Traditionally, rose gardening has not been for the fainthearted, or for those with limited time. Beautiful roses usually go hand-in-hand with the image of a retired green thumb who constantly sprays, waters and prunes. However, between busy work schedules and active family lives, few have time to devote to these demanding plants. According to Bailey Nurseries horticulturist Peggy Anne Montgomery, people are shying away from planting roses for those very reasons. “Our research shows that consumers have a lot of qualms about growing roses because what they remember are their grandmother’s roses.” With standard, hybrid tea roses, she says, “you really have to put some time in.” But what if you could plant roses and walk away, knowing they would flourish on their own? Now, thanks to Easy Elegance Roses, you can.

Roses come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colors and bloom primarily during the summer months. While peak blooming occurs in June, the plants can flower earlier in mild climates. Blooms continue to appear into early fall, with growth stopping at first frost. Whichever varieties you choose for your yard or garden, there are some things you need to know about rose growing, both past and present.

Planting
According to Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Horticultural Manager Leigh Anne Lomax, roses that are grown in containers may be planted from spring through fall, and bare root roses should be planted immediately after purchase. Roses prefer humous-rich soil, says Montgomery. Lomax adds that soil should be moist when you plant, and you may supplement the soil with organic material, such as compost, as needed. When choosing a place to plant your roses, be sure it receives six hours of full sun each day.  Water regularly during the growing season; one inch per week should be sufficient.

Troubleshooting
Roses, especially standard varieties, can be highly prone to disease. Common diseases in the MidSouth area include Blackspot, Circospera Leaf Spot and Powdery Mildew. Aphids and other insects can also plague your roses. The traditional way to fight these nuisances has been to spray plants with various pesticides. However, Montgomery points out that many consumers today do not want harsh chemicals around their children and pets. Easy Elegance Roses, she says, provide an alternative to spraying because they are naturally disease resistant. Internationally renowned rose hybridizer Ping Lim has chosen hearty and disease resistant varieties of wild roses to incorporate into Easy Elegance’s bloodlines. Once the plants are crossed, the team inoculates the roses with common diseases; any that become infected are eliminated from the group. No chemicals are used to help the roses survive. Easy Elegance also tests their roses at 20 sites across the country to see how the varieties respond. The resulting roses are heartier than most and user-friendly for novice gardeners.

Pruning and Winterizing
Preparing roses for the dormant season can be a daunting task. Many rose growers cover their plants or add additional mulch for the winter months. Pruning can be complicated. Montgomery notes that in the past, growers had to prune carefully, making specific cuts, such as cutting “to third outward-facing eye.” At Cheekwood, however, Lomax stops fertilizing roses at the end of the summer, allowing the plants to slow growth and go dormant for the winter without pruning. According to Montgomery, Easy Elegance roses are not coddled during the winter and require only minimal pruning. “I cut mine back about five inches from the ground, and they come back beautifully,” she says. “I even know some people who have mowed over them.”

Varieties
Both Lomax and Montgomery recommend selecting disease-resistant roses. Here are a few Easy Elegance varieties that Montgomery favors for novice rose growers.

• Little Mischief – A compact, everblooming rose with deep pink blooms and white eyes. Aging blooms fade to light pink. Use in border planting or container planting. Two to three feet in height.
• Sunrise Sunset – An everblooming shrub rose with blue-green foliage and fuschia-pink blooms that blend to apricot at the center. Its dense nature and spreading habit make this a wonderful ground cover as well as a candidate for mass plantings.
• Yellow Submarine – Bright, lemon-yellow blooms age to soft yellow and then white. Unlike many yellow varieties, this plant is disease-resistant. Plant in groups with other shrubs and perennials.
• Sweet Fragrance – Tea-shaped buds in coral and orange with yellow bases open into full apricot-colored blossoms. As the name suggests, this variety is quite fragrant. Sturdy canes are perfect for cutting.

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