Hopefully, you sold your car to buy the roses.

Wow. Duly noted for future reference and present warning!!!

Thanks for showing us so unabashedly what could happen when we go unchecked.

Your husband must be a patient man, lol!

I love it! It's like your own personal nursery, but I don't have to water it either :)

Eric

Maybe plant roses along the driveway? Looks great to me! Wish I had such a space to put that many plants.

Connie, you are a perfect example of why it's a good idea to have our roses listed in HMF. That way, if the rare Ralph Moore roses or other ones are not available, we'll know who has it (and can ask, politely, for cuttings)!

I need to show this to my DH, who thinks that my 30 rose pot ghetto is extreme. Of course, our property is very small, so it IS extreme! And my excuse is that a dozen of them are to be planted in the cemetery ... and another dozen are for the cemetery sale ... that leaves half a dozen that I have NO place for, even squeezed behind my garage!

I would love to see your garden in a few years. I would love to come help you plant.
Anita

Oh my goodness Connie, I thought you gave up driveway gardening when you moved. That is very impressive. I need to come see you sometime. You make the 30 or so I have in my pot ghetto pale by comparison, thank you.

Kathy

:-)

I love it. Your house and gardens must be beautiful! This is a good use for a driveway.

Thank you for sharing. I feel much better about my pot collection of 5-6 rootings.

Outstanding!

I'm glad this is so entertaining.

Harry, I still have my car (and an old Ford work truck). My credit card has had quite a workout, though.

Greenhaven, my husband is a saint. He tells me this all the time.

Eric, watering is rarely a chore. I love the chance to get out there and visit with all the babies. It doesn't hurt that I usually have a huge mug of coffee (for morning watering) or a tall, cold one (in the evenings) for refreshment. I try to keep the empties put in the recycling bin, but one or two can usually be found stuck amid the pots.

Kitty, thankfully, all these roses have homes awaiting them other places in the garden. The driveway really isn't a sunny enough spot for them to live permanently -- it just feels like they'll never leave. I do have a spot at one end where I'll be building a retaining wall and planting many of my miniatures.

Anita, I put my garden on HMF a few months ago as Hartwood Roses -- the link is on my GW page. It's a little out of date, but close enough for right now. When I update my database, I'll sync it with the HMF listing. I would be pleased to trade cuttings with you any time -- look at my list, and see if there's anything you'd like to add to your own collection. (I know you have things that I covet . . . but not right now. Gotta get these in the ground.) I'm in the process of making duplicate copies of whichever roses can give me a cutting or two, just in case anything happens to the original. I'd be happy to stick some cuttings for you -- just say the word.

Kathy, the area where the pots were last fall is now planted with noisettes, teas, and a few chinas and HPs. I decided to just give in and move them, and all the new ones, to the driveway. It's convenient to the tools in the garage and to the outside faucet. You are welcome to come visit any time. (that goes for the rest of you, too.) If nothing else, we have the Garden Social here in October.

Here are a few more photos, taken from ground level this time:

This is what it looks like when I open the garage door:
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Most things are divided by class, or by where I got them. These are the ones I bought at Sherando before he closed. The white pot is a Rosa virginiana sucker given to me by a dear friend.
{{gwi:299501}}

Here are the hybrid perpetuals.
{{gwi:299502}}

The rose field is in the upper right corner of this photo. Look beyond the two fences, past the mulch pile, to the area of bare-looking dirt. The roses in this photo are mostly climbers.
{{gwi:299504}}

Space is not an issue here. I expect the rose field to easily take 300 roses -- arranged in 20 rows, 65' long, with a central aisle with climbers on arches. I can see it so clearly . . . now to get out there and make it look like the picture in my head.

Connie

Wow again...you have a lot of work cut out for you! I love to help people fulfill their visions. If you were closer i would volunteer my services.

(Your husband tells you he's a saint all the time? bwahahahaha!)

Wow, the rose field will be beautiful. I love the all fences and trees. You're going to have a mini rosarium! Maybe Roseraie de l'Hartwood? :)

Please take lots of pictures to document, it will fun to see your vision coming to life.

Eric

Goodness gracious! This is better than a dispensation from sin -- my worst sin being acquiring
roses when most people would say that I have quite enough roses.

I can see that you have many more potted roses than I do, so I feel quite cleansed of
this particular sin of Acquisition.

Everyone -- we must send Connie MORE roses, so that she can always make us feel guilt-free.

Jeri

Jeri, I LOVE the way you think!! Of course, I will be more than happy to help anyone who needs a bit of cleansing. If you're having a pang or two yourself, how about those 'not yet in commerce' foundlings that you're so fond of taunting us with.

Roseraie de l'Hartwood? I love it!

Whenever I'm in the garden, or anywhere else for that matter, my cell phone is in one pocket, and my digital camera is in another. I have documented the restoration of our house and the reclamation of the landscape with thousands of photos. I hope to put some photo essays on my web site one day . . . soon, she says optimistically.

Connie

Alright, this is a new level of Rosemania and OCD and hoarding all rolled into one.

All that is truly clear to me is that I have a *splitting* case of driveway envy. :-)

There's no such thing as too many roses, just gardens with not enough land. You go, girl.

how about those 'not yet in commerce' foundlings that you're so fond of taunting us with.

*** Hmmmmm . . . We must talk. :-)

Jeri

What a wonderful service you have provided us all-we can drag our SO's over to the screen and say with triumph-THERE SEE? it is not bad at all here...thank you thank you

patricia

I'm truely amazed Connie. Wish I lived near you to see all of the changes. I have NO willpower when it comes to plants. I love all kinds. It started with hosta, then lilies, then phlox and now roses. I have a bunch of other kinds of plants but thanks to GW I am hooked on roses. I am going now to check out your other pics on your GW page. Please, please post a bunch of pics. You are my hero!!!!!!!! LOL! My sister in law and I go flower shopping off and on but SHE has a concious. Not me baby! Espcecially when i'm by myself. Rarely is there a spot left in my vehicle. Good thing my husband takes his truck to work everyday. Thanks for posting all your jewels. Judy

Connie you have such a beautiful setting for your roses, I love the mature trees by your driveway. The roses will be amazing in your garden. I don't think 350+ is many since you have acreage, it is all relative, you will still have lots of space left to plant more! I think the same way, you have to get the unusual or hard to find roses when you can. It would be different if you didn't have a plan.
Diana

Shalll we conclude that you are an avid collector of roses?

Thanks for making me feel better, and less guilty. My 100+ containers of roses and other sundry plants isn't so bad after all.

Connie,

You are just starting out. You will have over 1000 different varieties before you know it. I'm probably up to 600 if I include my seedlings and the roses from the July 2008 Rose Rustling Expedition...

You know that I'm only a phone call away.

BTW. I'm not sure I understand how to list roses on HMF. Is this something I should consider doing?

Robert...from Roseraie d'Aylett

mexicanhat, that's funny. Do we have a new syndrome brewing here?

Duchesse, may I quote you? Thanks for the encouragement.

Jeri, I will be in touch. I have some roses to plant first, LOL. One day we will meet in person -- I'm determined.

patriciae, I am pleased to act as whatever bad example you wish me to be, especially if it helps with your own collections. It's always good to get a bit of perspective from time to time. The 20-or-30 rose pot ghetto seems pretty minor now, doesn't it.

prettypetals, I have been a shade gardener for a long, long time. (hostas from PDN, what a rush!) When we bought this place in 2002, I could see the potential to make it a garden wonderland . . . and I'm doing all I can to see that dream come true. I just had to spend the first few years getting the house into liveable condition. It's great when like-minded people visit, because many of them can see my dream too -- I love to share.

roses, 350+ is just the driveway, and it's a conservative estimate. I wasn't counting the 40+ in the front border, or 30-or-so on the rambler fence, or the new HT bed in the front yard with 76 in it. With my new Vintage order (yes, I caved) I'm up to just over 550 roses in the collection.

cactus_joe. See, it's all relative. 100 pots sounds like a lot, until you're encounter 350. I'm a collector, and a history freak -- so old, or found, or rare roses are a perfect fit for me. For example, I have most of the roses bred by Walter Van Fleet that are available in this country -- some people have a favorite designer, he's my very favorite hybridizer. His story, and the motivation behind his breeding program, is really interesting.

Robert, dear Robert, my partner in crime . . . you will be receiving that phone call. Yes, your garden should be listed on HMF. I'll help you, if you'd like. It's easy.

I'm afraid that my husband may have a little bit different view of my driveway roses after this weekend -- I'm going away for a couple of days, and he's volunteered to water for me. I'll see you all when I get back.

Connie

Connie, I do hope that all of the people who were ribbing me about the size of my pot ghetto saw this post :-). That is impressive. Your property is beautiful and I look forward to seeing the new garden when all of the roses are planted!

Carol

"mexicanhat, that's funny. Do we have a new syndrome brewing here?"

It's funny that you should mention it. I tried to think of a funny new acronym for an OC rose collecting disease and just couldn't quite get it.

I'm just *insanely* jealous that you can overwinter your roses outside.

Have to ask - where do you park your cars????

Connie, I have to say this photo has absolutely made my day! Many congrats for collecting such a fine group in so little time. And while you're waiting for your rose field to be ready, continue to enjoy your driveway as it is now--remember, soon you won't be able to go down the rows of roses after a rain without getting muddy feet!

Wonderful. It would kill me if I had that many :)(this is not me but my envy is speaking).
You are the queen of driveway gardening.
Olga

Connie, you have without a doubt the prettiest driveway I've ever seen.

BTW, there is a place near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania called Hartwood Acres. You could easily take over that name for your rose garden, I think!

Rosefolly

Wow Connie! Looks like you need to have a planting party! I will be there :)

I definitely plan on coming in October too!

carol, I try to avoid calling all of this a pot ghetto. If I did, I'd have to have separate neighborhoods in it -- Chinatown, etc.

mexicanhat, this is the south side of my, along the driveway that splits off and goes to our drive-under garage (which I don't park in). We have a large circular driveway that takes most of the parking, and a detached garage. You can see part of the drive and parking area to this garage in the last photo above.

remontant, good point about the mud. I'm planting grass in the paths (at my husband's request), so I hope to avoid mud on all but the wettest of days.

olga, your garden is fabulous, and I brag on you whenever I get a chance. I have used the example of some of your roses to help me gauge the ultimate size of some of mine that I am unfamiliar with. I swoon when I think of your Lady Hillingdon.

rosefolly, I've never heard of Hartwood Acres. Our place has been known as Hartwood Manor since the 1950's -- before that it was either 'The Old Foote Place' or 'The Old Brick House'. When we put it on the National Register, we kept Hartwood Manor since it's the name that most of area is familiar with -- though my husband originally thought it sounded like a retirement home.

sunni, come on down. I will be glad to see you again in October. I will get the invitations out soon.

It's great to be back home. My husband and daughter kept everything well watered while I was away. I'll head out there in a little bit with my second cup of coffee to see how everyone made out in my absence.

This will be a big week -- planting should commence on Wednesday! Until then, I will spend quite a bit of time fine-tuning my planting plan and laying irrigation pipe. Watering 350+ roses when they're stacked 3 and 4 deep in the driveway is pretty easy. . . dragging the hose up and down 20 rows, trying not to squash the smaller roses, is something completely different.

I'll take pictures.

Connie

I long ago learned to keep my countenance when it comes to rose ghettos but suffice it to say, "a lotta roses."

Oh my ---this is so WONDERFUL. I remember the pictures of your house and now can't wait to see your "rose heaven" in a couple of years.
You are doing everything I would love to do if only I were a lot younger.

I love your driveway ---It looks like my son's perennial farm---LOL----

Keep up the good work--

I'm green with envy and full of admiration.

Florence

Connie, I guess one could say that's not too many, considering your love for them. I gotta hand it to you, oh brave one. Thanks for the update.

Carla

I'm really curious what size of pots you use. It looks like a lot of regular nursery pots. What are the max/min sizes? What kind of soil do you put in them (potting soil is expensive)? Do you have a spray program? If so, what? How long can you carry over roses in pots like that?

I'm thinking it terms that my space is now so limited, and I so wish to experiement with more varieties although overwintering in my zone would be a problem, don't want to go into the possible options for that now.

Hi, All.

patricia, zeffy, and carla: Thanks for the kind thoughts. It's both exciting and terrifying to be gardening on this kind of scale.

aliska, at least half of the roses (probably more) are in 1 gallon pots. They were bands that arrived in early spring, and I'm fortunate that they are just now beginning to outgrow their accommodations. Others are in 2,3,or 5 gallon pots, if they've been living in them for longer than just this year. A few of the HTs and larger OGRs have been pot-dwellers for at least 4 years -- these guys are in really big pots. I'm not looking forward to digging that size hole to get them planted, I can assure you.

I mix my own potting soil: 1 bag of Scotts Garden Soil, mixed with an equal amount of spagnum and a good dose of perlite will fill the wheelbarrow and pot quite a few roses. It's much cheaper than buying potting soil already made up.

I spray fungicide to keep blackspot and the related nasties under control, but I don't spray insecticides. I alternate Bayer Advanced Disease Control and Banner Max at two week intervals. This is enough to keep all but the worst fungus magnets fairly clean. The way I figure it, these guys are stressed enough living in pots, I don't want them to have to sacrifice their energy regrowing leaves.

The oldest pot roses I have now are some HTs (Memorial Day, Stephen's Big Purple, Gentle Giant, etc.) and some older roses (Louise Odier, La Reine, Sydonie, Charles de Mills, Sally Holmes, Glendora, Celestial . . .) Others came in the last two years, but the bulk of them arrived this spring, either by orders or my winter propagation in the basement. This driveway thing was never intended to be a permanent situation. My poor roses got caught in a combination of a collecting frenzy and a moving delay. I've always known that they will be much happier in the ground, and the ones that I planted in the front HT bed a few weeks ago are proving this to be true. They're growing like crazy, and blooming their heads off. Anyone who comes to the social in October will be able to see it for themselves.

Robert is coming tomorrow to help me plant, and we're going to see how many of these little beauties we can get into the ground. (What's the world's record for rose planting, I wonder) I've been fine-tuning my planting plan for the past couple of days -- though I'm sure we'll probably rearrange most of what I've done. Photos, of course, will be forthcoming. The weather looks like it will be super.

Connie

Connie, excellent post. Thank you!

Connie, now I am not only jealous of your driveway garden, but you and Robert playing in the dirt enjoying each other's company and the great weather while I attend a boring training class tomorrow. Have fun! I still need to bring you the Arethusa I rooted from cuttings I took on our trip to Robert's last year. Are you ready for another pot to add to your collection?

Kathy...from Roseraie d'Rixeyville

Well,

We certainly made a dent into Connie's rose collection on the driveway. I have to admit, I am tired. We had a great time.

Let me know when you're ready to do some more.

Robert

Robert and Connie----two lucky people to have the support of each other. sharing makes gardening a lot more fun.

congratulations.

Florence

Beautifully said, Florence. Robert and I have had many conversations about just this subject. Sharing isn't just the best part of gardening, it's a most essential element to friendship. This is the reason that I share whatever I can from my garden -- whether it's cuttings, or rooted roses, or a rose I've decided to discard . . . sharing something that brings us joy (roses, in this case) spreads that feeling to others.

Even though I could barely function when we were finished, I will always remember this particular planting day with a smile. (I'll dig the photos out of my camera and start another thread about this in a day or two. I don't think I have time to do it this morning. I'm off to share the joy by helping a friend put a new ceiling in her front porch.)

Connie

That looks like so much fun. I can't wait to see pictures of the rose field. And good for you for keeping them all straight. Even when I plant with labels, six months later they're gone and I'm trying to remember who's blooming.

You are amazing! I have only 70 pots. I adore you.
Lana

Strong work. I have been getting my pots in the ground this year. After having languished 2 years or so, its amazing seeing how much better they do in the ground. I just used my native soil, and raised the pH a bit with lime.

What a beautiful driveway ! It was a clever idea putting the pots in the shady driveway. How lovely they will look in their new garden as they already look big, healthy and very pretty.

How's it going so far? Are you making progress the way you hoped to?