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This is an account of planting roses in my yard from the beginning. Each month there will be another installment of the work
done and the condition of the plants.
Wide Open Spaces
There isn't much to stop the wind at my house in Hillsdale. I've planted some things which act as windbreaks and are in
the process of installing a picket fence which will be forty two inches tall around the perimeter of the yard. To the west
are rows of windbreak plants: hackberry trees, Siberian elms, currant bushes and blackberry vines. Nothing is especially tall
at this point; the currant bushes are a good size after two years, about four feet tall. They did well in dropping snow behind
them right on the bed where most of the roses will be planted. The planting site gets sun all day long as well, which will
benefit the roses in better establishment of roots and stems through a long period of photosynthesis each day. The bed is
sloped to the east very gently, which will allow cold air to spill away from the plants. It will also warm quickly in the
morning, which will help protect against frost damage.
To the west of the house a small hill rises; the rows of windbreak plants are arrayed along the slope. Eventually there
will be a good barrier against the harsh west and northwest winds. The planting site is well below the crown of the hill to
the west. To the north the land is lower than the yard and north winds barrel through. There is a row of currant bushes and
the picket fence will be installed behind them, setting up a double layer of insulation from the wind. The low location also
collects moisture which is helpful when planting roses.
The Land Itself
The lot was a dry-land wheat field. It was bare dirt when we purchased it in 2002 and has since sprouted an amazing amount
of weeds, native wildflowers and grasses, some annual, some not. I've claimed an area around the house to be designated as
yard; and it is there I will concentrate my plantings. I staked out the perimeter and put down bark everywhere to hold down
the weeds and conserve moisture as I gradually plant flower beds and shrubs.
Soil composition is a mixture of sand and some clay, with a lot of granite rock and sediment particles characteristic
of a long ago sea bottom. In some places are pockets of solid clay but not in this particular bed. The soil is sandy and drains
well. It is mostly a light brown in color, except for pockets of clay which are light gray. Light colors usually indicate
a lack of organic material and this soil is no exception. Long term renewal will require organic matter be added into the
soil yearly as the roses grow and use up the nutrients provided for them.
Which Roses?
Roses were selected for both beauty and hardiness. It has been a dream of mine to plant roses which existed in ancient
times. I also chose roses which were low, medium and tall in habit. One supplier is in New Mexico; another is in Oregon. The
roses will arrive in mid May.
Apothecary Rose
Gallica. Single flower, deep pink. Strong fragrance, single bloom period.
Gloire d'Guilan
Damask. Light pink blooms, strong fragrance, single bloom period.
Great Maiden's Blush
Alba. Blush white double blooms are very double and quite fragrant. Single bloom period.
Henri Martin
Moss. Single bloom period with dark red double flowers, well scented.
John Cabot
Medium-sized double-deep fuchsia-pink flowers highlight this big climber. Repeat bloomer.
Nearly Wild
Broad-spreading growth habit. Blooms all summer with fragrant single pink, white-eyed flowers.
Rosa hugonis
Species. Profuse spring display of single sulfur-yellow flowers and excellent red fall foliage.
Sea Foam
Ground cover. Light scent, white double flowers blooms recurrently. Glossy deep green foliage.
Shailer's Provence
Centifolia. Pink very double blossom, very fragrant. Single bloom period.
Stanwell Perpetual
Spinosissima hybrid. Pink/white flowers with great fragrance and small grey/green foliage.
The sources are Rogue Valley Roses in Oregon and High Country Roses in New Mexico. The nurseries will ship the roses in
bands of soil. I asked for them to arrive after Mother's Day, which is May 13.
I already have three species roses in the ground: R. spinossima, R. setegera and R. virginiana. R. virginiana is scattered
throughout the yard in several locations. A single plant each of R. setegera and R spinossima are located to the east of the
bed where the new roses will be planted. All are budding out early this year due to the truly spring-like conditions we have
been experiencing.
Prepping the Ground
Now that the snow has finally melted off, I'm working to enrich the bed where the roses will be planted. It is the northwest
corner of the back yard, with a gentle slope from west to east. There were five iris planted at one end, which were removed
to make more room for the roses. Yes, it is the wrong time of year to remove iris, as they will not bloom after being relocated.
But they will grow and establish themselves in their new locations.
The currants and iris have done well, but they do not require acidic soil the way roses do. Yarrow lines the walkway;
it too does not require any special treatment to grow.
March 21 - I put down rotted manure and watered it regularly to help break it down further. I applied grass fertilizer
which is straight nitrogen to help the breakdown process. I don't recommend grass fertilizer which has weed killer in it;
it might affect the roses. There is bark all over the soil, which has been on the ground for two years, slowly breaking down
and adding organic matter to the soil. I purchased gallon containers of Revive soil treatment and made up a batch in my water
tank which was used to water over the entire bed, soaking the ground.
I notice the evidence of critters; raised furrows indicated a burrowing animal checking out my flower beds. The roses
don't arrive until May; I have that long to capture or kill the intruder to protect my plants.
March 23-24 saw a slow, soaking rain for over 24 hours. That is the best kind for our soil. Rainwater is naturally acidic
and when accompanied by lightning, contains nitrogen as well.
I haven't turned the soil at this time because winds are still strong and I don't want to lose any more than necessary.
I went out and raked the manure around after the rain to help mash it into the ground.
There are two large piles of manure I garnered last winter. While it was really cold I didn't turn them or anything. Now
I'll sprinkle the nitrogen fertilizer over the piles and water and turn it to help break it down more. Come May, it should
be ready to add to the planting hole.
March 29 the weather turned and a cold front brought freezing temperatures and snow. This is the bane of gardeners in
Wyoming – plants break dormancy only to be damaged by hard frost. More damage is done this time of year than all
through the winter. I can only wait until it breaks to assess the damage. The roses I have are all species and while the canes
can be damaged by the frost, they tend to recover more readily.
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