Vibrant Village ™

"O, my love's like a red, red rose/That's newly sprung in June" - Robert Burns

Ah….the month of June.  Traditionally, it is the favorite month for weddings and all things nuptial.  The weather and landscape all come together in a display of azure blue skies, marshmallow clouds, lush green leaves and grasses and gorgeous, vibrant blooms.

And let’s not forget the blushing bride.

Is there a more beautiful image than the bride in her flowing white gown floating down the aisle?  Well, if there exists an object more lovely, it would have to be the velvety, dew-touched rose bouquet she carries.  Roses are the iconic symbol of love, desire and beauty, as well as being a sacred symbol to the goddesses Isis and Aphrodite - even the Virgin Mary.  With names like Abe Lincoln, Agatha Christie, Claude Monet, Ginger Rogers and William Shakespeare, roses  have been developed to honor celebrities, artists and deities.

The true beauty of the rose goes far beyond its history and traditional uses.  Roses are swirling mazes of velvety petals and sweet scent in colors that range from the softest pinks and yellows to the fieriest reds or oranges.

They are the objects of my garden affection.  I covet the buds and blooms I see in neighborhood gardens or even in abandoned fields, because as much as I crave their color and scent in my own garden spaces, they are the plant and bloom that elude me most.  I feel their hostility and dissatisfaction at being unfortunate enough to have been planted in my yard each time I pass by.

Experts agree that roses require four things to thrive:  water, food, love and the right environment.  Despite the fact that I manage to supply each of these things for my roses, I manage to fall slightly, and sometimes greatly, off the mark in each of these areas so that they fade rather than flourish.

Environment is probably one of the most important aspects of rose planting.  Select a site that will receive 6-8 hours of sunlight.  Some shade may be tolerated, but be sure to give the roses plenty of space and a minimum of competition from other plants and trees.  Oops….my bad.  That spot under the canopy of the backyard red maple seemed so perfect!  Roses will thrive in loose, loamy soil with a bit of manure worked in during the digging process.  Most gardeners recommend digging a trench about 18 inches deep and 2 feet across for planting with an additional 6 or more inches of soil loosened below the planting depth.   Roses will show their extreme unhappiness if planted in boggy, wet soils or very dry sandy soils.

If your soil is extremely sandy, you will need to dig out the area completely and replace with an acceptable soil mix.  Okay, I’m two for two.  The soil in my yard is a beach with a bit of topsoil frosting.

After the first flush of spring blooms, roses that are not fertilized will not continue to bloom for the summer season.  Roses love good food, but whatever your fertilizer of choice, they will profit more from one slightly higher in phosphorous to promote blooms rather than foliage.  Composted material, manure, bone meal, liquid or time-released fertilizer can all be used.  The more growth you see on the rose, the more often you will need to fertilize.  I’m not getting this one right either……my rose beds are a third world country where starvation abounds.

Along with whispering sweet nothings to your roses, nothing says love like a proper pruning.  My readings suggest that hybrid tea varieties will benefit most from a pruning in early spring, while older bushes and climbing varieties prefer pruning after their first flowering.  These roses bloom on growth from the previous year, so early pruning would eliminate blooms for the season.  There are a few “don’ts” in the rules of pruning:  Don’t mangle the plants - use sharp shears that will cut the branches cleanly.  Do not prune more than once each year, and never prune rose bushes that are less than 3-4 years old to avoid shock to the plant or possible death.  Start the dirges.  I planted the three surviving rose bushes in my garden approximately three years ago and have pruned them each spring.  Obviously, a rose whisperer, I am not.

Finally, give your roses plenty of water.  Optimally, roses should receive 1-2 inches each week and, depending on the size of the bush, more when the season gets very hot.  Watering at the soil level is best, but if you water early enough in the day, the leaves will dry by nightfall to discourage fungus on the leaves.  Check to make sure that the water is reaching the depth of the roots.  Deep watering encourages lower level root growth which is less susceptible to weather issues.  I have to be truthful and say that I do not provide enough water, but I do try to be careful about avoiding fungus formation.  I find that to be an important rule for most things in life.

Yes, I have broken most of the cardinal rules of rose planting and growth, and yes, my roses warily watch as I approach them for even more punishment, but I’m not ready to give up just yet.  I'm even more determined to get it right…next time.  My roses will “survive,” (and I use that term loosely) the rest of this season, but I vow to start things right in the spring of 2011.  “I’m on a mission,” I say - and my roses sigh with relief - or was that resignation?

June is National Rose Month, so maybe this will be your month to start planning for your own happy rose garden.  Choose a perfect site, and select the varieties and colors you love best - and, if the rose gods are smiling upon you, you'll get it right - the first time.  Soon, very soon, I hope everything's coming up roses—for you – and for me.