Plant Gardens 101

My interest in growing roses is always re-charged when I get to visit my local rose show, and

whenever I attend one of these annual events I like to take another rose enthusiast with me.

Our afternoon at the show always seems to produce the same sort of questions regarding the growing of show quality blooms and the inevitable inquiry, “what’s the secret?”

Fortunately, growing roses with rose-show quality blooms is not as difficult as it might appear. (more…)

Growing roses is both an art and a science: as my gardening aunt used to say, “…it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other!”

As a rose grower myself and author of a gardening website, I get many questions about why a certain rose bush has failed or what a person might be doing wrong. Over time, these many mistakes people make, began to fall into five major categories.

The five major rose growing mistakes that most people could avoid!

1. Planting in the wrong location:
Before you actually dig the hole for your new rose bush, consider the location. It will need six hours of good light including some time in the sun. It will need healthy soil where water drains well and other plants and trees haven’t taken over with their own roots. Not in the shade of a large tree, or over a concrete pipe or in a pot small enough for a geranium! Take time to choose the right location. (more…)