I've had to replace in a bad winter until I
went to own root.  And from comparing notes with rose growing comrades, they
seem to perform so much better on their own roots anyway (bloom, repeat,
fragrance, etc.).  It takes a bit of patience to grow own root, because it
takes them two years to mature.  But if gardening doesn't teach you anything
else, it will teach you patience!

If you're interested, e-mail me privately and I will help you with some
sources.  Get all the catalogues you can!  They are often invaluable for
information!

Susan Saxton, zone 6b
For mine is a little old fashioned garden where the flowers come
together to praise the Lord and teach all who look upon them to do
likewise.
Celia Thaxter

I AM in shape.  ROUND is a shape!

> -----Original Message-----
> Hello from blustery Illinois.
> (wisconsin has cheese-heads - should we call ourselves rose-heads
> since most of our waking thoughts this time of year on 
> centered on roses?)
> 
> I am a complete amateur rose gardener.  I got $100 from my 
> mother-in-law
> last year and spent it on my first roses.  I already had 
> Climbing Blaze -
> but he
> doesn't count - he was an impulse buy.  These first roses 
> were somewhat
> thought out.
> 
> One year later, most of my available 'nooks' have been 
> plugged with roses.
> 
> If i am going to plant more i either have to a)plant a rose hedge b)
> 'waste' some
> more space in my vegetable garden on roses c) start a new 
> gardening bed
> someplace just for roses OR d) plan a rose garden all to its self.
> 
> I have 3/4 of an acre that still has plenty of open spaces for a large
> rose garden.
> 
> being new to roses, i'm not sure which to do.  any ideas what would be
> the logical next step for me?
> 
> the rose garden idea intrigues/scares me.  can i implement it 
> over several
> years or would it look funny with roses of different ages?
> 
> PRG
> 
> Phillip Gramly
> Sadorus, IL
> Zone 5
> 
> 
> 
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