Rose Relief - A Convergence of Experts Teach Care and Cutting

"God gave us memory so  that we might have roses  in December," wrote J.M Barrie, author of Peter Pan. Such sentimental words sum up how passionate gardeners are about roses, despite what a headache they can be. Now is the time for planting and pruning roses. I have absolutely no words of wisdom; I've succumbed to their charms in the past, but now I  grow only the pewter-foliaged species Rosa glauca and the bullet-proof R.'Westerland'. I long for a blowsy 'Sally Holmes' and a multi-colored, butterfly-like R. mutabilis, and a few of the new David Austin English roses, like the gorgeous new 'Port Sunlight' at left. ...Just the thought of such fragrant, ruffled roses is insidious...

But help is at hand. The president of the American Rose Society is coming to Molbaks to tell us how to grow roses in our climate. On February 20, from 1-2 p.m., Jeff Wyckoff will give a free talk on "Growing Great Roses in the NW". Both days of the weekend (Feb. 19 & Feb 20, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)  fanciers from the Seattle Rose Society will be available to answer questions. Bet you won't leave without one of the 120 rose varieties Molbaks has on sale this spring..for more info see www.molbaks.com/events.

Pruning is vital for rose health and looks, and on Saturday March 5, noon to 3 p.m., the Seattle Rose Society is offering demos at the Woodland Park Zoo Rose Garden where there's no shortage of roses to practice on. Come learn where to cut and how much to cut, and hear about how the zoo's roses are cared for naturally (no small feat in a display and test garden). For more information, call the zoo's senior rose gardener at 206-548-2635, or www.zoo.org. Admission is free, the demonstration is free, they're even serving light refreshments in this beautiful setting...well, it won't look quite like this in winter, but you get the idea...

 

Comments

[Sara]

I usually use President's Day to prune my roses. I am worried about the snow that is supposed to be coming. Shall I wait? or go for it? I live on the south end of Whidbey.

[valerie Easton]

Hi Sara,
President's Day used to be the time to prune roses and plant sweet peas. But the last few years, with cold and wet late winters and springs, later is better for both sweet peas and roses. I wouldn't prune roses before the first of March, and if it continues this cold, it's safer to wait another week or two. This sunshine is so tempting...but in parts of my garden that don't get much direct sun this time of year, the ground is still frozen....it's still too early to do much out there besides clean up...that said, any day when you have the time and energy is a good day to garden....
Val