A dizzying array of roses
Dear Helen: I want to replace an old rose bush with a new, fairly substantial plant that will give me large flowers, in a colour other than pink or yellow.
D.S. You will find a dizzying array of choices before you, as garden centres respond to an increasing demand for roses. You might start by checking out the Russell Nursery 2018 rose list at russellnursery.com/roses. The nursery is in North Saanich.
Here are a few Hybrid Tea roses that, according to my most reliable references, are highly rated for flower production and bloom beauty. It is best to avoid placing the replacement plant in the exact same spot as the removed one.
Fragrant Cloud is considered one of the all-time great roses. Its large, highly perfumed, coral red flowers begin appearing early in the rose season on vigorous, upright plants. The last time I volunteered to attend the Cowichan Family Life June garden tour I was placed in front of an imposing rose bush with deliciously scented, gorgeous blooms. That rose was Fragrant Cloud.
One potential drawback: This rose can be unpredictable in its resistance to disease. Some gardeners have found it prone to mildew and black spot while the plants in other gardens stay healthy. The Cowichan plant I saw was pristine.
Sunset Celebration (called Warm Wishes in Europe) is a multiple award winning Hybrid Tea with large salmon to apricot blooms on an extremely healthy shrub. The flowers have a fruity fragrance and stand up well to wind and rain.
Ingrid Bergman is considered one of the best dark, velvety reds among the Hybrid Teas, with attractively shaped blooms, excellent for cutting, on healthy plants. Dear Helen: I’ve planted a few pots with tulip and other hardy bulbs. Do I need to shelter them for the winter or can I leave them out in the open?
G.W. They need to be sheltered, not from the cold but from rains that can turn the soil sodden enough to rot the bulbs. I put my planted pots against a protected house wall, under a broad roof overhang. The only care they need over the winter is an occasional light watering to maintain a modest moistness in the soil. Dear Helen: I had some trouble with fruit set on my greenhouse tomatoes in the summer. It did get quite hot in there. This was my first time growing tomatoes in a greenhouse. Is this a common problem?
L.T. Over-heated greenhouses became an issue in the very hot summers of 2015 and 2016. After those two summers, some home gardeners stopped growing tomatoes in greenhouses and used the space instead for plants that revel in high heat, such as sweet potatoes. Tomato flower pollen is sterilized in a temperature range of 32 to 35 C.
To ensure a good harvest of tomatoes in greenhouses during the high heat of summer, ensure cross ventilation with open window and door, and perhaps a fan. Have shade cloth on hand to use temporarily during periods of elevated temperatures.
GARDEN EVENTS
Nanaimo meeting. The Nanaimo Horticultural Society will meet this evening at 7 in the First Unitarian Fellowship Hall, 595 Townsite Rd. Colin Barnard of the Backyard Wildbird & Nature store will speak about attracting birds to your garden. Details at 250-758-6783. Floral art. The Mid Island Floral Art club will meet on Thursday at 2 p.m. in St. Stephens United Church Hall, 150 Village Way in Qualicum Beach. The meeting will feature an Ikebana workshop. Non-member drop-in fee $6. Information at 250-752-1858. HCP workshops. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is offering the following workshops. Register at 250-479-6162. • Fish and Food — Aquaponics, Saturday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For people with no space for growing vegetables, learn about systems for growing food using goldfish water and a container of water. Bring notebook and pencil. Cost is $35. • Plant Identification & Culture. The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich, is offering the next session in this ongoing, monthly course (can be joined at any time) on Saturday, Nov. 18, 1 to 4 p.m. In each session Diane Pierce introduces 25 new plants, with descriptions, preferred growing conditions, landscape uses and maintenance. Cost to HCP members per session is $35, others $45. Cost for 12 sessions: members $350, others $450. To register call 250-479-6162. hcp.ca.