By Kathleen Gresham
When you think of antiques, a rose might not immediately come to mind. But antique roses have been around for centuries. All rose varieties developed before 1867 are considered to be antiques.
Shakespeare used the word eglantine when speaking of the rose in his sonnets and plays. Eglantine is described in the dictionary as a European rose with sweet-scented leaves and pink flowers.
Just as an emporium is a large store with a wide variety of things for sale, there are antique rose emporiums to delight rose growers. You can buy an antique rose already rooted from a rose emporium.
How do you prepare to grow an antique rose? First, choose a planting location that allows for several hours of morning sunlight. It is best to give the plant room for healthy air movement as the bush will grow and develop.
Break the soil well. A tiller is helpful if you want to plant many plants in one area. You can rent a tiller at many garden supply stores.
It is better to have rich soil in which to grow your antique rose. The antique rose will do better if you add good quality organic material and if the soil has proper drainage.
When do you prepare the area for planting an antique rose? If you live in a southern climate, It is best to prepare in the spring or summer. When you are new to planting, it is easy to assume that all planting should be done in the spring, but the best time for planting depends on the type of plant on the climate of the area where you live.
Where do you get more specific information on planting an antique rose? If you are buying seeds, there is usually helpful maps on the back of each seed packet to use as a guide. If you are buying from a nursery, be sure to ask for all the information they can give you on the requirements for your particular variety of antique rose.
Of course, you could always try looking it up on line or going to the local library or enlisting the advice of an established gardener.
How long can you keep an antique rose in a container before planting it in the ground outdoors? If needed, you can keep it in a container for several months.
Your antique roses will need more attention while they are in containers than they will once you get them established outdoors. Remember to fertilize and water as needed. And don’t forget proper drainage and air flow around the plants!
Should you add mulch to your antique roses? A true-blue gardener would gasp at the neglect to add mulch! It cuts down on weeds. It may seem strange, but mulching aids the growth of one type of plant while inhibits the growth of another. Mulching also means less stress on the roots from the summer heat.
How often should you water an antique rose? It helps to deep-soak your antique rose once a week—that means saturating the ground in which you have planted your rose.
Several hours or overnight should do the trick. It is extremely helpful to have a soaker hose for soaking more than one plant at once.
An antique rose is not necessarily disease free, but it is disease resistant. That is how it has survived for so long. It is still important to watch for insect or other damage. If you spray, it is best to use a mild fungicide. If in doubt, read the labels on the product carefully.
Prune your antique lightly and respectfully. It won’t bloom well if the new growth has to endure damage from heat or frost.
The easiest antique roses to grow are those that have survived in your area with minimal care for generations. That means they have developed a resistance to local pests and the weaker plants have been weeded out (so to speak). Only the hardiest plants have survived.
Antique rose enthusiasts often make a hobby of rescuing antique rose plants from abandoned farm land and other places where they have thrived without care for many years. Many antique roses have been preserved from destruction by roadbuilders and real estate development projects in just that way.
It is well worth your while to seek out the antique rose society in your area and find out which roses grow best in your area. Those locally tried and tested plants are generally by far the easiest antique roses to grow in your particular area, wherever you may be.
