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The Rogue Valley Roses Bulletin for April 6, 2008
Disease Resistant Roses
The vast majority of roses are disease resistant. There are whole classes of roses whose varieties are entirely disease resistant or very close to it: the incomparable shade tolerant Albas with their amazing fragrance, the great majority of the species roses, the Rugosas, as impervious to disease as they are to salt spray, most of the Hybrid Musks and Shrub roses, as well as many of the great classic climbers and ramblers. Even within notoriously disease prone groups like the Hybrid Teas, and their progenitors the Hybrid Perpetuals and true Teas, it is not too difficult to find individual varieties that are reliably healthy in many climates.
I believe the power of mass marketing accounts for the current public appetite for a particular kind of ‘disease resistant’ modern rose: tough of petal and of leaf, continuously blooming color spots of a sameness, lacking in character and subtlety. One of our ads invites the reader to a ‘journey of discovery and delight through the world of roses’. With such a narrow focus on a certain type of modern rose, this journey becomes just a walk around the block.
Did David Austin draw public attention ever so slightly away from the often scentless, high centered florist/show roses to the wide world of fragrant roses, both modern and antique, of many habits and bloom forms, only to have this attention usurped again by the pursuit of yet another version of the ubiquitous Knockout? It is not that I am knocking Knockout. It has a certain ruffled charm. What I am knocking is the marketing manipulations that has the public thinking that disease resistant roses are a recent achievement that look a certain way, are to be used as ‘color spots’ in place of petunias, and that roses can make good ‘ground covers’.
I often recommend looking at a rose Ground Cover installation that is a few years old before deciding to deploy roses for this purpose. Nothing is more daunting than trying to pluck weeds from among a thorny thicket of several years older, often more sparse, and often much taller rose ‘ground cover’. Why roses are sought out for this purpose is explained only by manipulative marketing. Nevertheless, the demand for these roses increases by the minute. We are searching out the best of the ‘ground covers’ to make them available to those who must and will have them. If, and when, we find them we will let you know.
Our inventory abounds with roses that are both uniquely beautiful and disease resistant. Roses that originate from accidental crosses, sometimes referred to as ‘bird drops’, frequently provide pronounced disease resistance. The intensely fragrant, continuously blooming Lyda Rose and Secret Garden Musk are two notable examples. Of modern roses bred specifically for disease resistance, two we particularly love are the shrub/climber, Westerland and its sport, Autumn Sunset. Lady Hillingdon demonstrates that the antique Teas, also, are frequently quite healthy. There are many others. Who is afraid of discovering that disease resistant roses have been with us always and that this category is as varied, and as well populated, as the wide world of roses.
By using our search feature in the second drop down window on the left hand margin of our website, we invite you to a journey of discovery and delight through a world of hundreds of varieties of little known disease resistant roses and to the next edition of this newsletter where we will offer some suggestions for maintaining roses we love that are not so resistant. Who will fear discovering that it is possible to have these roses, too, without destroying the bees, ourselves, or the planet?
Our Current Specials and Discounts
Select a free $12.50 band rose for every 10 roses that you buy or select a free $25.00 rose for every 10 gallons or 12 bands that you buy.
You may also select a free $25.00 five gallon rose for every 4 five gallon roses that you buy. Our well grown fives will help you achieve impact for a special event or immediately bring a special effect to your garden. Due to the large size of the five gallon plants, we cannot offer free shipping on the free five gallon plants.
If you are a member of the American Rose Society, the Heritage Rose Foundation, or a Heritage Rose Group, you may choose to receive a 10% membership discount on roses that you order in any quantity when you provide us with your membership number and expiration date. This discount does not go with any other specials that we offer.
15% off AND 4 for 3 on selected 5 gallons
Our five gallon plants continue to ship using our standard method of depotting and removing excess soil while maintaining an intact rootball which is then tightly wrapped.
On these varieties only, in addition to our "buy 3 five gallons get one free five gallon" offer, we have taken an additional 15% off on any roses ordered from the varieties listed below while supplies last. Click on the variety name to go to see photos and data, including height, disease resistance and Zone hardiness, for that rose. Our inventory availability is updated online in real time.
Below is the list for the additional 15% off special:
We are open to customers on Wednesday afternoon from 2:00 to 6:00 for pickup of orders previously placed online or over the phone.
Call or email us for directions or for an appointment to visit at another time.
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