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claudette_g

Roses and a new garden

claudette_g
13 years ago

Hi everyone...

This my first post to the forum... I'm a NC native and i haven't been gardening much since moving to my current home or the last ten years really, as I was overseas. But I'm not too far from one of my prior homes in NC, but the soil is VERY different.. I was over in the Cameron area, so lots of sand, now my soil is clay... So both need lots of amending.

I spent the weekend adding rotted manure to my new beds. I ordered some english roses for them. Most of them were types I grew at my old house, and i think they will do well. About the only thing I have already put in is a Lady banks rose, it's 2 years old and really taking off.

I was wondering if anyone was growing english roses and what ones do te best in NC. I'm planning on doing a mixed garden, cottage style and hoping some of my favorites will do ok in the clay. I hope salvia black and blue will not mind being a little wetter...

I haven't gardened a lot in the past 10 years so I'm woefully behind on the best new plants, any suggestions would be welcome. Long flowering types who won't mind a little negect.

thanks,

Claudette

Comments (6)

  • suzannenc
    13 years ago

    I moved here about 7 years ago and found these books to be especially helpful ----

    Tough Plants for Southern Gardens (Low Care, No Care, Tried and True Winners) by Felder Rushing

    The Carolina Gardener's Guide by locals Toby Bost and Jim Wilson

    My current favorite plants (they change so often) are :

    salvias, echinaceas, phlox, rosemary, helleborus, ruellia, peonies and asters.

    I have two small children, and very little time to spend in the garden, but it blooms every year on its own and gives us all great joy!!!

  • hemlady
    13 years ago

    I have grown roses here in Chapel Hill for years and have found that for me, the English roses are not worth the trouble. I do not like to spray for fungus and they HAVE TO BE SPRAYED to look good. Instead I grow the chinas and the teas (not hybrid teas) and I do not spray at all. Look up the beautiful chinas and teas available from Roses Unlimited in SC and Antique Roses Emporium in Texas. I came to this conclusion after growing the hybrid teas and English roses and hating the way they needed so much care and time to look decent. Just my 2 cents. Denise

  • chas045
    13 years ago

    I'm not much of a rose gardener, but I had 2 English Roses. I think one is Abraham Darby (came from costco so had to be common) and the other was a yellow rose with very long canes. Last year I tried cutting canes back after each bloomed and it abruptly died. The rose forum folks generally thought it was coinsidental but one person said their identical rose did the same thing (I knew its name then but have forgotten it and can't find my english rose book). Anyway, my red remaining rose does well for me and the yellow one did even better for two years.

    Our extension agent suggests roses in general are difficult in the high humidity and the best approach (other than not growing them) is to give plenty of air circulation between plants.

    You might want to check out a year old thread here about a woman selling a house with 300 roses. She was in Burlington in the red clay. She was probably mainly in the Rose Forum. Even if she has moved, I'll bet she could tell you a few things about rose growing in the Piedmont. Did a search: works_for_roses is her screen name.

    By the way, the japanese beetles think roses are salted peanuts

  • User
    13 years ago

    Claudette,
    If you have alot of time, patience, bug spray, fungicide spray, watering every day or every other day in the middle of the hot summer, and perserverence, go right ahead and plant English roses.
    Hybrid teas, (not all of them) also have black spot by July like you have never seen before.
    I gave up now I have a couple left in pots, (hybrid teas), but all the water I had to use last summer, not allowing the sprinkler from the grass to hit them, and getting black spot on them no matter what I did, was too frustrating to me.
    Your confederate rose will do fine, and also Knockout roses are beautiful in the south and they don't get black spot like other roses.
    Good Luck to you, and my favorite English is Christopher Marlowe. Smells so good you will want to eat it! LOL

  • claudette_g
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Salted peanuts!!! LOL... yes they do, but I think my guineas will help me keep their numbers down... They are fun birds, mine come when i call, so I can direct them to their snacks. One of the perks to living in the country are having ready access to manure, and great pest control... these guys even eat fire ants!

    I'll defintely check out the knockout roses and Christopher Marlowe... I really love roses and want to find ones that will shine and grow well without tons of fuss.

  • PRO
    Lavoie Boho
    13 years ago

    Hi Claudette. welcome! The above advice is all you need besides an invitation to our local Rose Society meetings and garden tours. I am in Lewisville near Winston-Salem, NC. Alas, your member page isnt finished yet so you dont say what part of NC you are in. I hope you are near me. I am getting rid of all my Roses next month in favor of fruit trees and a vineyard. I'd be delighted to share. I got own-root heirloom Roses at Heaven Sent Roses in W-S. Their display garden is absolutely incredible and you can learn a lot from her. Email me for contact info etc. Robin

    Here is a link that might be useful: my member page and trade list

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