"Extreme" roses really are just that: the hardiest, the most exotic -- and in some cases the smallest. Host Maureen Gilmer and her guests explore the world of roses that can withstand extremes in temperature -- and then visit a garden packed with tiny roses that bloom like giants!
Rosarian Clair Martin introduces our first extreme rose: the F. J. Grootendorst (figure A). First discovered in the 1890s, this intensely fragrant coastal rose from Korea, northern China and Manchuria is ideal for cooler zones as it can tolerate freezing temperatures. Thanks to its suitability as a landscaping rose, the Grootendorst is frequently planted on sand dunes in New England to help stabilize the sand. Grootendorsts can be sheared back to form attractive mounds of color. Totally remontant, i.e., blooming throughout the season, these roses don't have to be deadheaded because even if they set fruit (hips), they continue to grow.
Another extreme type of rose is the miniature rose (figure B), which produce very small blooms on either a normal-size or a compact plant. Whereas minis make great borders and hedges (figure C), they also do well in pots (figure D), although the pots need to be located outdoors rather than inside.
The Lady Banks rose (figure E), named after the wife of the famous botanist Sir Joseph Banks, one of the founders of Kew Gardens, is a double-flowering mini whose overall growth potential belies the size of its blossoms. This large grower can easily reach 30 feet in height when trained to a tree or a building. The blooms, which can be either yellow or white, look like popcorn balls (figure F), and because the plant is both evergreen and thornless, it makes the perfect choice to grow around the entrance to a building (figure G). Native to southern China, the Banksia is well suited to tropical climates, and although it blooms only once or twice a year, the abundance of flowers assures the grower of an impressive display.
( Note: Don't feed the Banksia too much -- that would just encourage it to grow larger! Just be sure there is plenty of mulch and organic matter on the ground to keep the root runs cool; if you think feeding is necessary, scatter a light-balance fertilizer around the plant and mulch over that.)
RESOURCES :
Easy, Practical Pruning: Techniques for Training Trees, Shrubs, Vines, and Roses
Model: 0395815916
Author: Barbara Ellis
Houghton Mifflin Co.
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 617-351-5000
Email: tradecustomerservice@hmco.com
Taylor's Guide to Roses
Model: 0395404509
Author: Steve Schneider
1995
Houghton Mifflin Co.
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 617-351-5000
Email: tradecustomerservice@hmco.com
Roses for Dummies
Model: 0764552023
Author: Lance Walheim
February 2000
Roses: A Growing Guide for Easy, Colorful Gardens
Model: 0028626362
Author: Mary C. Weaver & George Ball, Jr.
December 1998
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