When the night has been too lonely,
And the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong.

Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that in the suns' love
In the spring becomes the rose.



The best rose I have ever grown is the Rio Samba hybrid tea. Here is a picture of it in 1995 and again in 1999 shortly before it bacame ill. At one time, it was over six foot tall and at least that wide. I tried to count the roses on it and lost count after 100. It had a trunk instead of a base and a cardinal built her nest in it. It starts as a bright orange/redorange bud. As it opens, the roses fade to yellow with a pink blush then finally, just the blush. The bush will often have many colors at once.

But in the fall two years ago, it began to develop blackspot and was soon almost defoliated. I cut it back and it seemed to make a come back, but in the spring it was again weak and had many dead canes. So I cut it back again, this time very severely, leaving only about 12 inches above the ground. It has recovered, but has never been quite as strong and beautiful as it once was.
My only guess as to what happened to it, was that it became too crowded and didn't get enough air circulation.

One year I did some test roses for Jackson and Perkins. This is one of them. It was the favorite of most of the testers, but I really preferred a smaller gold one pictured above the Rio Samba. This one has had some problems for me although it is a beautiful rose. I can't seem to keep more than one cane alive at a time. But as you can see, one cane produced a whole bouquet. These hardly look like the same rose but it really is. The picture of the bush was taken at dusk. The single flower shows the true color of this rose.
Colors of Roses and What They Mean

• Red Rose: love, passion
  
• White Rose: innocence, purity
  
• Pink Rose: grace
  
• Yellow Rose: friendship, jealousy,

Ultimate Pink is a hybrid tea rose from Jackson and Perkins. It holds it's true baby pink color throughout it's life and the form is exquisite, but I've never been able to catch even the slightest fragrance. What a shame that such a beautiful rose doesn't do what roses are made for.



A White Rose

The red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
O, the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.
But I send you a cream-white rosebud
With a flush on its petal tips;
For the love that is purest and sweetest
Has a kiss of desire on the lips.

Although hybrid teas are the showiest of roses, there are many others that are just as beautiful. Here are two floribundas. The white one is called Iceberg. I planted it next to my deck where I can enjoy it on a late summer night. It's white flowers show up wonderfully at dusk and the sweet spicy fragrance drifts across my deck. It probably would do better in a spot where it gets more sun, but I enjoy it where it is.
The red one is an old rose I rescued from an abandoned homesite. I've had permission to dig flowers there for several years, but I always felt that didn't include taking the roses. Then last year after two years of drought, I noticed the rose was in trouble. So I brought it home with me. It has lived there for 10 years with no human help. I love the smell of this one.

Mini roses are another popular choice especially for those with limited space. I have plenty of room, but I still choose to put them in containers so that I can move them to another location. The orange one is called Sunshine and Rainbows, I think. I bought it many years ago from a friend whose son was doing some hybridizing. I have even moved it from it's "permanent" location when we relocated about 10 years ago. That is when I put it in a container.
The red one is one I rescued from a nursery in a "going out of business" sale. What a find! It was on a table out back in what looked to be the "throw-away" table. Although it was stressed, it has made a wonderful comeback and rewards me every year with many blossoms.

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design:
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day.
I will look to him for guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Father knows.
Author Unknown

New in 2002

I planted this rose in honor of my mother. She called it "Seven Sisters" because of it's habit of having 7 or more roses on each stem. Isn't it pretty! My grandmother had one growing on an arbor in her yard. It grows on fence rows in many rural areas of Texas and to some it's just a bramble bush. I suppose the old addage that "some people see a pretty rose with thorns, others see a thorn bush with pretty roses" is very true about this one.


Sometime year before last, I started making a "hot bed" in which I planted red and yellow flowers. This spring I wanted a tree rose as the focal point. While I was contemplating this, I received a call from Jackson and Perkins, my favorite place to buy roses. After a little discussion we selected Burning Desire. So far it has been a little slow blooming, only producing three blossoms one at a time. Perhaps it's working on roots this year. But it opened it's first bud on my husband's birthday, May 4th. So I dedicated this rose to him. Very appropriate, don't you think?
Jackson and Perkins sent this second rose as a free gift. It is called Purple Passion. Nice isn't it?


Avery good friend of mine has started a webpage. Drop by and see her roses and give her praise and encouragement.Deb's Page

Critters

Water Garden

Salvia

Spring Bulbs

Irises

Here at last!-Lilies

Talk to me about my flowers