June is the start of rose season. As the peonies fade, the roses soon fill in those spots in the garden where other flowers have faded. My first rose to bloom is the single red climbing rose around the entrance way to the Findleberry Garden.
Soon to follow is the double yellow rose in my front garden which has such a beautiful fragrance. I love the double white rose too which adds contrast. Sadly I do not know the specific varieties as most of the roses were already in the garden when we moved in. There is one more bicolor rose that my daughter gave me on Mother’s day. It is not as fragrant but I love the two-tone colour. (Redgold Rose (Rosa ‘DiCor’) – a tea rose with yellow petals and pronounced dark orange/red edges).
Roses just seem to thrive in the Okanagan area. Having said that, there are still certain guidelines to follow to keep your roses in healthy condition.
- In the fall, clear away old foliage and clean up dead leaves on ground.
- Keep pruning tools clean and sterile.
- Prune the roses hard in the fall. Cut back to 6 of the best stems. Keep centre open. Cut at an angle just before leaf bud.
- Prune again in early spring to encourage strong growth.
- When first planting a rose, have a good soil base, i.e. soil mixed in with 1/3 compost or manure.
- Roses can be prone to black spot, rust, mildew (particularly in areas with high rainfall). There are products to help prevent this (preferably environmentally friendly ones).
- When buying a rose, try to look out for disease resistant varieties.
- Throughout the blooming season, continuously deadhead to encourage further blooms.
I even enjoy the wild roses as I take a stroll along the pathways in Fintry Provincial park. Let’s not forget the miniature roses too that work great in containers.