Some Images of English Roses From Summerland Ornamental Gardens

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Well, I have finally gotten around to doing the inventory of the roses we have in the beds around the gardens, as well as labelling them. It has taken four seasons to bring them back from long neglect and to identify the varieties. I have had help previously from folk on this forum and that has been very useful. So, I thought why not post some images from this season's wonderful first flush. The Gardens are open to the public this bloom season and we are getting lots of visitors. The roses are a major hit with many of them. So I will try to give you a bit of a vicarious tour of :some" of the English Roses we grow.

A small plant of what I believe to be LD Braithwaite. It has begun to grow vigorously these past two seasons. It was almost dead and had not bloomed for the two seasons before. Perhaps in another season or two, it will grow to it's full potential

I am pretty sure that this one is Molineux, we have three, but again, I have not personally grown this variety in the past, so the ID is based on my refernece books. Back to full health and vigour again from struggling old plants.

Gertrude Jeykll, Three plants of this variety as well. All blooming their little rose hearts out.

Radio Times in front, Golden Celebration in back.

The perenial favorite, Evelyn. Three plants of her, and absolutely glorious this year. The Fragrance is increadible as those who grow her well know.

The rare and undrappreciated Lilac Rose. We have four plants of her in two locations. This is now one of my very favorite roses. John in California ID'd her for me. Increadable fragrance and huge rosette shaped, blush blooms. This image does not really do her justice. For this climate, this rose is a treasure.

Glamys Castle. we have four plants of this, two back to full potential and two still getting their vigour back.

To finish and a bit of a switch up. Not an English Rose, it is in fact a Rambler that I finally managed to ID this year. This is half of "Goldfinch growing on the fence at the entrance to the Gardens.

There is no way that I can give you a true idea of what a glorious garden this place is and the roses are only one small part. The roses are my particular passion and responsibility, but there is so much more to see, smell and take in here at what I have come to call "Canada's Secret Garden". It is a solace and a priviledge for me to live handy by and be able to participate in keeping this garden going and growing. The volunteers who run it and care for it are very dedicated and special people. Especially my rose team, six ladies who proudly call themselves "The Best Darn Diggers"!

I hope you enjoyed this wee taste of the roses in our wonderful public garden in the South Okanagan of British Columbia. There are hundreds more to see. Here is a link to the Home Page for Summerland Ornamental Gardens and a link to our Roses in the Gardens page for those who might be interested.

Cheers, Rick

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rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
Original Author

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Thank you Vaporvac and Sheila. I very much hope that both of you can make the trip sometime too. We are trying very hard to have the new Canadian Heritage Rose Garden completely finished by next June, 2022 at which time we very much hope to be able to celebrate with a formal grand opening dedication and rose tour. We still have an arbor to build and place as the new garden's focal point and the structure on which to drape our climbing roses.

We also still have quite a few roses being grown on by John in California that we could not import due to Covid and border closures. We have begun to clear more ground on the edge of the English Shrub garden to allow us to plant more of the early Austin Shrub roses. We are having to dig out old plants of Russian Sage and do some serious weeding, but are making progress, though we did break an irrigation head last week trying to get a huge old root ball of Russian Sage out from beside and under it. Russian Sage and Oregon Grape, both garden thugs, especially when they get into places where there is even minimal irrigation.

We also have a site where we will be moving a few of our OGRs which are struggling in neglected areas and will also put some of Paul Bardens roses in various beds when we get them from John. That will be the culmination of my piece of the Paul Barden's Roses Are Becomming Rare currating project that we began on the Antuque Roses Forum two years ago. We will have a good collection of Paul's glorious varieties once we get them in the garden and can grow them to maturity. I am especially looking forward to growing some of his OGR hybrids here in our zone 6b winter climate. Of course that will take a few more years.

I am hearing rumours that they are considering opening the border to travel in late June or July. That is still rumour, but Canada's Minister of Public Safety was apparently overheard talking about the possiblitly of late June. That would certainly be welcome news.

The grand opening and dedication of the Canadian Heritage Rose Garden will likely be in the first or second week of June when our roses are at peak bloom. In normal years, we hold our rose tour at that time. So stay tuned, I will post any confirmation and dates on the forum next spring when we know for certain if it will be a go.

Cheers, Rick

Comments (10)

Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
2 years ago
What are site! I hope to go there someday soon! What a job you have done with your helpers!
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a thanked Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
2 years ago
I too hope to see the garden one day. Rick, this all looks incredible! I am especially inspired by the roses you have brought back from the brink. I have some I am bringing back from too hot and dry conditions, not to mention tree root competition. Also, this gives me hope for those recovering from gopher root attacks.

Your roses look so healthy. Go, Canada! I'd celebrate with a Nanaimo bar if I were you.
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
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DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA)
2 years ago
Oh Rick! Thank you for those glorious photos! One more reason for me to visit British Columbia at some point.
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a thanked DDinSB (Z10b Coastal CA)
librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
2 years ago
Thank you for sharing. What a beautiful place. Your post has made me want to visit!
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a thanked librarian_gardner_8b_pnw
Nippstress Nebraska z5
2 years ago
I love the vicarious rose tour as well as hope for the future in roses that can survive zones colder than me. I am impressed that Radio Times survives that well for you, as without snow cover it has consistently died on me.

I am quite jealous of that Gertrude Jekyll that actually BLOOMS. I have a GJ that is at least 9 years old that has never had one single bloom. I thought it was either me or the less than ideal spot she's in, but other Austins in that area do fine. I was just at a local rose society meeting this weekend though and found a much more experienced rose gardener report the exact same thing of a mature GJ that has never ever bloomed.

Does yours die to the ground each winter? I wonder if it likes to bloom on old wood, like my hardy but rarely blooming Crown Princess Margaretha that has to rapidly regrow canes that never seem to bloom on new wood.

Cynthia
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
Original Author
2 years ago
Hi Cynthia,

I suspect that the climate may be one likely difference in the performance of both Radio Times and Gertrude Jeykll between here and where you live. We ae zone 6 and thus far, past four winters, the coldest temperature I have seen is -18C. (0F). There is no winer damage to any of the Austin roses here.

I did grow both Radio Times, in a pot that wintered in the garage; and Crown Princess Mararetta that was in the garden; when I lived in Ontario, 4b. Radio Times did just fine and bloomed a lot. CPG struggled with winter die back and subsequent poor bloom. I have a large, vigorous CPM espallied on a fence here and she blooms a lot in June, but her rebloom is not all that good even in this climate.

I found Teasing Georgia to be much hardier, more vigorous and an excellent repeat bloomer in Ontario. I will grow her again if I can find her.

Cheers, Rick
strawchicago z5
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Cynthia: Back in 2012 we had a drought, no rain .. that's when I first bought Crown Princess Mag. as own-root. It was stingy, gave me only 2 blooms. Then Steve in Australia advised me to use sulfate of potash & same with a gal in England. 2012 summer was hot & dry and I used my alkaline tap water at pH 9. I fixed tap-water with sulfate of potash and gypsum, and got Radio Times and Crown Princess to bloom. Crown Princess won't bloom unless given tons of water fixed with sulfate of potash & gypsum. Radio Times needs less water.

I also use Lilly Miller granular fertilizer (has soluble phosphorus & soluble potassium) in spring time and that helps with blooming. Espoma Tone (Plant Tone or Holly tone) DOES NOT WORK when there's no acidic rain, Holly tone made my roses super-tall with zero blooms one summer.
Nippstress Nebraska z5
2 years ago
Thanks for the input Rick - climate makes a huge difference and not something I'm going to change about Nebraska with lows in February down to a record -20 (brrrr) and a record high yesterday of 107 F after being well over 90 all month in JUNE (supposed to be 70's and 80's in a "normal" year). Add no snow cover and it's amazing we can grow roses at all. I agree that Teasing Georgia is a survivor and I have two that do pretty well.

Straw I appreciate the tips on fertilizer but I'm not organized enough to customize or keep track of who gets fed what like you do. Most years my roses get nothing but leaf mulch for "food" though I'll throw on a little alfalfa hay if I get really organized. This year I'm vowing to feed "weakly weekly" with some liquid or organics, but I'm unlikely to be systematic. Even when CPM bloomed pretty well I didn't find her to be impressive enough to fuss over, so I'll enjoy yours and let mine sink or swim.

Cynthia
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
2 years ago
At least you don't have the tragedy Carol is experiencing, Cynthia.

Some Images of English Roses From Summerland Ornamental Gardens

rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
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Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley

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Some Images of English Roses From Summerland Ornamental Gardens

rideauroselad OkanaganBC6aOriginal Author

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rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
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