RosesFrom Gardening Wiki
Roses ForewardThe rose has been a cherished flower from almost the beginning of time. The prophet Isaiah says : " The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose," but it is doubtful if the rose he mentions is the true one. However, the rose has long flourished in the Holy Land and the East generally, and so it is more than probable that the rose of Holy Writ may be the true one. Anyway, the ancients were well acquainted with its beauties and subtle charms, since Herodotus, Aristotle, Theophrastus, Virgil, and Pliny of old refer to it. The latter, indeed, says that the warriors of his time crowned themselves with garlands of roses during their feasts, and also covered their food with the petals or sprinkled it with the fragrant oil of roses.
In more modern times the rose has also been held in high esteem as an emblem of joy and sadness. Thus young folks used to decorate themselves with garlands of roses, strew roses on the ground before the happy bridal pair; and, according to Camden, a writer in the fifteenth century, " there was in his day a classical custom observed, time out of mind, at Oakley, in Surrey, of planting a rose tree on the graves, especially of the young men and maidens who have just lost their lovers, so that this churchyard is full of them." Then, it has long been a custom in this country to use rosewater to wash the hands and refresh the face after a banquet. In other ways, less romantic, the rose has come into prominence in this country. As everyone who has read English history knows, the red and the white rose were chosen as emblems by the opposing factions in the War of the Roses, made famous by the immortal bard, Shakespeare : " . . . . This brawl to-day Grown to this faction, in the Temple Garden, Shall send, between the red rose and the white, A thousand souls to death and deadly night." Since that memorable affair the rose, however, has been regarded more as the emblem of peace. For the last few hundred years, at least, roses have become a favourite flower for decorating the garden, the 'greenhouse, and the home. Now the possessor of the humble cottage garden, the villa garden, and of the larger garden of the manor and palace, cultivates the rose by the dozens, hundreds, and thousands, and cherishes its brilliant and dainty colours and delicious fragrance more than that of any other flower. So popular, indeed, has it become that it has been crowned unanimously as the " Queen of Flowers." As showing the remarkable increase of varieties cultivated during the last three hundred years, we may mention that in 1581 ten sorts were described, in 1620 nineteen varieties, in 1784 twenty-one, in 1797 forty-six. In 1829 a French grower published a catalogue of 2,562 varieties, and ten years later the number had advanced to thousands. The varieties named in the classified list at the end of this volume by no means represent the whole of those in cultivation on the continent. Still, the list is a formidable one. The list of roses currently is at hundreds of thousands, but we will cover the most popular and best roses. Roses IntroductionA rose is a flowering shrub of the genus Rosa, and the flower of this shrub. There are more than a hundred species of wild roses, all from the northern hemisphere and mostly from temperate regions. The species form a group of generally prickly shrubs or climbers, and sometimes trailing plants, reaching 2–5 m tall, rarely reaching as high as 20 m by climbing over other plants.
The name originates from Latin rosa, borrowed through Oscan from colonial Greek in southern Italy: rhodon (Aeolic form: wrodon), from Aramaic wurrdā, from Assyrian wurtinnu, from Old Iranian *warda (cf. Armenian vard, Avestan warda, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr). BotanyThe leaves of most species are 5–15 cm long, pinnate, with (3–) 5–9 (–13) leaflets and basal stipules; the leaflets usually have a serrated margin, and often a few small prickles on the underside of the stem. The vast majority of roses are deciduous, but a few (particularly in southeast Asia) are evergreen or nearly so. The flowers of most species roses have five petals, with the exception of Rosa sericea, which often has only four. Each petal is divided into two distinct lobes and are usually white or pink, though in a few species yellow or red. Beneath the petals are five sepals (or in the case of some Rosa sericea, four). These may be long enough to be visible when viewed from above and appear as green points alternating with the rounded petals. The ovary is inferior, developing below the petals and sepals. The aggregate fruit of the rose is a berry-like structure called a rose hip. Rose species that produce open-faced flowers are attractive to pollinating bees and other insects, thus more apt to produce hips. Many of the domestic cultivars are so tightly petalled that they do not provide access for pollination. The hips of most species are red, but a few (e.g. Rosa pimpinellifolia) have dark purple to black hips. Each hip comprises an outer fleshy layer, the hypanthium, which contains 5–160 "seeds" (technically dry single-seeded fruits called achenes) embedded in a matrix of fine, but stiff, hairs. Rose hips of some species, especially the Dog Rose (Rosa canina) and Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa), are very rich in vitamin C, among the richest sources of any plant. The hips are eaten by fruit-eating birds such as thrushes and waxwings, which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. Some birds, particularly finches, also eat the seeds. While the sharp objects along a rose stem are commonly called "thorns", they are actually prickles — outgrowths of the epidermis (the outer layer of tissue of the stem). True thorns, as produced by e.g. Citrus or Pyracantha, are modified stems, which always originate at a node and which have nodes and internodes along the length of the thorn itself. Rose prickles are typically sickle-shaped hooks, which aid the rose in hanging onto other vegetation when growing over it. Some species such as Rosa rugosa and R. pimpinellifolia have densely packed straight spines, probably an adaptation to reduce browsing by animals, but also possibly an adaptation to trap wind-blown sand and so reduce erosion and protect their roots (both of these species grow naturally on coastal sand dunes). Despite the presence of prickles, roses are frequently browsed by deer. A few species of roses only have vestigial prickles that have no points.
Ways to Grow RosesRoses, the sweetest and fairest flower of the garden lends itself charmingly and agreeably to many ways of culture. You may grow it as a simple bush or tree in the border ; as a climber for beautifying an ugly or bare wall, fence, trellis, post, or building; for decorating an arbour or pergola; clothing a bare bank ; or for forming a delightfully fragrant hedge. In fact, so cosmopolitan is the "Queen of Flowers," you may do almost anything you like with it.
Other Ways to Grow RosesClimbing roses Ground cover roses Ramblers
Rose SpeciesSome representative rose species
Pests & Diseases of RosesRoses are subject to several diseases. The most serious is rose rust (Phragmidium mucronatum), a species of rust fungus, which can defoliate the plant. More common, though less debilitating, are rose black spot, caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae, which makes circular black spots on the leaves in summer, and powdery mildew, caused by Sphaerotheca pannosa. Fungal diseases are best solved by a preventative fungicidal spray program rather than by trying to cure an infection after it is visible. After the disease is visible, its spread can be minimized through pruning and use of fungicides although actual infection cannot be reversed. Some rose varieties are considerably less susceptible than others to fungal disease. The main insect pest affecting roses is the aphid (greenfly), which sucks the sap and weakens the plant. Ladybirds are a predator of aphids and should be encouraged in the rose garden. Spraying with insecticide is often recommended but should be done with care to minimize loss of beneficial insects. Roses are also used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species; see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Roses.
Rose CultivationRoses are one of the most popular garden shrubs, as well as the most popular and commonly-sold florists' flowers. In addition to their great economic importance as a florists' crop, roses are also of great value to the perfume industry. Many thousands of rose hybrids and cultivars have been bred and selected for garden use, mostly double-flowered with many or all of the stamens mutated into additional petals. As long ago as 1840 a collection numbering over one thousand different cultivars, varieties and species was possible when a rosarium was planted by Loddiges nursery for Abney Park Cemetery, an early Victorian garden cemetery and arboretum in England. Twentieth-century rose breeders generally emphasized size and color, producing large, attractive blooms with little or no scent. Many wild and "old-fashioned" roses, by contrast, have a strong sweet scent. Roses thrive in temperate climates, though certain species and cultivars can flourish in sub-tropical and even tropical climates, especially when grafted onto appropriate rootstock. see also: Planting RosesFor more see Planting roses
Preparing Soil for RosesOrdinary soils that are fairly rich, and do not retain too much moisture in winter simply require to be dug three spits deep equal to at least 30 inches and have thick layers (2 or 3 inches) of decayed manure mixed between the second and third spits. Light soils also require to be dug deeply, and to have pig or cow dung not horse manure placed in layers beneath the second and third spits. If possible, some heavy loom or clay should be incorporated with the light soil. Heavy clay soils should, if very wet, be drained to a depth of 3 feet, and afterwards trenched to a depth of 3 feet, working in abundance of road grit, leaf mould, burnt earth and fresh horse manure. Where single plants only are to be planted, a space of not less than 4 feet square should be prepared as above advised. Fig. 1 explains how to deepen the soil. First of all, a trench 3 feet wide should be taken out at one side of the bed or border, and the soil should be wheeled to the opposite side, or where the digging or trenching is to be finished. This is necessary, in order that the soil shall be convenient for filling in the last trench. Take the soil out down to the subsoil C. This is of a different colO'Ur and texture. This subsoil must not be brought to the surface, but simply broken up deeply and left in the bottom of the trench, as shown at D. Now take the top spit and place it on C. Then take the next spit and place it on the top of B, as shown at A. Continue thus throughout the piece to be planted. If the soil be very poor, and it is necessary to use manure or other good soil, this will be placed between A and B. If manure be used, it must be covered deep enough to be out of the way of the roots of the newly-planted roses. This deep working of the soil should be done some weeks in advance of planting, in order to allow it to settle.
When to Plant RosesWhere possible, plant at the end of October, or during November. Never plant in December or January if it can be avoided. February, March, and the early part of April are good months for spring planting.
Distance Apart and Depth of PlantingDwarf roses should be planted 18 inches apart, standards 3 feet, and climbers from 3 to 4 feet apart. As to depth, plant standards in holes 6 inches deep; dwarfs and climbers sufficiently deep to allow the junction of stock and scion to be buried about an inch below the surface. In other words, the part of the stem where the plant was budded or grafted must be buried in the soil to the depth of an inch. In the case of "own-root" roses, plant in holes 6 inches deep.
Pruning RosesRose Propagation
Exhibiting RosesRoses can be exhibited in several ways including:
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