Introduction to the Garden Rose
The rose has caught the fancy of us humans as no other flower has ever done. Poets have waxed eloquent on the beauty of the flower. Cleopatra was famous for filling her boudoir with rose petals and soaking the sails of her ship in rose water so that she was always surrounded by the fragrance. The color and form as well as the allure of its fragrance make the rose one of the favorite flowers in bouquets and flower arrangements.

There are thousands of varieties of roses today, which have originated from about twelve dozen varieties of natural roses. The hybrids optimize the strengths of the different varieties such as color, fragrance, foliage, hardiness, resistance to pests and diseases etc., through a painstaking process of breeding.

Types of Roses
Roses are broadly classified into Bush roses, Climbing roses, Shrub / Ground Cover roses and Tree roses based on the type of the plant. Bush roses are bushy plants and grow to heights ranging from 5 - 6 inches to almost 5 - 6 feet. The Hybrid Tea roses, Polyanthas, Floribundas, Grandifloras, Miniature and Heritage roses are all bush roses. The Hybrid tea roses are the most common and have long narrow buds and a single flower to a stem. Floribunds are compact plants derived from Hybrid Tea roses and bear clusters of flowers all through summer. Many varieties are fragrant. Grandifloras are tall plants that bloom continually. They combine the advantages of the first two types. Miniatures, as the name indicates are miniature varieties of the other roses, perfect in form as if built to scale. Heritage roses are antiques, or those that were in existence before 1867, and include some Damasks, Noisettes, Albas, Bourbons etc.

Climbing roses need support to grow and are usually trained along arches, arbors etc. They may be large flowered or small flowered and bloom abundantly. Shrubs and ground cover roses are hardy roses that are ideal for mass plantings. Tree roses are roses that have been grafted to a sturdy trunk and need careful pruning.
The varieties with the typical fragrance of rose are either red or pink and have thick velvety petals. The fragrant white and yellow roses generally have a different perfume.

Growing Tips For Roses
Roses need a good loamy soil with proper drainage and sunlight for 8-10 hours. The beds must be raised in places where drainage is poor. Prepare holes of approximately 20 inches wide and 1 feet deep and fill with a mixture of 1/3rd top soil, 1/3rd sand and 1/3rd compost or manure. Add super phosphate and plant the roses in the prepared soil. Use root stimulator for quicker generation of feeder roots. Stake the plant if necessary and ensure moisture without water logging.

Roses adapt well to containers also. Miniatures and Tree roses as well as hybrid teas serve as good patio plants.

Roses need regular fertilizers, pruning and spraying with pesticides to keep them healthy and well flowering.

Pruning is required in spring and in fall. In spring, all dead canes must be cut to ground level; diseased or damaged ones and those rubbing against each other must be cut to the level of the healthy wood of the stem. All thin stems may also be removed as these give only low quality blooms. On an average, the canes should be shortened by 1/3rd of their length. The stalks of climbing roses should be trained horizontally to encourage lateral offshoots which give more display of blooms. Pruning each cane to approximately 1/4th of an inch above the level of a dormant outside the bud, will stimulate growth and abundant flowering. Spray well with fungicide / pesticide, fertilize the plant and keep it watered to ensure vigorous growth and flowering. If the plant is over 2 years old, cut out the oldest and largest canes and seal off the cut with glue or shellac.

Fall pruning is restricted to cutting of dead wood and unproductive growth. Roses need special attention in summer. They must be kept well watered followed by a systematic feeding and spraying program. The rose beds may be mulched to help retain moisture. Commercial rose feed is available in the market for all types of roses.
Roses need to be protected with suitable insulation in harsh winter and during frosts.
Cutting roses

Roses make good cut flowers. Blossoms that are beginning to open may be cut in the early morning or late afternoon, when the moisture is at the highest. Proper care in conditioning and storing will ensure a long lasting flower arrangement. Rose petals are an ingredient in Potpourri; earlier, rose hips were used in salads and also to make wines. Several varieties of hybrids survive without much application of pesticides.

Common Diseases & Pests That Effect Rosses
Blackspot, Powdery Mildew and rust are the common fungal infections affecting roses. Spraying with fungicides such as Ortho Funginex helps alleviate the problem.
Insects such as thrips, aphids, spider mites, cane borers and some beetles are also known to attack roses. Deficiencies of Nitrogen and pH imbalances affect the rose plant. Proper care should be taken to control these problems.

If you like Roses....These pages might also interest you:

Allium Directory, Amaryllis Directory, Begonia Directory, Crocus Directory, Daffodils Directory, Dahlia Directory, Hyacinth Directory, Iris Directory, Lily Directory, Tulip Directory