Late spring is one of my favorite times of year to have visitors to my garden because there’s so much in bloom. The roses are spectacular, such as the ‘Lamarque,’ which I have growing over my tool shed. It’s just one of about 25 or 30 old-fashioned roses I grow in my garden. Technically, an old-fashioned rose is one that was introduced before 1867; that’s when the hybrid teas were first introduced. Now, I have a lot of rose varieties in my garden that were introduced before that date, and a lot afterward.
I use old-fashioned roses in a variety of ways. One of my favorites is to use them to punctuate an entry as I’ve done with climbing ‘White American Beauty.’ This rose has filled the entire bonnet of an arbor. Now this rose is also known as ‘Frau Karl Druschki,’ it was introduced in 1901.
Another one of my favorites is ‘Iceberg.’ I grow it three different ways in my garden. One way is in a tree or standard form where ‘Iceberg,’ is grafted onto the stock of a different type rose. This makes a beautiful presentation. The climbing form of ‘Iceberg’ is yet another way I grow it. It is beautiful supported by twig trellises and it can grow to quite an impressive height. And the last way I grow it is as a shrub in my flowerbeds. It’s a beautiful rose that will bloom right until frost.
Russell’s Cottage rose only blooms once a year, but it is a real showstopper. I grow it because of its incredible fragrance. Now, it’s an exuberant climber and it has literally grown up into the branches of an overhead elm tree.
‘Russell’s Cottage’ isn’t the only rose I grow in trees. I also grow ‘Madame Alfred Carriere.’ She actually blooms just as the foliage is beginning to appear in the tree.
Of course, anyone can appreciate the beauty of a rose. But from a garden design standpoint, I think that the thing I enjoy most about these old-fashioned roses is that they make such dramatic statements in the landscape.
When I chose rose varieties for my garden, I wanted to maximize the bloom potential. I chose varieties that bloom early in the season and roses that bloom right on through the fall. There are so many different varieties to choose from, there’s a rose for every situation. Some will grow beautifully in containers, others will even take some shade.
‘New Dawn’ is one of the most prolific and carefree roses that I grow. I tell people that it is a must have for their garden. Technically, it isn’t considered an old-fashioned or heritage rose, it was introduced in the early 20th century, but it has the same beauty that many of these old fashioned roses can have.
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