How to Recover Very Old Roses
last month
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (7)
- last monthlast modified: last monthwestes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked apple_pie_order
Related Discussions
Identity of old very fragrant rose?
Comments (17)I grew EdB for a number of years and will confirm that it never got anywhere near as tall as yours. Also it was a bit twiggy. In my garden the new growth was clean and fresh, the flush was lovely, and after that it would deteriorate badly. I gave it a number of years hoping that it would improve, because when it was good, it was very, very good. I cannot say if your leaves and canes match those of my EdB, simply because I no longer remember the finer details of the rose I once grew. However, what you have is a very pretty rose indeed. I do hope yours stays at least reasonably healthy and that you can enjoy it all season long. If it does, then I would feel safe in saying that what ever it is, it is not the same rose I grew in my Porch Garden for a number of years. Rosefolly...See MoreRose Trivia - Old (very old) method of preserving flower buds
Comments (5)What a coincidence! Just last night, I was reading Diane Ackerman's "Natural History of the Senses." It has a giddy couple of pages about roses, including the following: "In Damascus and Persia, people used to bury jars of unopened rosebuds in the garden, dig them up on special occasions to use in cooking - the flowers would open dramatically on the plates." Seemed unlikely to me, but now I wonder.... I'm only about forty pages into this book, but enjoying it. Plan to keep it on my shelves just for the rose trivia it has. Anita...See MoreID this very old rose?
Comments (53)Oh, goody - I like having mysteries! Re the buff color - it turns out it ONLY does that in dark shade, where my original one is. The mature one growing in the sun does not do that - it blooms fade to white, not buff. So, trospero, I'll bet you have never seen blooms of Awakening which have grown in full shade. Re the petal configuration, it changes constantly - I will post some more pics of the one at my SIL's house. I understand the timing issue re Awakening, but if a rose sports once, why can it not sport the same way in another location? I am ignorant - don't know the odds, but I have heard of that happening. Do any of you think it is New Dawn? I ask because 2 people at the Celebration of Roses told me "it looks similar to New Dawn, but it is NOT New Dawn".. I have learned over the years that the old mystery roses which were planted in my garden by my DH's ancestors were popular roses when they were planted. They got them, I am told, at the West End Nursery in San Rafael (which turns out to be the oldest still operating nursery in California). My point is, New Dawn is just the sort of rose they would have planted, and perhaps it sported to Awakening just like the Czech one did? Here is another pic from my SIL's one - Jackie...See MorePictures: Very Old Rose Bush With No Roses
Comments (8)I would remove a lot of the old gray wood next March--cut the canes at the ground or at the graft if one is visible. Hopefully it will respond by making some strong shoots from the ground. It looks like this rose is best grown as a climber with all the strong shoots fastened to the fence. Tie them rather than weaving through the lattice. Create a fan pattern by leading the first canes low and almost horizontal, the next in a low arc above the first, etc. Having lots of cane nearly horizontal (or 45 degrees) will greatly increase the amount of bloom. Most roses have canes that are best trained after they have grown well out and become fibrous. Then they will bend without breaking. After it begins to get crowded again, remove a fraction of the oldest canes each year at the base, Do the main pruning in June after blooming to maximize the amount of bloom. You can also remove the stronger laterals (strong secondary shoots off the main canes) unless you need them to fill in. Cut the shorter laterals back to 2-3 leaves after blooming. The spots visible in pics 6 and 7 are blackspot disease, but the plant must be somewhat resistant or it would be defoliated by now. The foliage appears to be of modern type. The hooked thorns suggest the parentage includes climbing species. You can show us blooms and buds next May....See MoreRelated Professionals
Signal Hill Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Concord Landscape Contractors · Bergenfield Landscape Contractors · Fort Wayne Landscape Contractors · Lake Saint Louis Landscape Contractors · Louisville Landscape Contractors · Milwaukee Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Cerritos Landscape Contractors · Garland Landscape Contractors · Middletown Landscape Contractors · Wakefield Landscape Contractors · Goodlettsville Landscape Contractors · Peachtree City Landscape Contractors · Soddy Daisy Landscape Contractors · Stallings Landscape Contractors- last month
- last month
- last monthlast modified: last monthwestes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked apple_pie_order
Related Stories

ROSESSmooth Rose’s Arching, Not-So-Thorny Canes Provide Beauty All Year
Plant Rosa blanda, native from the Great Lakes eastward, for its long bloom season, pollinator food and attractive red hips in autumn
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESWhat Kind of Roses Should You Grow?
Want to add the beauty of roses to your garden? Find out which ones, from old-fashioned to modern, are right for you
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESYou’re Going to Want to Stop and Smell These Roses
See top picks from David Austin’s most fragrant roses in colors ranging from ivory to crimson
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESRoses: Crowning Touch of Gardens
Whether you're the Miss or Mister America of gardening or take a hands-off approach, roses can be a winning addition to your landscape
Full Story
ECLECTIC HOMESHouzz Tour: A New House With a Grand Old Face
This Surrey, England, house looks for all the world like its late-Georgian neighbors, but it’s secretly newer. Much newer
Full Story
Teach Old-World Style New Tricks
Layer modern, minimalist accents with antiques and traditional decor for rave-earning style contrast
Full Story
BEFORE AND AFTERS100-Year-Old Craftsman Home’s Master Suite Lightens Up
A designer balances architectural preservation with contemporary living in this Northern California remodel
Full Story
UPHOLSTERYThe Perks and Perils of Reupholstering Old Furniture
Secondhand upholstered pieces can add character to a room, but beware of bugs, snakes and hidden costs
Full Story
sautesmom Sacramento