Thining about Roses for the first time in many years

8 years ago

Hello,

I used to be a fairly avid rose grower and even did some hybridizing but after I moved to Idaho, I ended up moving on to other things. I was overly busy, my favorite rose vendors went out of business (Ashdowns for example), I started on another hobby and my kids needed me more than my roses.

Its been a good number of years but during all this time, every spring when I caught the smells from a garden center or fresh earth, man I would miss them.

The kids are getting a little older now and my other hobby is turning out to be just to darn expensive so I find myself thinking more and more about going back to growing roses.

I have always been a Buck rose fan and even now have few around the yard. Still have Aunt Honey, Country Dancer, Spanish Rhapsody, Golden Unicorn, Hawkeye Belle, Prairie Sunset and Apple Jack.

My largest rose is J5 which came out of the Ag Canada program. Its been climbing up a ratty pear tree for a number of hears how and is as tall as my house. Probably pushing 20ft high. Its comically large and in the spring when it blooms, its spectacular.

I also have a number of hybrid spinosissima roses like Hazeldean, Prarie Peace, Yellow Altai and Beauty if Leafland. All of the spins are suckering nightmares and are taking over my back yard a little bit at a time.

One of my favorite roses and one that has done very well here in the Boise Idaho climate is Freisinger Morgenröte. Also have a near dead Autumn Sunset, a stingy Velvet Fragrance, a near dead Casino (it may actually be dead, I have not looked recently), a ratty min rose called Special Angel, my favorite min rose Tangerine Jewel, a MONSTER Jeanne Lajoie and a few other odds and ends here and there.

The real reason I am posting is I am thinking of actively growing roses again. Or at the very least taking care of the ones I have. I really miss them and the rose growing community as well.

This leads me to a question, where is the on-line 'hub' for rose growers? I used to be on Garden Web but some heavy handed admin by Sp!ke frustrated me and I ended up on a place called Rosarians Corner. RC was an active group when I left but when I came back today, its pretty much gone.

Was planning to post a photo with this but I cant find all my rose photos. I have hundreds of them somewhere. Oh well, time to take a few more then.

Featured Answer

Steve Johnston
Original Author

8 years ago

It took quite a while to get some of these roses. J5 came from clippings that I got from Paul Zimmerman at Ashdown. I got Beauty of Leafland as gallon pot from Ashdown as well I think.

The other Erskine/Skinner roses came from Paul G Olson. Of all the roses he sent, only Butterball didn't make it. That's the one I had hoped to get but I don't think any of the suckers that were sent down from Canada made it.

I was hoping to use them in hybridizing cold tolerant climbers. Then it was discovered that almost all of those hardy spins were triploids.

i was trying to find a photo of J5 in bloom where there are bunches of flowers blooming almost 20ft up. It is truly is immense.

I really need to thin out some of these roses. The roses like Prarie Peace and Hazeldean started out sooooo slow. Took years for them to do anything. Then one year they started shooting out these big prickly canes and have been going nuts ever since.

If anyone ever wants a Beauty of Leafland sucker, I have more than I can shake a stick at.

Comments (21)

seil zone 6b MI
8 years ago
Hi, Steve! Welcome back! This is pretty much the rose hub now. Spike is gone and things are much mellower here than they used to be. Sadly, the RC pretty much fizzled out several years ago now. I'm not sure why. I know a lot of people have gone over to Facebook too but that's just not the same as the forum boards to me. Mostly people just post tons of pictures but there's little real discussion about roses on there. If there are any other forums I'm not familiar with them.

From that list of roses it sounds like you never really got out of them, lol! You have an interesting mix and I'm looking forward to hearing more bout them and seeing them too!
jacqueline9CA
8 years ago
This forum and also the Antique Rose forum on this same site are very very active. Questions usually get several responses in one day. I have even given up asking questions about other plants on the more appropriate garden forums on this site, as it can take a week to get a response, and if I ask the question on the Antique Rose forum, I get immediate responses by knowledgeable people.

So, welcome, and I am sure the folks who grow roses in cold winter climates will appreciate another rose gardener to talk to - there are many many of us on here who grow roses in warm climates, but not as many who garden in cold climates.

Jackie
Related Discussions
First Time Rose Grower, Year 1 Report
Q
Comments (11)
Thank you all for stopping by! Seil: Thank you! I hope NL makes it, too. I'll see how she comes through the winter; we're getting *Plenty* of precipitation and I have no plans to shovel prune her until she flat out kicks the bucket! Thank you, canadian_rose! They were both great plants their first year and the bands from RVR were large and healthy. I am really looking forward seeing how they take off in the next two years; both are supposed to get quite large and I gave them generous fence space to go as crazy as they want! Thank you, Sara-Ann! iris_gal: I think it must be a guy thing! DH loves the bright, bold colors and thinks the color changing phenomenon is really cool. I have to agree; I love the color changers, but I am more drawn to the softer blended color ways, myself. RVR sells the rose I have as 'Talisman, Cl', introduced in 1930, although it doesn't list any parent info, unfortunately.
...See More
questions about ordering older roses for the first time
Q
Comments (23)
I'll not try Cl. Mme. Caroline Testout right now then,... I'm a beginner, and I think having stiff canes and big thorns on something I'm trying to train over an arbor (or even a wall) would be hard for me. If I get her, I'll try the bush form and just let it be a bush. Melissa, thanks for more info about training Crepuscule! that sounds pretty good! considering that I'm using pinks and hot pinks... would Crepuscule match ok...? The pictures I see online vary a lot. Sometimes it looks light yellow, sometimes peachy. Or would Cl. Lady Hillingdon be better for #4? I've heard people describe that one as being kindof a glowy light yellow, so that could be really nice with the other colors. I suppose I'm leaning away from using a pink climber in the #4 position since I'll have a pink climber on the front porch and a pink sakura tree (though that only blooms spring). I love sages and such, and I'm definitely going to use some sages and lavendars in the front with cl Eden (and I'm guessing I'll use Duchess de Brabrant under Eden) If I have room, maybe I can use some in the back, too? Right now I'm a little unclear on how much space there is. It's hard for me to imagine the size of the final roses and whether they'll tolerate some purple and/or yellow flowers growing with them...! a lot of people have had purple clematis growing along with their roses, but I think in this sunny spot that probably wouldnt' work. I'm lucky in that my neighbors have not done -anything- to their yard yet. There's nothing there but dirt. So I guess I can hope that they won't put a tree there? (or send them a plate of cookies with a request? haa...) As of yet, I don't have any neighbors on the south side at all. #9, I think, in the afternoon is getting shaded by the house. so probably not super scorcher? It sounds like based on what you guys said that I could probably use a Hybrid Musk,... sometimes you probably just have to try things, right?
...See More
My first year growing roses from seed. I have my first bud!
Q
Comments (5)
The first has bloomed now, and I've posted pictures. I'm doing a time lapse video of these growing, so I think I have the light too far away to accommodate the cameras. They are under a 7" humidity dome, and the light is on top. If I didn't have to accommodate the cameras, I'd put the light about an inch or two away from the top of the plant.
...See More
trying to seed saving for the first time last year
Q
Comments (6)
Seed saving can be simple or complex depending on what you are growing and also what your goal is. If you want to save a specific variety, and keep the genetics intact, you may need to isolate the blossoms to prevent crossing with other varieties. Tomatoes are easy and mostly just self-fertile, and pretty forgiving about seed saving techniques. So you don't need to worry so much about another variety cross-pollinating with your toms. Lettuce is another easy one. Corn is wind pollinated, and pollen can travel 2 miles, so depending where you live, all sorts of things could blow in. Many root vegetables, such as carrots, are biennial, so you need to leave some of them them in the ground for a second season to get seed. There is a lot to learn, but if it's just for your own use and you aren't a perfectionist, you can experiment freely.
...See More
jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
8 years ago
Yep this is the hub now....Hello Steve!
fig_insanity Z7b E TN
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Welcome, Steve! The more, the merrier. I will say I'm already (insanely, green-eyed) jealous of you over a couple of roses you still have. Do you have ANY idea how rare and impossible to get Prairie Peace is? Or Yellow Altai? Or Beauty of Leafland (or any Erskine rose!)? And some of those Bucks are no longer in commerce, either. I'd like to see your garden after you "get back into" roses, lol. But as the price of admission to the forum, we demand PICTURES. Pictures and MORE pictures.......

John
wirosarian_z4b_WI
8 years ago
Hi Steve....welcome back, this site seems to be the "main game" for rose discussions now. Another good site to use for rose info is helpmefind.com One suggestion, go in & edit your profile so we can get some idea what zone & area of the country you're gardening in. You talked about hardy climbing roses, a new yellow one released this year that you might like checking out is Above & Beyond. It is being distributed by Bailey's Nursery & they also have another group of roses called Easy Elegance that have similar traits (+ breeding for disease resistance) to Dr. Buck's roses that you might like to check out. I've also found a number of Kordes roses that perform well in my z4 area for both hardiness & disease resistance....I would highly recommend a Canadian vendor Palatine for some of these Kordes roses.
countrygirlsc, Upstate SC
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Welcome back, Steve. I understand. I lost my passion for roses/gardening for a few years, but realized that I wasn't really happy. If you should decide to get rid of Autumn Sunset, you can send it my way. LOL! I remember the first time I saw it was at Ashdown. You know how they had the mother plants growing on the hill. Autumn Sunset was on the end in full bloom. You could see it glowing from where the barn was. It took my breath away. I got it when they closed, and lost it a few years ago. I wish I had taken cuttings. did I miss where you are located?
Steve Johnston
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I need to update my profile. I am just outside of Boise Idaho.

i dug out an old computer and found my rose photos. I have hundreds of them. Lots of Buck rose photos.

Here are a couple of my favorites. The first is Gentle Persuasion at its very best. It needs cool weather and good nutrients to have this nice of color. I was accused of photoshopping this photo when I originally posted it way back when. No photoshop or color enhancements at all

Next one is Silver Shadows. This rose has its ups and downs but did show a good bloom on occasion

These are both Buck roses. If there are any photos of a specific Buck rose you would like to see, let me know and I will see if I have photos of it to post.
summersrhythm_z6a
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Welcome back Steve! What's your other hobby? :-) There is no cheap hobby, my other hobbies all cost more than growing roses. Is your other hobby riding motorcycle?? You know you can still ride, just get a scooter-automatic motorcycle. :-) Once a rider is always a rider...... :-)
Steve Johnston
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
My other hobby is restoring antique hit and miss engines. Here is me starting up a 6 hp engine build by the Associated Mfg Co

http://youtu.be/fqIyxh8vJUw

here are a few others from my collection

http://youtu.be/-27NyrbAxA8

if you look closely in the first video, behind the engine there is a rose eating a lamp post, that's Jeanne Lajoie
prairie_northrose (3b north of Calgary AB, Canada)
8 years ago
The rose hybridizer association forum is pretty active as well, http://rosebreeders.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=2

I am glad you have some Erskine roses, they are so rare, I hope they do not disappear, especially gems like prairie peace, which is difficult even for me to come across here in alberta where it was bred.
summersrhythm_z6a
8 years ago
Cool engines! That's an expensive hobby for sure. They look like they can do 15-20mph, if you attach them with lawn tractors, you can win the race on pulling competition at your county fair. :-)
Samuel Adirondack NY 4b5a
8 years ago
Hi Steve its good to hear from you. I am a fan of Buck roses too.

It would be cool to see your roses that you hybridized too.
squarepegman
5 years ago
Steve don't know if you're still around, but I'm looking for Hazeldean and other hardy Canadians; PM me if you see this; thanks!
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
5 years ago
Squarepegman, check Corn Hill Nursery. They have Hazeldean and many wonderful others. Alana on this forum already got a nice shipment from them this Spring.
squarepegman
5 years ago
Thanks Sheila I'm on it!
squarepegman
5 years ago
No dice on Corn Hill; neither Hazeldean or Prairie Peace appear to be available. Do you know of any other sources?
Steve Johnston
Original Author
5 years ago
I do still have Prarie Peace, Hazeldean and J5. J5 has enveloped a pear tree and is as tall as my house. Will have to take some photos is spring.

i will keep my eyes open for suckers and see if I can get some starts going.

j5 doesn’t seem to sucker though. The spins seem to, especially Beauty of Leafland
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Squarepeg, they are on the Corn Hill web site if you scroll down the whole list. Are you saying they are sold out? You may have to get yourself on their waiting list. Leonard Heller on Facebook also sold some of this group last Spring.
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
5 years ago
Squarepegman, I posted to Leonard Heller on the Face book Spinosissima group site that you wanted Prairie Peace and Hazeldean. He said you should post on that site to him and he can work it out. He sold me plants last Spring and is a good guy.
squarepegman
5 years ago
Thanks Steve; keep me posted and maybe we can work it out would be happy to reimburse you for any efforts!

Sheila, I did find them on Corn Hill's site, but when you click through there is no option on either to put them in the cart. I did order other stuff though. I'll contact Leonard on the FB group too; thanks!

Thining about Roses for the first time in many years

Steve Johnston
Original Author

Comments (21)

seil zone 6b MI

jacqueline9CA

Related Discussions

jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6

fig_insanity Z7b E TN

wirosarian_z4b_WI

countrygirlsc, Upstate SC

Steve Johnston
Original Author

summersrhythm_z6a

Steve Johnston
Original Author

prairie_northrose (3b north of Calgary AB, Canada)

summersrhythm_z6a

Samuel Adirondack NY 4b5a

squarepegman

Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR

squarepegman

squarepegman

Steve Johnston
Original Author

Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR

Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR

squarepegman

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Thining about Roses for the first time in many years

Steve JohnstonOriginal Author

Comments (21)

Related Discussions

Steve JohnstonOriginal Author

Steve JohnstonOriginal Author

Steve JohnstonOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Steve Johnston
Original Author

Steve Johnston
Original Author

Steve Johnston
Original Author

Steve Johnston
Original Author