flowers

When I see a blossom, my first response is to smell it. If it has no scent, it diminishes my experience with that flower. Roses are no exception. They are a “must have” in my garden, along with perennials and annuals. After working in my rose garden the first blooming year and smelling its wonderfully sweet scent, I decided that only plants with a heavenly rose scent could be a part of my rose gardening.

Where do roses get their fragrance?
Bob Hatterschide, in a classic article for the American Rose Society, notes that roses get their scent from essential oils exuded from glands on the lower petal surfaces. These oils include Rhodianol, the essential oil that has the smell described as “old rose;” Geraniol, the scent of geranium foliage; Nerol, a magnolia-like scent; and, Eugenol, a spicy fragrance sometimes described as the scent of oil of cloves.

Describing rose scents
Of course each person experiences scents differently, so it is difficult, if not impossible, to use scent in judging roses.  Scents have little to do with whether a rose wins a class or not. Hatterschide describes the many types of rose scents. These include flower scents, such as rose or damask, clover, hyacinth, honeysuckle, nasturtium, and violet; fruit scents such as apple, lemon, and raspberry; spicy scents, such as bay, cloves, orris, and pepper; and other scents such as musk.

Factors that affect fragrance
Lois Ann Helgeson, in another American Rose Society report, discusses the connections between fragrances and rose classes and notes that scents in roses vary by temperature, humidity, and the amount of sunshine. Even the degree to which the blossom is open limits or enhances the fragrance. Rose fragrances also vary by color.

Individual differences
Not all roses are fragrant. Hatterschide and Helgeson note that James Alexander Gamble concluded that about 25 percent of roses have little or no scent, 20 percent were highly fragrant, and the remainder fall somewhere in between. The American Rose Society award for outstanding new fragrant roses is appropriately named for Gamble. The award list is a great starting point for anyone interested in especially fragrant roses.

Personal favorites
Some of my favorites are ‘Cecile Brunner’, a dainty pink climber; ‘Dolly Parton’, a hybrid tea that is orange, large, and over-the-top fragrant; ‘Mr. Lincoln’, a dark red hybrid tea that grows tall and smells like heaven; and, ‘Fire Fighter’, another red upright hybrid tea. Just remember, next time you think about the perfect flower for your sunny garden, try the wonderful reward of a fragrant rose.

To learn more about the James Alexander Gamble Fragrance Award visit http://www.rose.org/members-only-2/resources/the-james-alexander-gamble-fragrance-award/ . 

Article written by Donna Sapp, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

Grow beautiful roses in your garden by following these helpful tips originally published by the Asheville Blue Ridge Rose Society.

1. Roses are not hard to grow
Many roses, both old and new, are disease resistant and easy to care for. There are many different kinds of roses with diverse sizes, shapes, and colors. Many are fragrant. All are beautiful and work well in combination with other plants.

2. Roses like full sun—at least six hours a day
If you do not have six hours of sun, there are roses like Hybrid Musks that are reportedly more shade tolerant. But for fewer problems and better blooms, grow your roses where they will get lots of sun. Roses particularly like morning sun which helps dry dew off their leaves which, in turn, may lower the risk of black spot. Diplocarpon rosea, the fungus which causes black spot, requires three or four hours of contact on wet leaves to infect.

3. Roses like a rich, well-drained soil
Work lots of organic material (compost) into your soil along with soil conditioner. If you have doubts about drainage, dig a hole large enough to plant your rose, fill it with water, and see how quickly it drains. If the hole has not emptied in an hour, you need to improve drainage or your roses will not prosper. Roses like to drink but do not like wet feet.

4. Planting roses
When planting container grown roses, dig a hole at least half again as wide as the container and ideally twice as wide. Plant the rose to the depth it is in the container. If it is a bare root rose (not in a container) with a graft site (many hybrid teas are grafted), dig a hole deep enough to have the graft at or just below the soil line and wide enough to accommodate the spread-out roots. You will need a mound of soil in the middle of the hole for the rose to sit on. Soak bare root roses overnight before planting. You can trim damaged or extremely long roots before planting. Resist the temptation to fertilize at the time of planting, although you may want to add a phosphate-rich material like bone meal to promote root growth. Remember to water and mulch your roses after planting and keep them watered during the first growing season.

5. Roses like to eat
Many roses bloom continuously from May until frost. To do this, they need lots of nutrients. You can buy rose specific fertilizers but any good quality, well-balanced fertilizer will do. Fertilize according to directions in the spring and at least once during the summer. Do not feed your roses after mid- to late August. You want your roses to become dormant for the winter and feeding will promote growth. Remember to water after fertilizing. Roses require water to absorb nutrients.

6. Roses like to drink
Roses want one to two inches of water a week when it’s hot. They prefer not having their leaves get wet when they are watered, although you can give them a “bath” early in the day if the weather has been very hot and dry. This cleans the leaves and washes away pests. Soaker hoses are a practical and efficient way to water roses. Mulching will help with moisture retention.

7. Disease control
Roses are prone to the same pests as other flowering shrubs and also to black spot. Many rose growers look for disease resistant varieties which are increasingly plentiful. Since certain roses do well in certain regions, contact your local rose society to learn which roses thrive in your area. Good garden hygiene and healthy roses will help prevent problems. Buy good stock and clean up dead or fallen leaves and debris. Some growers use only organic products or chose not to spray at all. If you choose to spray, spray on a cool cloudy day to prevent leaf damage and follow directions carefully. It is a good idea to spray dormant roses and surrounding soil with lime sulfur during the winter. This will help eradicate fungal spores and prevent black spot during the growing season.

8. Pruning roses
Much has been written about pruning roses. Basically you want to keep your roses at a size where they bloom freely and fit into your garden. However, you need to cut out dead, diseased, or damaged canes in early spring and whenever else they occur. Pruning to open the center of the rose bush allows for better air circulation within the rose and helps prevent black spot. Climbing roses require special pruning. Contact your local rose society for help in managing these.

9. Wintering roses
Trim your roses back to about three feet if they are very tall or sprawling to prevent wind damage. Make sure climbing roses are securely attached to their arbor or pillar. Mulch well. If you have roses with grafts, make sure the graft is well covered with soil and mulch.

10. Learn more 
The Asheville Blue Ridge Rose Society is available to help you learn more about choosing and caring for roses. Visit their web site at www.ashevillerosesociety.org or email rosesocietywnc@gmail.com for more information. The Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers are also a good information resource and will have a program on new garden roses at the County Extension Office, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville, on July 21, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Article provided by Judy Deutsch, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, with permission of the Asheville Blue Ridge Rose Society.

During the month of June, our blogs will focus on growing roses. Master Gardeners Judy Deutsch and Donna Sapp will share their love of roses and their tips for success. Follow their blogs and learn about climbing roses, fragrant roses, and new disease-resistant roses, as well as how to select and care for roses.

Shortly after I moved to North Carolina, I decided to plant a few roses in memory of my mother. I remembered my mother’s small rose garden, set off to the side of our house in the sun, and how bouquets, picked from this garden, would fill our house with fragrance. I was a novice gardener and knew nothing about growing roses. 

My first rose garden
I had only heard of one company that sold roses, so I looked them up online. Surprise! They had a fragrant rose collection of four different roses; and, for a few extra dollars, they would add some lavender. Of course, I bought the collection plus the lavender. Soon a large box came with four bare root roses. I could hardly figure out what end to put in the ground but followed directions and hoped for the best. 

Success
In about ten weeks, I had roses and was I ever amazed! I don’t know what I expected, but certainly not to have roses so soon after I inexpertly planted them. I actually wrote the company a fan letter telling them how pleased and excited I was. 

More roses
Of course, I began to add more and more roses to my garden. As I expanded my knowledge and became known for growing roses, many people would share similar memories with me. We think of roses as delicate and fussy plants, but my experience taught me that given the proper site (full sun), well-prepared soil, a little fertilizer, and water, even a novice gardener can successfully grow roses. 

Rewards
Few other perennials bring as many blooms to our gardens. Roses come in all colors except blue, and modern roses will bloom repeatedly throughout the growing season. Here in Western North Carolina, we can expect roses to bloom from late spring (end of April or early May) until frost. You might even have roses for your Thanksgiving table! So have courage—add a rose or two in your flowerbeds and enjoy them. 

Article written by Judy Deutsch, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer. 

For more information about the different types of roses, visit http://ipm.ncsu.edu/urban/cropsci/c09w_orn/roses.html .