dreaming of roses

[aimeekitty]

a bit foggy today... (I seem to be sicker rather than well-er) The "actual move" looms. Am not packed. Actually important things must be done first...
... but I am dreaming of climbing roses!

I remember from Robin McKinley's Rose Daughter book (A retelling of Beauty and the Beast) the description of the roses climbing all over the house... and a mysterious mutable statue hidden in the middle of the garden... covered in roses!

I'm guessing I'll put climbing rambling roses on the 2 arches on the front porch of my house. (Which is mostly full western sun, I think... zone 9-10, dry) I'd like a pale climbing rose... something that is easy for a beginner to deal with and train (so preferably few thorns, disease resistant, hardy and flexible). Been looking at Eden, Mme Alfred Carriere,Sombreuil, Zephirine Drouhin, Crepuscule, Renae, Blush Noisette, Climbing Pinkie, Cl. Lady Hillingdon, (all are climbers that seem to be ok in my area...) just some very quick research over tea this morning.
I know very little about roses, though! I used to work with my mom in a nursery when I was younger and my mom is an avid gardener, but I haven't had the opportunity to have any plants for years...! I'm looking forward to it. Roses, in general, seem to do ridiculously well in Southern California (repeat blooming most of the year)... so, I'll probably be kindof ok, even though I'm a newb.

.... "Le Vesuve" seems to do really well in my area, too... but it's not a climber. maybe I can throw it in a drift with some lavendar and Mexican Bush Sage. (Am hoping for hummingbirds. <3 have already seen some in the neighborhood this week! )
... then the backyard is more morning sun, so I'll put some sakura back there... and maybe some irises?

~ Rose Garden of mendocino_rose

Comments

[supinternets.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of climbing roses.

[lilusako.livejournal.com]

Climbing roses that we tend to use for our clients include is mostly Sally Holmes(pic 2) and Icebergs (they come in burgundy now!) , but we'll change it up depending on the client and what colors they like/go well with their homes.

My boss has a pink and white Eden training up her arcade. That photo shows you that they can get really top heavy with their flower, but when the flowers bloom and drop their petals, it's like you're being snowed on by roses.

I also looked a little and apparently Abraham Darby also does well as a climbing rose.

I really like Crepuscule and Cl. Lady Hillingdon! Though I think i'm a sucker for orange/salmon colored roses.

Roses really do well out here in Southern California. I dunno where you guys moved to, but it's so amazing when the roses bloom here at work.

Btw, october/november is a good time to stock up and start planting bulbs! there is also a bunch of of other stuff you could plant too... like daffodils... and:
http://lenkindesign.blogspot.com/2009/09/its-california-native-time.html

Also, I have some colorado wildflowers (columbines, indian paint brush, etc). If you're interested let me know - i have no where to plant them and they really should be planted this year.

[ambientfiligree.livejournal.com]

I have a Cecile Brunner climbing rose that I just adore. It's a miniature, but the flowers are beautiful and have a very gentle, pleasant scent. I live in the wilds of Montana, so it should bloom well in a milder climate.

http://www.lotus-eater.org/photos/rose_tree.JPG

[kittytreats.livejournal.com]

You're so lucky to have good climate for that :) Humming birds are so neat to watch. My mom had honeysuckle on our deck and I could watch them up close through the window.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I love how eden looks:
http://www.rose-gardening-made-easy.com/images/IMG_1171.jpg
so pretty! Does it have a nice scent? Do you know much about how hard it is to train, or whether it has thorns?

Frankly, I like thorns, I think they are romantic, but in a climbing rose, which I'll have to train... seems like most people say to avoid thorns if you're a newb, which I would be.

Abraham Darby doesnt seem to be good for my area (It's up to zone 8,... but I'm 9-10 , santa clarita valley)

both Crepuscule and Cl. Lady Hillingdon were rec'd by socal owners as doing really well. I don't know if Cl. Lady Hillingdon has thorns or not...

yeah, I tend to prefer pale pinks or pale apricot colors. <3

I love columbines but have yet to have good luck with them! Let me think about it, ok? that's a really nice thing for you to offer! <3

thanks for chatting about flowers with me <3

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I've always liked Cecile Brunner! I'm a little concerned about getting it for my "first rose" though considering that it gets so big so easily?

I'm not sure if I'd call us "mild" heee. I know what you mean though. The main trouble here for any plants is their drought tolerance and whether they can take the crazy heat of summer here (110 F)

[ambientfiligree.livejournal.com]

Considering we've had a 14 year drought, I'd say it's doing fine! We also have a Peace rosebush in the garden that has somehow survived droughts and below zero temperatures for several years now.

[chartreusekitty.livejournal.com]

Cecil Brunner (sp?) is a hardy, miniature climber that is pale pink. It blooms in lovely clusters and is rather prolific. Get well soon and good luck packing!

[angelsamui.livejournal.com]

This is why I wish I lived somewhere other than Wisconsin. I only get a small patch of time with my garden. But my roses and my irises are my favs. Post many many many photos as they grow!

[gothiclibrarian.livejournal.com]

Zéphirine Drouhin is a gorgeous rose...very fragrant and vibrant.

As an OGR though she doesn't repeat bloom all that well...so if you want long-lasting color/scent, you should probably look for a more modern rose.

Mine is in dire need of retraining...I've been watching a few canes wave by the windows over the last couple days.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I know nothing, what's an OGR? :D

thanks for the tip though, I think for a first try I should probably try something more modern.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

but you have snow and rain and green things! <3

[angelsamui.livejournal.com]

LOL yes, the snow makes my collie very happy

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

Old Garden Rose... I'm just starting out, and I'm already shocked by how different they can be.

Turns out I'm particular about scents! Good thing I planted the "Very Pretty, But" roses farther away from the house. XD

I actually have the EXACT same scheme -- I've settled on Climbing Pinkie, myself. (Thorns may sound romantic, but it's so much nicer to deal with a thornless rose -- and they aren't truly thornless, you'll get a few, just not the viciousness of prickly ones...) This spring I'm going to start planting around my house. I have a Rose of Sharon tree I've pruned back for a few years, and I think it would be lovely if I could get the roses to climb up that and drape over the porch. One day...!

[jezeroth.livejournal.com]

Sombreuil are usually very slow growers and grow on very weak canes. The Roses are huge and beautiful, but if they bloom heavily, they tend to arc the canes down. :|
I really super highly recommend Everblooming Climbing Cecile Brunner. It grows up to 13 feet a season and just EXPLODES all over and from what I understand, does really well in California!
I just ordered all my roses for this season of planting, (including a test panel of four roses for the AARS winner of next year. Sadly, two of them are apparently NOT zone 9a, so they're promptly showing their disgust by rapidly dying no matter what I attempt to do. :( )
But I just received (In terms of Roses) The Fairy, EB Cl. Cecile Brunner x2, have two random to-be-named roses from the AARS panel thing, Climbing Iceberg, and Mr. Lincoln. My wish list has many MANY more, with some Meidiland Roses and also later this year, I'm going to propagate cuttings of all of the ten or eleven roses over at Joshua's house that Char grew.
Oh oh and I also (hesitantly) planted a window potted plant that someone bought me for three dollars from a grocery store of a miniature rose that (as I read on the internet) was basically sold intending to last a week before dying so I planted that in a large planter out back with some mulch and compost that I have been working on and it actually BLOOMED and is looking great!
Also, check out http://www.phillipoliver.net/garden.htm, especially the timeline of what it WAS when they moved in and what it is now. It's just incredible and inspiring! (Although by the writing style, I totally thought it was an older woman and of course it's this ridiculous gay man. Typical.)
Post up your work and plantings as this goes, I'd love to read more on how you go with this. Jez <3's Roses too. Super romantic!

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

YAAAY JEZ! (this me imaginarily clasping hands with you.)

"I was reading everything I could about gardening and was already planning the garden in my mind before we actually moved in. " - from the page you linked.

HEEE.
Did you know my back yard is a huge pile of DUST? my progress photos should be interesting. <3
(the front yard is some bark, a very small patch of grass and 2 spindly trees they put in, that I will probably soon remove.)

http://rosenotes.typepad.com/rose_notes/2009/04/rose-of-the-week-cecile-brunner.html
CB looks gorgeous! look how she used it!

But the thorns and once blooming... ?

I'm thinking more and more that Renae might be my Cecile Brunner, seems to grow fast, no thorns, everyone says it's easy., etc.
http://rosenotes.typepad.com/rose_notes/2009/07/rose-of-the-week-renae.html
http://www.cymcity.com/gardens/adams_croghan09.jpg
http://www.cymcity.com/gardens/adams_croghan10.jpg

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

also,... iceberg is so pretty!
I want to see photos of your roses! Thanks for the site link, I'll read and enjoy it. <3 His site makes me nostalgic as his climate is very Charleston, as are the combo of roses and camelias. I love his pergola!! (WANNNNT) I but suppose I can't have everything at once. <3

I really want some type of thing like that attached to the back of the house with wisteria all over it. D:

[jezeroth.livejournal.com]

YAY! <3 <3

My backyard is about the same, nothing but dust and dirt, with many old stubs of once-been beautiful roses, which makes me SAD. The front yard is a sea of rocks, which is going away come Spring when I have a picket fence and grass put down.
How big is your property? Mine is about 6000 square feet, and my house sits somewhat in the back right-hand corner of it all. I own all the property between the two houses and I also live right on a CORNER so it's neat having a corner fence with a sidewalk that will have people walking by. You know I just want to put up a picket fence around the whole front yard and let roses ramble and take them over.

And my Cecile Brunner is a rare hybridization that is ever-blooming so it should be going crazy almost all year. Our winter is short and mild, so with the exception of some strong wind now and again, it shouldn't be too bad and the blooming season should be exceptional. I'm planting all of my stuff NOW to get everything established over the next month so it takes off come Spring.

I was thinking of making a gardening/home blog myself about the fluff that no one else really wants to read since most people just want to read about the (nowadays RARE) costume stuff I'm working on.

[jezeroth.livejournal.com]

I love Iceberg! It has virtually no scent, but if the bush in front of Joshua's is any indication, it just EXPLODES here in Vegas!
And yeah, his pergola is awesome. I love how he nagged his partner into putting it up. XD

And me, too. I have this old dilapidated tree growing in the back that I might cover with wisteria. I've been thinking about it...

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

it's funny you should say sea of rocks, I kinda want to make a river of rocks in my front yard for some xeri-shaping. XD

... but maybe you can make up a tale of the dead roses! like the rose cottage! (you should read Rose Daughter, I think you'd enjoy it. the author was learning about roses as she wrote it.) and then there's always the dead garden in the Secret Garden!
which makes you of course, the hero of the story who brings the garden back to life!

oh your yard sounds so pretty though! The fence! how wonderful!

I'm hoping that I can decide pretty soon. My mom was saying now is a good time to plant, too. and our winter isn't too scary, so it shouldnt hurt them.

I think a separate blog is a good idea! but you have to make it so that it can be followed (syndicated) on LJ. (like this one: http://syndicated.livejournal.com/btssb_blog/profile ) or make a separate LJ... it's hard for me to keep up on all these non lj blogs.

but you'll get new friends perhaps who want to read about your garden adventure. :D

oh as to size of ours, honestly, I'm not sure! It's not one of those tiny CA postage stamps, but it's not huge either. The front could handle one or two trees perhaps, so pretty small. the back, larger... haaa, I'll have to ask my husband. I dunno how big it is. :)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I LOOOOVE wisteria. apparently there's this ridiculously huge one around here somewhere.... ("now the largest blossoming plant in the world, Sierra Madre's 250-ton wistaria vine") and then there's a friggin huge one in Japan, too.
anyway, love them. XD

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

my new crush:
http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/rose-310.html

[lindze.livejournal.com]

ok i love you even more now, knowing that you like Robin McKineley's Beauty and the beast books! I like her book "Beauty" a bit better, and its so funny to see how CLEARLY Disney ripped it off for their B&tB movie. (hello bookworm?) its like one of my ALL TIME TOP 5 FAVES!!! <3<3

ps i got my cookies yesterday!! Thank you so much!! You are so awesome, your note was so sweet and personal....really, it meant so much to me! thank you so much, Aimee!!! (and they are yummy!)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

yeah I like Beauty better, too! But Rose Daughter, of course, is more about ROSES. XD
I never get tired of those two books,... they always make me feel good. :)

YAY glad you got them and they don't suck! :D

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

i actually work at a nursery (granted.. it's in Kansas.. but my bosses are super smart!) I know the Crepuscule do great in a LA/San Diego area climate. I was doing some research myself, for eventually when i move out I will have roses too. :)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

thanks! I think Eden is my favorite right now, but Crepuscule is my 2nd choice. :D

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

:D

Let me know if you need any specifics. I can always ask. My boss is a really nice guy and knows more about plants than I think anyone else :)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering what roses might look pretty (shrub roses) below or in front of Eden if I use it as the climber. I have room for probably 3 medium shrub roses, but not room for something huge. (ie if it gets to 6 ft tall, that would be too big.) I want to plant some sage near it.
If you're busy, no big deal,... but I have to ask! :D

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

http://gardensofpetersonville.blogspot.com/2009/04/amber-carpet-rose.html

Carpet roses. I would have said Knockout roses, but ours outside our place are almost that tall. Though if they'd be pruned regularly they wouldn't be so that's another possibility. But Carpet Roses are really pretty. As are Wingdings. :D