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Growing garden roses: Information that makes scents

Joanne Taylor's photo
Philadelphia Gardening Examiner
Roses are red, but that's not allRoses are red, but that's not allRoses are red, but that's not all50 photosView the full slideshow »
Roses are red, but that's not all

It’s time to stop and smell the roses in Philadelphia.  Here is everything you need to know about how to grow roses, and even how to dry roses.  Basically, roses are flowering shrubs. The rose is said to be the most sought after flower in the world, as well as, one of the oldest flowers in recorded history; and yet, it is still the most popular garden flower today.  There are over 150 species and over 30,000 varieties of roses.  The diverse and beautiful shapes and bloom colors are due to the extensive breeding and hybridizing that began back in the in 1800.s.  It’s been said that the rose has the most complicated family tree of any known flower species.  Most of today’s roses derive from Europe and Asia. (1) 

Rose Colors: The colors of roses are beautiful and diverse.  They are available in shades of yellow, gold, orange, coral, apricot, cinnamon, salmon,  red, white, cream, pink, lilac, mauve, and even peppermint, variegated, two-toned, and yes, green.  The bloom-chaser has struck again. Check out the 50 rose photographs in the slideshow of roses growing right in our area.

View slideshow: Roses are red, but that's not all
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Rose Scents: The scent of roses is heavenly.  Some roses have stronger scents than others. Rose varieties such as tea rose and similar hybrids, smell like tea or fruit, and others have a more familiar rose smell. And if fragrance is a must have, then choose roses that have won Fragrance Awards such as Noisettes, Hybrid Rugosas or English Roses. Damasks, Albas and Gallicas.(2) 

Kinds of Roses: Roses are usually classified in three groups in reference to their growing habits.(3) 

Bush roses: These roses include hybrid tea roses, which are the most popular rose in America today. The Floribunda rose, as well as, the Grandiflora, and Polyantha are part of this group; and often re-bloom sporadically during the growing season. 

Climbing Roses: These roses need support; they’re great for banks and walls.  They bloom profusely I the spring, and most times bloom again heavily in fall.  

Shrub Roses: These roses need little maintenance.  They belong to a specific wild species.

There are also other roses such as thornless roses, carpet roses, ground cover roses, of course, honorable mention to the well-known English rose.

Growing Roses: Here’s everything you need to know in order to grow roses successfully; just sit back and watch the videos.  

  1. The colors of roses
  2. How to choose roses by fragrance
  3. Growing roses is easy
  4. What not to do with roses
  5. Grow roses from clippings
  6. Grow roses in containers
  7. Fertilizing roses
  8. How to prune roses
  9. How to graft roses
  10. How to transplant roses
  11. Pests and diseases of roses
  12. How to graft roses
  13. How to care for cut roses
  14. How to dry roses
  15. The meaning of rose colors

Purchasing Roses:  Do you want to plant some roses on your property?  Roses are being featured in Philadelphia-area Garden Centers right now because they’re in bloom. The Philadelphia Rose Society recommends the following places to buy roses. (4)

Next Saturday, June 11, from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm, the Del-Chester Rose Society will hold their Rose Show at the Terrace Restaurant, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA. It’s open to the public. The Del-Chester Rose Society is a group of rose lovers who live in the greater Philadelphia area; and they are also affiliated with the American Rose Society. They are committed to educating the public about the beauty of growing roses

Don’t forget during your busy day to stop and smell the roses sometimes!

The gardening season is here; please feel free to subscribe to the Philadelphia Gardening column today. From growing annuals to zucchini, you can find it here; and it's free. Just click the subscribe button at the top of the article.

You can also find me on the Web at:

References:

(1) http://www.disabled-orld.com/artman/publish/historyofroses.shtml#ixzz1OLNm59zX

(2) http://www.oldhouseweb.com/gardening/kinds-of-roses.shtml

(3) http://www.rosefile.com/RosePages/AwardsFragrance.html

(4) http://www.philadelphiarosesociety.org/faq/

Roses blooming in West Philadelphia right now!
Roses blooming in West Philadelphia right now!
Photo credit: 
Joanne Taylor

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, Philadelphia Gardening Examiner

Joanne is a gardener by trade for 23 years. She's won Blue and Red Ribbon Awards in gardening competitions held by Philadelphia's Horticulture Society, has judged their City Gardens Contest, and also taught at the Philadelphia Flower Show. She is the author of "A Down to Earth Bible Study." www...

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