For those of you who have heard that growing roses is full of trials and tribulations, have faith. There are roses that are very picky about their conditions and then there are others that grow in spite of any weather conditions and neglect that is brought their way.
The most popular and probably most meticulous of roses is the hybrid tea. They have long stems and usually one bloom per stem. The hybrid tea class was developed in the late 19th and early 20th century by crossing two kinds of old garden roses – hybrid perpetuals and teas. Until the development of the hybrid teas, the hybrid perpetuals had been the most popular roses worldwide. Unfortunately, they were not reliable repeat bloomers, which the teas (originating in China and other parts of Asia) were.
At first, crossbreeding was not well understood and rose growers simply planted different roses next to each other and simply waited and watched, hoping that their plants would interbreed and that some useful mixing of characteristics would take place. In the late 19th century, as the principles of genetic inheritance came to be more understood, tremendous advances became possible.
Rose Colors
Colors at first were only in shades of pink, white, red and mauve, but breeder Joseph Pernet- Dicher began experimenting in the late 1800s with Persian Yellow (rosa, foetida persiana, the double form of the Austrian Briar). He successfully introduced the first hybrid tea roses of a rich, pure, deep yellow. This opened up a whole new pallet of rose color possibilities – flame reds, burning coppers and other brilliant shades that had for so long been out of reach. This new group of early yellow and yellow blend hybrid teas were called “peretianas,” but unfortunately, they also brought with them a susceptibility to black spot.
Although the hybrid teas are considered to be the most popular of all roses, other classes include grandifloras, floribundas, climbing roses, miniature roses, old garden roses, shrub roses and species roses. Of these, the easiest to grow are the species. What constitutes a species rose is an ongoing debate. Most gardeners are satisfied with the definition as one that bears a single (five-petaled) flower, sets self-pollinated hips and produces seedlings resembling the parent in every way. I like to think of them as the ones which grew in my
grandmothers yard out in the country.
Species Roses
Species roses, are for the most part, once-blooming and most of them flower early in the season, in May or June. They produce an enormous crop of blossoms each year. In most cases, the flowers are followed by brightly colored fruits, known as seed hips, which prolong the beauty of the plants and provide feed for birds. Rose hips also make attractive subjects for flower and foliage arrangements. As I said, they require very little care and are extremely hardy, although some are more cold tolerant than others.
They usually require lots of room for growth as many will become extremely busy and will grow up to 8 or 9 feet tall and just as wide. The larger varieties are ideally suited for hedges, others are low growing and very sprawling in their growth and make a good ground cover. Individually, bushes or a row of species roses will make a very fine backdrop for many other plants, including other types of roses. They will not only be pleasing to the viewer, but the birds and other wildlife will be appreciative of the many benefits they receive as well.
Buying Roses
Whichever type of roses you decide to choose for your garden, bear in mind that you get what you pay for. Do not be fooled by the pretty pictures on the packages or in the catalogs, stick to varieties you know will grow well in your region. I do not purchase young packaged roses as I have found there is not enough strong roots for the plant to survive harsh winters. I would rather pay a little more and get a better root system which more than likely will give a better growth for the plant. I usually buy 2-year-old plants which are in gallon containers. Whatever kinds of roses you decide to buy and grow, they will give you years of enjoyment if given the proper attention. Not only can you enjoy them as they grow, but they can be picked and dried and used in bouquets, potpourri or other arrangements.
Roses Books – Learn more
Once you’re hooked on roses, you are bound to want to learn more about them. There are hundreds of books loaded with rose-growing techniques, some deal with specific regions of the country. Other books tell the history of roses or how to hybridize them, or focus on the category of roses, such as old-fashioned or miniatures.
http://gardening.about.com/od/rose1/Rose_Gardens_Growing_and_Tending_Roses.htm
