Growing tips
Earth-Kind roses so popular because they need little care
No fungicide, no fertilizer, no insecticide. • No kidding — that’s how the Earth-Kind roses are grown at the Whetstone Park of Roses.
The low-maintenance Earth-Kind beauties and many other varieties will take the spotlight Saturday during Stop and Smell the Roses, an allday celebration at the park.
“The Earth-Kind program started with Texas A&M University,” said Stephanie Williams, gardening supervisor at the park in the Clintonville neighborhood.
Roses with the Earth-Kind distinction range from new hits such as Knock Out, a shrub form often with red flowers, to old classics such as New Dawn, a pink climber.
“I think it’s a great way for people to get to know roses that are more diseaseresistant,” she said.
Although roses have a reputation for being temperamental — requiring special fertilizer or industrial-strength anti-fungal spray — those that qualify for the Earth-Kind label thrive with minimal care.
“There is some black spot,” conceded Williams, referring to a fungal disease common in Ohio — but that’s hardly a deal-breaker.
One of Williams’ favorites is an Earth-Kind standout: Mutabilis.
“It changes color through time,” said Williams, explaining that the blooms open yellow, then blend to pink and finally red, producing a breathtaking shrub bearing flowers in a range of hues.
Another Earth-Kind gem, the Fairy, has been the subject of an unofficial trial in my garden for more than a decade. Its exquisite pink flowers belie its tough constitution.
It thrives on neglect; I never fertilize, water or spray. “Pruning” consists of hacking off unwieldy branches when they intrude on a nearby walk.
I’d call it “gardener-kind” as well as Earth-Kind, because it Stephanie Williams of the Whetstone Park of Roses offers these basic tips for growing roses.
Plant in a well-prepared bed with a lot of sunlight. Provide plenty of water. Remove dead flowers to encourage blooming again.
Protect with mulch during winter. For details, two good fact sheets found on www.ohioline.osu.edu are:
“Planting Roses”
“Fertilizing, Pruning and Winterizing Roses” The Columbus Park of Roses Foundation will host its annual spring garden party from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Park of Roses in Whetstone Park, 3923 N. High St. Admission is free, and the event will feature gardening, art, food and music. Visit parkofroses.org for more information. makes me look like an expert for doing absolutely nothing.
Diana Lockwood is a freelance writer covering gardening topics.