Old Garden Roses
by Charlotte J. Crockett
Roses ... they speak of love and romance. I have never met anyone who did not
love roses. The legend goes that the Greeks and Romans thought that roses
were once all white. Supposedly, Venus, the goddess of love, pricked her foot
on a rose thorn as she went to save her lover. A drop of her blood fell on
the rose and it stayed red forever.
Old garden roses are my favorite flower. They are so easy you don't need to
be an expert to grow them. They are very hardy. Basically with old fashioned
garden roses you just need to decide on a location and spacing. Old garden
roses need at least six hours of sunlight to stay healthy and bloom. You must
make sure the drainage is very good. Some old garden roses can get rather
large. Make sure you understand how big your rose will grow before planting.
Most roses can be spaced approximately two feet apart.
To plant your rose, dig the hole large enough that you do not cramp the roots. As a general
rule, if you live in the North, plant the graft "knob" one to three inches
below the surface. In the South, plant one inch above ground surface. Your
zone will determine proper planting depth. Assume the further north you are
the lower to plant the "knob" on your rose. Do not go below three inches.
Plant your rose and water well. Apply mulch to preserve moisture. During
the winter months, you need to protect your roses by mounding mulch around it
at least 8 inches high.
As I said, I love old garden roses. They are wonderful to have in your
garden. Nothing can beat a Cecile Brunner (circa 1894) or a Sweetbrier (circa
1551). Imagine the history behind these roses. Truly awesome when you think
about what the world was like when they came into being.
A Red, Red Rose
by Robert Burns
O my luve's like a red, red rose
That's newly sprung in June;
O my luve's like a melodie
That's sweetly play'd in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will love thee still, my Dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.
Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun:
I will luve thee still, my Dear,
While the sands o'life shall run.
And fare thee weel my only Luve!
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho' it were ten thousand mile!
The meaning of Roses
Red - Love, Respect
Pink - Perfect Happiness, Grace and Joy, Please Believe Me
Dark Pink - Thankfulness
Yellow - Joy, Friendship
White - Innocence and Purity, I am Worthy of You, You're Heavenly
Peach - Modesty
Orange - Fascination
Lavender - Enchantment
Red and White together - Unity
Rosebud, Red - Pure and Lovely
Rosebud, White - Girlhood
Single Rose in Full Bloom - I Love You
Bouquet in Full Bloom - Gratitude
Rose Problems: What To Do
For further information, with pictures of old garden roses use this.
Yesterday's Rose: A
Tribute to Old and Old-Fashioned Garden Roses
Some common rose problems and how to head them off before they occur.
Common Rose Problems
Organic & Rose Bugs
Even nature supplies natural enemies to do battle in your rose garden.
Natural Enemies
Look at the award won by Charlotte for her gardening articles!
About the Author: Charlotte J. Crockett is a 46 year old mother of 3 children and a
grandmother of 4 boys…all under the age of 2. She has been happily married for
28 years to a wonderful man who spoils her rotten. She was born in Germany
and spent the early part of my life traveling in Europe. She is bilingual.
Besides English she also speaks, reads and writes German. Although
she is getting rusty with it. :) She is a member of the National
Gardening Association. Join her Gardening Group:Tennessee Gardens
Gardening
She has not always been a work at home Mom. When her children were younger she
worked for several years in a greenhouse that retailed and wholesaled.
She picked up valuable information about plants. She has always enjoyed gardening,
even before it became the "in" thing to do. She believes in learning
from books but she also notes that "hands on" is as valuable
a tool in gaining knowledge as from a text book.
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