Plenty of plants have been putting on fantastic displays of color for us this
spring – as we all breathe a sigh of relief at the passing of the drought. And
surely some of the most dramatic have come from our trusty old friends -
the antique and old-fashioned roses.  

They’re tough, resilient, beautiful, and every gardener should have at least
a couple of them in their landscapes. As you drive around Buda and Kyle,
look around and you’ll see what I mean. Here are some that I have noticed
recently.  

A beautiful Lady Banksia rose is on display over on Elliott Ranch Road. This
rose has been planted along the fence line, at the road in front of the property,
and  I bet it hasn’t been watered by human hands for years.

It is a thorn-less evergreen, cultivated in China for hundreds of years before being
introduced into Europe in the early 1800s. She blooms in massive clusters of
yellow double and semi-double flowers with a faint scent of violets.

At the entry to Elm Grove Elementary school are two spectacular examples of
Mutabilis roses. This shrub rose variety has been in the southern states since
the 1860s.

 

What’s unique about this China rose is that the petals darken with age…

instead of just fading. The flowers open sulfur-yellow then turn to orange
then light pink to dark pink and end in crimson.

The flowers consist of five-petaled singles that sometimes resemble butterflies…
 hence the common name, the Butterfly Rose. An additional attraction is
the dark burgundy-bronze new growth foliage.

We mustn’t overlook some of the modern roses that have taken up the traits
of the tried and true antiques. At Sue Ellen’s in downtown Buda there’s a
beautiful display of  Knock Out roses. They come in a variety of colors
and in single and double flower forms. In fact these Knock Outs are showing
up everywhere. Look  for some nice displays of them  at the South Park
Meadows Shopping Center
.

Also in Buda, near Raby’s Roost, you see a flourishing Belinda’s Dream that
seems to just grow out of the concrete. This hardy modern rose has huge clusters
of rich, pink flowers that smell wonderful. Just think of the car fumes she has
to inhale each day. Doesn’t seem to bother her!

Happy Gardening Everyone!  

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Poultry Notes: Marge Wood, a friend of the nursery,  responded to  last
week's article on chickens with some memories of her own... growing up
in Long Island: