SUMMER ROSE CARE IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

Soroptimist International – Mini, Pink Blend

Summertime gardening in the Lowcountry is not easy. We have to ease ourselves and our roses through the heat and humidity while we prepare for the glorious fall season just ahead.


Your roses will continue to bloom happily in the garden, even though their flowers are smaller and less full than in cool weather.


Frequent watering during hot, dry weather is essential for healthy roses. Roses need to be watered daily when temperatures are in the 90s. Roses grown in pots may need more frequent watering. Spraying on a routine basis is essential for preventing blackspot and fungus diseases. Fertilize with light, but frequent feedings. Apply organics for the final time in August at the rate of 2-3 cups per bush.

Deadhead your roses to keep them blooming. Keep an eye out for spider mites. They thrive in hot weather and will quickly defoliate rose bushes unless you take immediate corrective actions. Cut your roses back in late August - early September to produce big, beautiful fall blooms for yourself and for taking to the fall rose shows. Trim away stems and branches growing toward the center of the bush to improve air circulation and reduce the potential for spider mites to gain a foothold in your garden. If you are planning to exhibit in fall shows, you will need to stagger pruning long canes over a couple of weeks, considering recycling times for the various varieties: Slow Recycling Varieties: 55 to 60 days for heavily petalled varieties such as Uncle Joe, New Zealand and Touch of Class. Medium Slow Varieties: 50 to 54 days for varieties such as Crystalline, Elizabeth Taylor, Peace, and Olympiad. Average Varieties: 45 to 49 days for varieties such as Color Magic, Double Delight, Gold Medal, Nicole, French Lace and some heavily petalled miniatures. Fast Varieties: 40 to 44 days for varieties such as Altissimo, First Prize, Fragrant Cloud, and large minis such as Giggles, Tiffany Lynn and Miss Flippins. Very Fast Varieties: 35 to 39 days for singles such as Dainty Bess, Playboy, Playgirl and single minis.

SIMPLICITY

Welcome to the World of Rose Gardening or Rose Gardening World.  Take time and smell the roses.  Roses have been around for millions of years which just prove that roses are not difficult to grow. The Rose is also our National Floral Emblem and the state flower of several states.  Here at Rose Gardening World, you’ll find rose articles that will educate you about roses – its history, rose culture, rose profiles and even rose verses all in one place.  So visit Rose Gardening World often. 

Photo courtesy of Sandy Prior

Simplicity at the above photo was in front of white fence at a friend’s home in Huntington, NY with reflection of roses in puddle on the road.

Simplicity is a semi-double medium pink floribunda with 18 to 24 petals hybridized by Bill Warriner and introduced by Jackson & Perkins in 1978.  It is an excellent landscape or hedge rose.  Rosarians love them because they are very healthy and generous on blooms.  However, there is very light or no fragrance at all.  It is a tall, vigorous, disease-resistant and winter hardy plant with medium green, semi-glossy foliage.  It blooms well in all climates.  

Originally Jackson & Perkins sold them in lots of ten as a “living fence”.  Since its patent has expired, it is now available individually at other nurseries.  Besides Pink Simplicity, there are now Yellow Simplicity, White Simplicity, and Fragrant Lavender Simplicity.  They are all excellent plants for hedges.  

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EASY GOING

Welcome to the World of Rose Gardening or Rose Gardening World.  Take time and smell the roses.  Roses have been around for millions of years which just prove that roses are not difficult to grow. The Rose is also our National Floral Emblem and the state flower of several states.  Here at Rose Gardening World, you’ll find rose articles that will educate you about roses – its history, rose culture, rose profiles and even rose verses all in one place.  So visit Rose Gardening World often.  

Photo Courtesy of Peggy Grimsley

Hybridizer - Harkness, Britain, 1999

Var. ‘HARflow’

Easy Going is a sport of Livin’ Easy and has the same characteristics as its parent except for the color which is golden peachy yellow with a hint of pink instead of orange and yellow.  This floribunda has a rating of 8.0 at 2012 American Rose Society Handbook for Selecting Roses.  Bloom size is 3 to 4 inches across.  Easy Going blooms profusely and the blooms come in clusters of 3 to 7 blooms and have 26-30 thick, wavy petals complemented by healthy dark green, shiny foliage.  Easy going has a sweet, honey scent.  Usually its habit is short, about two feet tall and rounded.  However, in my garden, it reaches almost four feet tall.  Easy Going is one of the healthiest plants in my garden.  Easy Going is amazing that it gets so healthy in its location where previous roses planted in the same spot always die.  It has won an All-American Rose Selections Award in 1996 and Royal National Rose Society Gold Medal in 1990.  Plant Easy Going in group of 3 or 5 for great impact.  Blue flower plants are good companion plants.