In this episode, introducing viewers to the special world climbing roses, host Maureen Gilmer and her guests provide a demonstration of training techniques that demystify the process of getting a rose to climb a structure. Roses, which come in a multitude of varieties, are considered to be the world's most popular flower. That popularity is a somewhat recent development, however: it didn't actually begin until early in the last century, when the breeding of hybrid teas caused an upsurge in interest in roses. Climbers, not actually a category of rose, are instead a mix of roses spun off from many different classes. What all climbing roses have in common, though, is that they can all produce canes six feet or greater in length. Since they are not natural climbers, explains rosarist (rose specialist) Clair Martin, of the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, climbers need a structure to attach themselves to. Structures can be almost anything: a trellis, a pillar, a simple wire -- even a ladder (figure A). Martin suggests that the number-one consideration in choosing a climber should be the hardiness of an individual type of rose. The worst thing you can do, he says, is to choose a rose because of its appearance. A far better idea is to look around your neighborhood at any climbers that may be growing there -- you need to be sure that you're choosing a variety that is suited to the soil and climate of your particular area. Most rose gardens are at eye level or below, according to Martin. Climbing roses, however, cause the eye to look up at the sky and at the roses framed against it. In fact, he points out, training roses to climb trees is becoming increasingly popular, especially in England; it creates a striking display and also allows you to add a few years to the life of a tree that might otherwise have to be destroyed (figure B). The best way to feed climbers is with a timed-release fertilizer. Simply sprinkle it at the base of the plant, scratch it in slightly, cover with compost or mulch and water it in. Never feed a plant that is in need of water; instead, water the plant, then fertilize it the following day.
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