The adventuresome gardener might wish to explore the extensive world of species roses, which are plants that occur in nature, without help from humans. Depending on who is counting there are 100 species or more than 360 species. These are the true wildflowers of the rose genus, always with five petals in white, pink or red blossoms. They occur in diverse scents, foliage, hips, and autumn colors. They are valued in naturalistic planting schemes and for the minimal pruning requirements. They bloom on new wood, so they can be cut back after flowering.<\/p>\n
The species rose most likely found in a garden center is Rosa rugosa, also known as the Japanese Rose. (\u201crugosa\u201d means \u201cwrinkled,\u201d referring to the plant\u2019s corrugated leaves). Rosa rugosas\u00a0are also available in various cultivars and hybridized with other species.<\/p>\n
My garden includes two species roses:<\/p>\n
Rosa californica is a fine addition in several ways to my native California bed, but it tends to spread through underground runners and develop a thicket.<\/p>\n
Rosa mulligani, a rambler that grows vigorously and produces twenty-foot branches and spectacular one-time summer displays of white flowers.<\/p>\n
![\"Rosa](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ongardening.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Rosa-Mulligani.jpg?resize=584%2C498\")
<\/a>Rosa Mulligani<\/p><\/div>\n
To explore the world of roses, visit these websites:<\/p>\n
Wikipedia\/Roses<\/a><\/p>\n Weeks Roses<\/a><\/p>\n American Meadows<\/a><\/p>\n Heirloom Roses<\/a><\/p>\n David Austin<\/a><\/p>\n Joe Truskot<\/a><\/p>\n Roses of Yesterday and Today\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The months of January and February are the best time to prune roses, according to Joe Truskot. Now is a good time to refresh your knowledge of this annual task, inventory your roses, sharpen your tools, and schedule your pruning session. You might also attend Monterey Bay Rose Society\u2019s hands-on Pruning Clinic at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 10:00 to 12:00 on January 13th<\/sup> and 14th<\/sup>, 2018. Local rose experts will volunteer their practical experience with best practices in this process, which can add significantly to bloom production during the coming season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Rose season is upon us! New plants have arrived at most garden centers, and this is the right time to decide if your garden would benefit from the addition of a rose. The array of available varieties can be overwhelming, … Continue reading