Creating my Christmas list - need suggestions

11 years ago

Due to a hectic November, our families are getting our christmas lists together in the next week. I have ideas about what I want but I need some suggestions.

First, let's start with the roses.

I redid my front bed this fall and it is full of purple/pink/white perennials. I left place for five rose bushes in the middle. I have Ebb Tide (although I ordered Twilight Zone in case I like that more),and Moondance in place. I also have Poseidon on order for the spring.

I need suggestions for a hot pink and a light pink floribunda. I would like the bed to be uniform so I would like the flowers and size/shape of the bush to be similar to that of Ebb Tide and Moondance. I get thrips, blackspot, and powdery mildew, so any disease resistance is great. Also, this is leading up my front walkway for fragrance is a huge plus.

Second place I need roses is for the Southwest part of my house. I cleaned three beds between the windows of the house and would like three climbing roses to put there. I am looking for solid colors and once again, similar flower form. Continous blooming is something I would need as this part of my house faces a public park and thus would like to put on a show during the growing season.

I am in zone 6a/6b in central Pennsylvania.

Second, I need some new tools. I need three things: a good pair of prunings shears, something to prune roses from a bit of a distance (prickly thorns in large bushes means I currently can't deadhead in the center of some bushes), and for anyone that grows perennials, I need some sort of shears that would be easy to use to clip back plants such as coreopsis, mums, nepeta, etc. Any suggestions on types of tools and brands?

Third, books on the topic of roses. Specifically rose care in the cooler climates. Also would like a book on varieties of roses that is current. Many of the ones I see are a decade or two old and thus fail to include many of the roses I am interest in.

Any and all suggestions are welcome! Thanks for the help!

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Comments (8)

Karolina11
Original Author
11 years ago
Also, Moondance was a suggestion by a fellow gardener. I understand the flower is the same size as Poseidon and Ebb Tide but has a slightly different form. Thus if anyone has a better suggestion for a white rose that is closer to those two in flower form, that would be great too! Thanks!
diane_nj 6b/7a
11 years ago
2. Felco pruners and lopers. You won't be sorry.
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dublinbay z6 (KS)
11 years ago
Pink floribunda--I recommend Our Lady of Guadalupe. Quite floriferous, good re-bloom, very good disease-resistance. I don't know the size and shape of the roses you mentioned, so you will have to determine if Our Lady if appropriate. Mine is about 4 years old and grows about 2.5 x 2.5--or maybe a shade taller and wider. During our prolonged summer temps of over 100 degrees nearly all summer, Our Lady is the only rose still blooming after all the others finally gave up from heat exhaustion. She's a tough, lovely rose!

If you want a brighter/darker pink, try Earth Song--also bloomiferous and disease-resistant. It grows a bit taller than Our Lady. No one seems to know for sure what kind of rose it is--I've heard it described as a hybrid tea/grandiflora that grows like a floribunda/shrub. That strikes me as about right. : )

Hope that helps.

Kate
Karolina11
Original Author
11 years ago
Diane, I KNEW there was one particular brand everyone highly recommended. That's it! Thank you!

Kate, those are gorgeous! How long do your Earth Song flowers last on the plant?
Poorbutroserich Susan Nashville
11 years ago
The Graham Stuart Thomas Rose Book (that is the title) is "old" but it is full of wisdom and interesting history. I enjoy his observations on roses and his dry wit.
This book is not so much for HT lovers and he addresses OGRs, shrubs, species, gallica, HP etc. But I am really enjoying this book. I bought it used on the internet.
"Right Rose Right Place" is a great book. I don't know how old it is but the info is timeless.
I'd like a nice pair of those $30 gauntlet rose gloves, those would be nice.
The most recent issue of the ARS glossy is chock full of info on the most disease resistant hardiest roses.
Susan
Enjoy.
ratdogheads z5b NH
11 years ago
How about Nicole - hot pink and white? I have Moondance, and I think they are similar in foliage and habit. Two of my best in the garden.

Di
Karolina11
Original Author
11 years ago
Nicole is gorgeous wow! Would you say the flower size is about the same as Moondance?
ratdogheads z5b NH
11 years ago
It's the first year for Nicole so difficult to judge, but the flowers have not been quite as large and full as Moondance. Funny, HMF calls Moondance medium & full and Nicole large & full. I'd say it was the opposite. Nicole's color is stunning though, and she certainly got the most compliments from my visitors. I forgot to mention, I wouldn't say there's a pronounced fragrance :(

Creating my Christmas list - need suggestions

Comments (8)

Karolina11
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Creating my Christmas list - need suggestions

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