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My favorite flowers are roses

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Have you ever thought about what your favorite flower is? That might be a simple question for a non-gardener, but I’m sure there are many people with gardens who would probably have a very hard time picking just one flower as their favorite.

I know I had a hard time deciding which flower might be my favorite, but then I thought well which flower do I grow the most of? The rose of course!

I suppose that many would pick the rose as their favorite flower because there are so many sentimental memories attached to the rose. It might be the first flower their spouse gave them. It might remind a person of romantic occasions or special occasions such as their own wedding.

Whatever the reason my bet is that the rose is the worlds favorite flower.

mbqfrenchkiss_grn07_l.jpg If I were to send a bouquet of roses to someone I loved I think I’d send this Summer Elegance Bouquet of flowers . It has lovely red roses as well as another favorite of mine – Lilies. The lilies in this bouquet are pink Nerine Lilies and pink Stargazer lilies – each compliment the roses quite nicely.

I love roses, lilies and many other flowers of summer. I think this bouquet signifies the best of summer.

What’s your favorite flower?






Rose blooms galore!

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Remember about two weeks ago I wrote a post about all the roses in my yard? I told you that they were all in bloom at once and that the scent was heavenly?

I was working bellow the roses in the middle photo planting some new plants when the roses were in full bloom and I ended up being covered in petals. The branches of one of my largest roses, William Baffin, were moving in the light breeze and petals were raining down on me.

I still have roses in bloom but different roses, different colors and different scents now. The lilies are blooming too.

I thought you might enjoy seeing the roses in bloom so here’s a sample from my garden for you to enjoy.

Fading William Baffin blooms:

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From left to right – Compte de Chambord, William Baffin (the very large rose in the center!), Parade and Prince Napoleon with fading Karl Rosenfield peonies below:

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Barone Prevost and Jacques Cartier roses

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That was a whole lot of pink wasn’t it? If only you could smell it too!

My five new roses – your experiences?

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Does anyone grow any of these roses? I’ve listed the roses that I purchased a week ago to replace the ones I lost last winter.

When I bought the roses … five in all, I knew exactly where I was going to put them, but now – a week later, I’m looking at them going what was I thinking?

These are the roses that I purchased:

Joseph’s Coat –

A large flowered climbing rose that grows from 8 to 10 feet tall by 4 feet wide. hardy in zones four through 10. Bred by Armstrong and Swim in 1969; mild fragrance, 23 to 28 petals – repeats occasionally later in season. Blooms are a red blend – but I’ve noted that they range from a combination of orange, pink, red, yellow and white mixed in each flower. It’s apparently a very thorny rose with average disease resistance.

Climbing Iceberg –

Bred in the UK by Cant in 1968, White semi-double blooms with 9 to 16 petals, blooms in flushes throughout the season; Grows to a height of 8 to 15 feet and is hardy in zones 4 to 9. May or may not have a mild fragrance.

Chicago Peace

A hybrid Tea originally bred in the USA by Graeme Johnston in 1962. Blooms are large- up to 6 inches, and are a pink blend with 45 to 60 petals. The blooms have a very double form. This rose blooms in flushes throughout the season and grows to a height of 4.5 feet to 6.5 feet. Mild fragrance. Susceptible to blackspot, requires winter protection. Helpmefind -Roses says it’s only hardy to zone 7 but they often state high zones for hybrid teas.

Climbing Westerland –

Kordes bred rose, 1969, scented – strong rose, spicy fragrance; Apricot & apricot blend, Semi-double (9-16 petals) bloom form. Blooms in flushes throughout the season. Grows to a height of 4 to 12 feet by 4 feet wide and is disease resistant. No hardiness info but I think it’s hardy to at least zone 5a.

Double Delight –

This is a hybrid tea that was first bred in 1977 in the US by Herbert C. Swim. The blooms are a red blend with red and white within, and red edges. It has a spicy fragrance. The average diameter of the flowers are 5 inches and each bloom is double with 17 to 25 petals. Blooms in flushes throughout the season. Grows to a height of 3 feet to 5 feet and a width of 2 feet to 5 feet. This rose is apparently susceptible to mildew and requires winter protection.

Wow, would you look at that? Every rose that I purchased was first bred in the 60’s. Isn’t that odd? All of them, with the exception of the Climbing Iceberg are multicolored roses. However, I’ve noticed that my standard iceberg often gets a pink blend in the petals as they age.

I really wanted to replace my Love and Peace but I couldn’t find one. That’s why I got the Chicago Peace. I’m hoping that it really does turn out to be as hardy as Love and Peace was because I didn’t have any problems with that rose. I think it’s demise was due to a fungal infection. It actually got a fungus like woody growth near the base of the rose. I think I’ll have to remove all the soil in that portion of the garden where Love and Peace was before I plant it’s replacement as I fear that the fungus or virus might still be in the soil. Anyone familiar with the problem that I’m discussing?

As you can see I’ve chosen some roses that get quite large and I have a small jam packed garden. This should be fun!

Obviously I’m not a rose novice but if anyone has experience with any of the roses that I’ve listed above I’d love it if you’d tell me how the rose faired in your care.

I’m particularly interested in how these roses do in cold zones.

I’m in Toronto and it’s classed as a Canadian Zone 6b or a US zone 5b. I know I’ll have to winter protect the hybrid teas I purchased but I’ve been very successful with roses that are not supposed to be all that hardy – like Just Joey, and Valencia for example, so I’m not too worried.

I do prefer to buy roses that are hardy to a plain Jane zone 5 or lower though as it gives them more of a chance of survival if we have a really harsh winter.

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