My name is Judy Brownell. Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing everything I have learned about rose care. I grew up on a farm in Nebraska. Early on, I learned that I loved the dirt and growing things. Because we raised everything we ate, Mom’s standby flowers were marigolds around the vegetable garden to keep insects away. There were a few irises along the garage and a smattering of zinnias here and there. By the back gate was a huge bramble climbing rose she had ordered from Gurneys catalog and planted when they bought the farm in 1946. She never did anything to this rose, as far as I know. It just stood there rather ugly most of the year. But for a few weeks in early summer, it burst into color. I lived for those weeks—the smell; the delicateness of the blossoms, and the richness of the color.
When I got married and began my learning of gardening and flowers, I was thrilled that there were roses out there that would bloom more than once a year. Today, they fill my garden with constant color from May until November. Though I have many kinds of flowers, it is the rose that brings the longest lasting continual performance particularly here in the Northwest.
Today I have 126 different species of roses. I have been to every rose seminar, pruning clinic, and rosarian learning consortium there is. I will share what I know in a simple easy format, so that hopefully you can enjoy the benefits of this flower as much as I do.
This is my most anticipatory time-- Gearing up for February. I wander through the rose garden looking at canes, shape of bushes, and planning. Have good hand pruners, a good pair of larger, long-handled pruners, a pruner sharpener (Coastal sells them all), and a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide to dip your pruners in to prevent spreading disease. You also need a good pair of gloves. My favorites are Kinco’s from Coastal. They are cheap, fit close to the hand, and somehow are thorn resistant.
In my next article, I will discuss pruning, which I begin around President’s Weekend (depending on the weather). I look forward to sharing with you how to transform : This
