Roses have long been a favorite among all types of gardeners, and roses continue to enjoy great popularity today. In addition to their beauty as cut flowers and in bouquets, roses are among the most useful and attractive flowers to grace the landscape of any home.

As a matter of [...]]]>

Image by Marlis1 via Flickr

Roses have long been a favorite among all types of gardeners, and roses continue to enjoy great popularity today. In addition to their beauty as cut flowers and in bouquets, roses are among the most useful and attractive flowers to grace the landscape of any home.

As a matter of fact, the exterior of any home can be made more graceful and more inviting through the use of wonderful landscape roses. Choosing the right ones, and ensuring that they compliment the overall style of the home, is very important to the overall success of the landscape.

There are literally hundreds of types of roses that you can grow in your garden. With such a selection to choose from, it can be extremely difficult to choose the rose that’s right for you. To make this task a bit easier, We’ve outlined a few important factors you should consider.

Climate

Choosing the right roses for your particular climate zone is essential. In order for roses to grow healthy and bloom generously, they must be able to adjust to your climate.If you live in an area that is prone to cold winters, you would certainly want a rose that could survive during the off season.

If your climate is mild you have many more choses to consider. Choosing the best rose varieties for your specific climate should mean fewer pesticides, fewer disease issues and an overall healthier garden.

Color

Color may seem trivial at first glance, but it’s usually an important factor to those that want to grow roses. Usually it is simply a matter of personal preference, but you may want to try creating a complimentary color palette for your rose garden.

The goal of choosing the best color roses for the landscape should be to compliment the color of the surrounding landscape. For instance, a spray of plain white tea roses can be striking against a dark red brick home, or an arrangement of pink roses can be the perfect compliment to a stone or marble entranceway. With so many colors of roses to choose from, it should be easy to find colors that compliment and enhance any decorating scheme.

Height

The size of the roses you choose is also very important. Consider the height of the rose at full growth. If the rose grows 15 feet tall, will it look unattractive in your garden? Remember, roses vary in size. While some roses may grow up to 8 feet, others can grow as high as 20 feet.Measure the area of your garden prior to choosing your roses. Compare your width and height measurements with roses you’d like to purchase. Your roses will need plenty of space to grow as well as room for exposure to the air.

Space

You need to consider the size of your garden space, so that you can ensure proper exposure to the air and other elements as well. Crowding too many plants into two smaller space won’t give you the results you desire.If you have only a small amount of space to dedicate to roses, you may want to grow miniature roses. These roses do not take up much space and they are easy to plant and care for.

Fragrance

Old Garden Roses bloom for several months at a time, and have a strong and beautiful scent.
If however,certain fragrances would invoke an allergic reaction, you would certainly want to plant roses that have a softer fragrance than the others. Shrub roses are a good choose, they have less sent than some other types.

Maintenance

How much time will you be able to spend maintaining your roses? Are you one of those people who lives to be in the garden, or are you more of a low-maintenance gardener? There are several types of roses which are very high-maintenance. Although they’ll be dazzling in your garden, they’ll require a lot of your time.

The classification known as “Modern Roses” are very stunning, long blooming, and highly fragrant; however, they are very high maintenance and are prone to disease.

The rose classification known as “Old Garden Roses”, on the other hand, have been bred to be very disease-resistant and require less maintenance. “Old Garden Roses” bloom for several months at a time, and have a strong and beautiful scent.

The bad news is that people with strong allergies to fragrances will have a terrible time around them. If that could be a problem for you, then consider any of the variety known as “shrub roses”. They are also disease-resistant and long blooming, but produce a mild scent.

Other Flowers in the Garden

You should also consider what other types of flowers or plants you plan to add to the garden. You want to add plants and flowers that will not create a damaging environment to your rose’s ecosystem. In other words, make sure any other plants are good neighbors.

A popular trend in the world of landscaping is to use a variety of different plants and flowers in the landscape. Doing so not only makes for a vibrant garden, but it is thought to enhance the health of the soil as well. Fortunately, roses lend themselves well to this mixture, and roses can be a beautiful part of an overall landscape of plants and flowers.

The bottom line is while there are a wide variety of rose plants, do your homework and pick the plants that are best suited to your locale and your particular garden situation. But don’t be afraid, just forge ahead and soon you will be enjoying both the beauty and fragrance of your own rose plants.

With a little upfront planning and consideration you can have a lovely Rose Garden for years to come. Enjoy the journey and enjoy your garden!

Looking for a special gift, check Send Flowers Online we offer fresh cut flowers, gifts baskets ideas and unique gifts. You can preorder flowers or send FTD same day.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/pick-the-best-roses-for-your-garden-1537853.html

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To recreate the sort of garden beloved by our ancestors, include the old garden roses.  The old roses date back for centuries, are hardier than some modern hybrids, and include a large variety of colors and scents.  

What classifies a rose as an old garden rose?  According to the American Rose Society, old [...]]]>

By Kathleen Gresham

To recreate the sort of garden beloved by our ancestors, include the old garden roses.  The old roses date back for centuries, are hardier than some modern hybrids, and include a large variety of colors and scents.  

What classifies a rose as an old garden rose?  According to the American Rose Society, old garden roses are antique rose varieties that were introduced before 1867.  

Old roses grow well in poor conditions and are the easiest type of rose to care for. If planted in rich soil that drains well, they will continue to bloom for many years. They prefer a light feeding schedule and require a bit of patience.  They bloom only when they are ready to bloom.

Famous Old Garden Rose Varieties

Among the best known of the old garden roses are Mary Queen of Scots, the Sweetheart Rose, the American Beauty, Awakening, and Belle Amore.

Old garden roses with the traditional appearance include

 * The Duchesse de Brabant (a Gulf Coast rose with a light scent)

 * Belinda’s Dream (long stems, nice fragrance)

 * Zepherine Drouhin (unique fragrance)

 * Red Radiance (strong fragrance)

The Butterfly Rose is an ancient hybrid from China, introduced to the West in 1932.  The blooms change colors from soft orange to pink to carmine, which makes it a delight to observe.

Rose Gardening Groups and Clubs

Plenty of garden groups and clubs exist for rose enthusiasts.  A short list of some of these clubs are as follows:

American Horticultural Society, Arlington Rose Foundation, Phoenix Rose Society, Potomac Rose Society, Arizona West Valley Rose Society, and Humboldt Rose Society.

Showing Your Roses at Rose Shows

There are national rose shows and also district shows and local shows around the country where you can show your roses. If you are interested in competing in the rose shows, you might consider joining the American Rose Society.  Through such a group, you can obtain a wealth of information and contacts.  

Because it is a challenge to judge the old garden rose, the judging old roses at rose shows varies widely. Judging seminars are held to help educate judges, because fewer judges are familiar with old garden roses than with the newer modern rose varieties.  

If your goal is to show your old garden roses for prizes, you’ll have to pay a bit more attention to them and groom them properly for the shows.  Things to look for include strong, vibrant blooms, leaves, and stems.  They should have good color.  

Remove damaged petals (trim if necessary).  The foliage should be clean.

The fewer side growths there are on the rose canes, the better.  A stem-on-stem condition is considered impairment.  That is when new growth starts where old growth had stopped.

Places Where You Can View Old Roses

If you would enjoy traveling around the United States in search of gardens to view the various old garden roses, among other types, you could try the following places:

 * The Pageant of Roses Garden, Whittier, CA

 * Washington Park International Rose Test Garden, Portland, OR

 * Inez Parker Memorial Rose Garden, San Diego, CA

 * The Gardens of the American Rose Society, Shreveport, LA

* Tyler Municipal Rose Garden Center, Tyler, TX

 * Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin, TX

If traveling the United States is not an option, try the local yellow pages in your area or call or visit the Chamber of Commerce in your town to get information on local gardens, clubs, and events that feature old garden roses.

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Image via Wikipedia

There are few flowers that hold the allure and enchantment of a rose. They grow wild in almost all parts of the world and have been hybridized and cultivated to an overwhelming 7,500 varieties.

They grow in short or tall bushes, climb walls, fences, and terraces, and appear in long-stemmed bouquets. Old World [...]]]>

By Melanie Tommasello

Image via Wikipedia

There are few flowers that hold the allure and enchantment of a rose. They grow wild in almost all parts of the world and have been hybridized and cultivated to an overwhelming 7,500 varieties.

They grow in short or tall bushes, climb walls, fences, and terraces, and appear in long-stemmed bouquets. Old World roses bloom prolifically at the beginning of the summer, while varieties that descend from China frequently bloom well into the autumn.

A rose can come in practically any color, from the ever-popular red rose to all shades of white, pink, yellow, peach, orange, green, lavender, and even hues that approach black and blue. They have an equally diverse composition: the blooms can be small or large, tight or open, and consist of five or many petals.

Even the fragrance differs widely amongst the species, from heady musk and damask scents to lighter fruit and sweet smells.

The Popularity and Meaning of Roses

With such a wide selection, it is no wonder that roses are the most popular flowers to give as gifts, both in bouquets and as solitary flowers. It is curious, however, that so few people know about the complex history and meaning of roses.

The oldest fossilized remains of roses date to 35 million years ago, and they are featured in the early artwork of Greeks, Romans, Persians, Asians, Indians, and Egyptians. It is said that Nebuchadnezzar included roses in his famous Hanging Gardens and Cleopatra strew rose petals at the feet of her love, Marc Antonius.

Peoples of the Middle East valued roses for their beauty and their scent, which they sought to capture and make into extravagant perfumes. The Romans associated the rose with Venus, their goddess of love.

Later Catholics appropriated the rose as the symbol for the Virgin Mary, who became the “rosa mystica”. Governments incorporated roses into their national emblems and even made them symbols of war.

The Victorian Era refined the meaning of roses even more, as lovesick suitors used the language of flowers to communicate secret messages to their beloveds.

As in Victorian times, color is the most commonly identified characteristic that distinguishes one rose from another. Most people know that a red rose symbolizes romantic love. Some remember that yellow roses represent friendship and white roses stand for purity, but few recognize the subtle and varied meanings that roses of all shapes, sizes and colors have developed over time. Indeed, roses convey almost as many meanings as they have forms, and seem capable of encompassing every facet of human emotion.

Besides love, friendship, and purity, rose colors can convey desire, fascination, thankfulness, innocence, mourning, and just about every nuance in between. Every shade carries its own unique message, and combining colors in a bouquet can send an intimation all its own! .

Although color is important, there are other factors that contribute to the meaning of roses. Sometimes the presentation can send a stronger message than any other factor.

Professional florists are experts in the art of presentation: they know when a single rose can be more dramatic than a rose bouquet and are knowledgeable about color and spread of the bloom. Generally, the more diminutive a rose, the newer or fresher the feeling it represents.

Rose buds convey innocence and youth: a gift of a single rose or rose bud tells of young love or a new friendship that promises a hopeful future. Roses and rose bouquets in full bloom convey a feeling of love that has reached maturity and is at the height of its passion. Larger, more developed blooms show continuing, deepening love or commitment.

Mixing buds and full rose flowers into one bouquet can represent the stretch of a relationship, from its infancy and promise to its culmination and fulfillment. Such a bouquet can be given at the beginning of a relationship to indicate the hope of what is to come or in the midst of a long-lasting relationship to show appreciation for the time spent together.

Taken together with hand-selected colors and an intoxicating scent, appropriate attention to the blooms in a bouquet can help send just the right message.

Roses—A Scent Like No Other

It seems impossible to separate the mental image of a rose from the sensory memory of its scent. Though by no means uniform, roses have long been famous for the perfume that attracts even the most harried passerby to “stop and smell the roses.”

The scent alone has the power to captivate and entrance and thus sends a message all its own. Too often this power is underestimated; be sure to select rose bouquets according to their fragrance as well as appearance.

Roses with a strong aroma of damask or musk are associated with serious feelings of intimacy, deep love, and dedication. The damask scent is often considered the essence of the rose: the heady aroma of a Kazanlik or Centifolia clings to the rose’s pedals and creates an aura of mystique surrounding the flowers it favors. The musk scent of Pax, Felicia, and Daphne, however, is free on the air and is capable of bathing an entire room in fragrance.

For a lighter scent more appropriate for friendship or get-well bouquets, try roses that have a sweet or fruity side, such as the Hybrid Tea or Old English Garden varieties. These roses emit the scents of youth, jollity, and innocence.

Whatever the fragrance, know that the scent of a rose lingers in the memory long after the bloom has wilted. Remember that the meaning of roses is not based on appearance alone, but also relies upon their unique and invigorating perfumes.

A professional florist knows how to expertly choose roses of the correct color, shape, and scent to make a bouquet that sends the perfect message. Utilize his/her advice and knowledge of the meaning of roses to create a floral gift that says more than words: Call us today and send that special someone a unique message from the heart.

About the Author:

Author is the master designer and owner of Winter Springs Florist.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/the-meaning-of-roses-439545.html

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