Never Too Old To Learn

I felt highly honoured. When recently a very respected friend of mine. Dr. Julian (John) Howden, asked me to review some lengthy articles on roses. What might my opinion be, regarding contacting a publisher, to have the information published.
Dr. Howden was engaged with a team at Bath University, and a five year study was made, on the subject of Rose Black Spot and so, so much more about roses.

John had been a scientific advisor to the late, Royal National Rose Society. Some forum members may be members of. The Rose Society. UK in which case, some of the information may be known.

As I say. Never Too Old To Learn. I have learned some new points, and thankfully, have had my knowledge backed up. I will here and there, pass on new findings, at the same time. Respecting and safeguarding my friend's writings.

 

I have to admit, I don't like roses. Why? I hear pitchforks and lynching parties being organised. Behind lawns, they are are the next hardest thing to keep looking good in the garden...plus you lose blood in doing so. Rust, blackspot, a plethora of aphids, gross feeding, pruning and those thorns!
I worked as a gardener for a few years not so long ago, everyone I visited had roses, all in a sorry state through lack of care. Bringing these back to health is a full time job in itself. Alright, I hold my hands up, most were those mass produced tea roses, the ones with no smell, but clean up and TLC is pretty much the same for them all. I appreciate a decent, musky old English variety when it's pruned correctly, but most encountered aren't.
I do grow roses but in tubs. These were purchased to mark the passing of our dogs.
Roses are hard work, they stop you procrastinating!

 

@Mike Allen I love roses but in other people's gardens Mike, I agree with @flounder that they are far too high-maintenance. But I must say that I am continually surprised by (and admire) those few gardeners who don't object to all the work required to grow them well and never seem to tire of it. There is the other sort of gardener like me who thinks a garden should be created, then occasionally improved and refined, but primarily just enjoyed. I would rather sit back with a glass of white wine and watch the incredible diversity of insect life in a pollinator-friendly garden. I have grown a lot of roses for their scent in the past: Alec's Red, Fragrant Cloud, Blue Moon, Warm Wishes and Special Anniversary. But they are simply too time-consuming and I have other priorities, so I have decided to just keep my 'Margaret Merril' floribunda and dedicate all the time it deserves to it, grow it to the absolute best of my abilities. I am also very tempted by the delightful 'Rhapsody In Blue' ever since I smelled it a few years ago, the fragrance is absolutely heavenly after the flowers have been in the sun for a few hours! So yes, roses are lovely but a very immersive branch of Horticulture and I find there is sometimes little time for anything else with all the work and study required to truly appreciate them.

Rhapsody in Blue

Nick

 

Congratulations Mike on being asked to contribute.

I had three roses here, Sunseeker, Oranges and Lemons and Rhapsoday in Blue. The latter only last a couple of years, then Oranges and Lemons and I still have Sunseeker having purchased her on the IoW as an 18" Patio plant 20 years ago. She is now rambling over the roof of our Jungle Room.

 

Oh dear Victoria, I wonder why it perished? Funnily enough my Blue Moon only lasted that long, makes me think it might be related to all the hybridisation with these 'blue' roses. Could they generally be a tad more temperamental? I hadn't heard of Sunseeker, a very nice rose whose colour complements your garden well, I think!

Sounds interesting. Our own Sandy Ground's continuing experimentation with the Thuja cuttings mulch has been fascinating to read for me. Would be great if a non-chemical solution could be found!

Nick

 

I tried hard to keep it alive but I lost the battle. Oranges and Lemons last quite a few years then suddenly went! All three in the same area so very strange. When I planted Sunseeker in the ground it just took off to almost three meters! Odd thing is it has kept it's small leaves, has huge clusters of flowers (50+) and is lightly scented.

 

The hybrid tea roses that I've got hav6 a good scent to them, so they're not all of the same.