With St. Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we will soon be
awash in chocolate and roses. Maybe it’s because I’m a nurseryman, but
I always urge folks to consider giving a real, living rose, roots ‘n’ all,
rather than a bouquet.   

Now hefting a 1 gallon pot onto the doorstep of your beloved may not
be quite the romantic gesture that you’re looking for. But it is worth
thinking of the future.

Come springtime, your gift will be piling blossom upon glorious blossom,
enchanting all who see it. A bouquet of cut-roses, on the other hand, will
most likely end up in the  compost… if you’re lucky!  

What are the best choices of roses for the Austin and central Texas area? I
always try to choose a rose that requires the least amount of care and provides
the greatest amount of beauty in the landscape.

My choice most often is an old-fashioned or antique rose. Unlike the modern
hybrids, these old garden roses have stood the test of time. Many of the
varieties have their origins dating back to the eighteenth century. Often they
were found along roadsides, abandoned homesteads, or cemeteries. Without
care,  they have flourished through the ages.

Often these old garden roses come with a history. For example, Souvenir de
Malmaison, dates to 1843 and was found at the Empress Josephine’s estate in
France. Another great old-fashioned rose is Old Blush which dates to 1752.
Also known as Common Monthly and Common Blush China, this rose has

great repeat bloom qualities and extraordinary disease resistance.

There are tons of these old garden roses to choose from. Some of my favorites
are Louise Phillipe, Caldwell Pink, Kirsten Poulson, Mutabilis, Champneys
Pink Cluster, Cramois Superior, Archduke Charles, Mermaid, Marie Pavie,
and Martha Gonzales.

These ‘no fuss–no muss’ roses perform with little attention. Most don’t

require the weekly spraying with fungicides to combat common rose

diseases like black spot and powdery mildew. Planted in good garden soil

blended with rich compost and given an airy, sunny location, these roses

will reward with showy, repeat flowers.

It is also worth considering some of the more modern roses, such as

Knockout. This hybrid was introduced in 2001, and it has rapidly risen to

become a star in the world or roses. It is compact and tidy, resistant to

powdery mildew and black spot, and blooms a vibrant fire engine red in the

spring, and cherry red in the heat of the summer.

Foliage is dark purple-ish red though spring and summer, and turns burgundy

 in the fall. The flowers are seven-petal singles with a slight tea fragrance.

 

Also, amazingly, Knockout is a ‘self-cleaning’ rose: you don’t have to

‘deadhead’ it (remove spent flowers and seed pods) to get it to re-bloom.

 

On top of all this, the incredible Knockout is believed to have the longest

observed bloom cycle recorded to date for a rose plant. We planted

 Knockouts at the Fergus entrance at Plum Creek in 2003 and they have been

blooming ever since. Knockout has also shown great shade tolerance but can

also stand up to our full sun exposures.

 

If you have ever wanted to grow roses in your garden but have had bad

luck, please do yourself a favor and give these roses a try.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!