White Roses on Wednesday

I am overwhelmed with garden work and wedding preparations lately.  Instead of applying myself to my never-ending To Do list, I find myself wandering in the garden with my camera in hand, to see what new things I can find to photograph.  Yesterday, the white roses were especially beautiful.

This is Alba Meideland, a climber with huge clusters of small white flowers and bulletproof foliage.

Madame Plantier is one of my best white roses.  She blooms once in late spring ... but WHAT a bloom she has!

Glenn Dale is a graceful rambler with these beautiful, delicate flowers.  It is exceptionally rare, and I am thrilled to have it in the garden here.

White Pet is another superstar.  It's a compact bush with dark green foliage, and it's preparing to burst  with hundreds of buds in upright clusters.

Puerto Rico is a rose that doesn't mind hot summers.

I was in the greenhouse when I took this photo of a flower on Little Eskimo.

Here's a second shot, with a pencil eraser for perspective, to show you just now tiny this flower is.  Man, I love miniatures!!

With the current state of part of some of my gardens, a post about white flowers wouldn't be complete without a view of one of the weeds that's putting on a show right now.  I don't know its name, but it sure is photogenic.

This morning will be spent in the greenhouse, planting a ton of cuttings that have arrived in the mail in the past few days.  After I finish with this, I have a list of wedding details to attend to.

I hope your day is a pleasant one!

I'm going to share this post with the folks at Faded Charm for this week's White Wednesday.

Fall is Here!!! It's time for some fall rose-related events.

The arrival of crisp fall weather in the mornings has me all energized to get things accomplished.  One of the things I had to do today was my monthly newsletter which, unfortunately, kept me inside tied to this computer for a couple of hours ... instead of outside enjoying the sunshine and cool temps. 

'Swan Lake'

Climber

Newsletters are necessary, and I enjoy the exercise in organization that producing the newsletter represents.  For this month, all of the topics relate to various events and activities that I want my rose friends to know about.  In case some of you are not on my mailing list, I'll reprint my newsletter here today as a blog post, so my blog friends can see what I'll be up to for the next few weeks.

"Darlow's Enigma"

Hybrid Musk

News from Hartwood Roses
September 2010

With the arrival of cooler Fall weather, and football season, it is time to begin the end-of-season Clearance sale. All roses are now priced at $10, for as long as they last … first come, first served. This is the final mark-down of the season ... don’t sit around waiting for lower prices, because there won’t be any. Order online for best selection. We accept credit cards via PayPal or a mailed check, or choose the on-site pick-up option if you’re local. In time since the announcement of this sale went live on the web site yesterday afternoon, we have already sold out of ten varieties!

The roses and I are going on the road to the Fall Plant Sale at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond this weekend, Friday and Saturday, September 17 and 18. I always have such a great time at this sale … meeting all the gardeners and talking roses non-stop for two days. If you’re in the Richmond area, you can order your roses ahead of time and come to the plant sale to pick them up. While you’re there, take advantage of the wonderful assortment of other vendors selling herbs, perennials, shrubs, and other great garden stuff to go along with your roses. I’m always attracted to the hostas for the shady parts of my garden.

Now that summer is behind us, and our thoughts turn from hiding in the air conditioning to working outdoors in the crisp fall air, I’ll finish out the season by reopening the nursery and garden for select Saturdays in September and October. Working around other commitments, the schedule is: September 25, October 9, and October 16, from 10am to 3pm. The fall flush of bloom is already getting started, and I expect there will be plenty of flowers to see and smell well into October.

Finally, please mark your calendar and plan to join us on Sunday, October 10 at 11am, as we gather here for the organizational meeting for the new Old Dominion chapter of the Heritage Roses Group! The first sentence on HRG web site beautifully states why I am forming this new chapter, and why this organization fits so perfectly with what I am already doing here at Hartwood Roses. “The Heritage Roses Group, formed in 1975, as a fellowship of those who care about Old Garden Roses, Species Roses, Old or Unusual Roses - particularly those roses introduced into commerce prior to the year 1867. Its purposes are to preserve, enjoy, and share knowledge about the Old Roses. “ Our special guest for this gathering will be Dennis Whetzel, nursery manager at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dennis is a quiet force in the world of old roses, and he has generously offered to share some of his knowledge with all of us here in the garden. To learn more about the Heritage Roses Group, please visit the web site: (http://www.theheritagerosesgroup.org/) If you are interested in attending, please send me an email to reserve your spot.

As the season winds down, I must take a minute to thank each of you for your support and encouragement. Without you, Hartwood Roses would not exist. If you have gardening friends you think may be interested, feel free to spread the word and forward this newsletter to them.

Sincerely,
Connie

Hartwood Roses
335 Hartwood Road
Fredericksburg, VA 22406
Email: Connie@hartwoodroses.com
Web site: www.hartwoodroses.com
Blog: www.hartwoodroses.blogspot.com


If you would like to be added to my mailing list, to receive advance notice of sale, specials, and events, please send an email to the address above. 

'Lady Moss'

Floribunda

I'm heading out to the garden now.  I have to get ready for the plant sale this weekend ... there's LOTS to do.

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog.)

White Roses (at Tufton) on Wednesday.

I'm sorry to have been away from here for a few days longer than usual.  I have spent the time frantically preparing the gardens and the nursery for the opening this weekend.  With visitors arriving on Saturday morning, it feels like there is so much left to do.  I want everything to look its best, and I'm working very hard (harder than usual) to put things in order. 

Let's take a break, you and me, and enjoy some of the roses from the beautiful garden at Tufton Farm last weekend.  It's Wednesday, so let's do the white ones.

This rose, in the Leonie Bell Noisette Garden, is labeled "Hollywood Pink Cluster".  I loved the little pink buds that open into clusters of soft white flowers.

Here is another rose from the Bell Garden ... Nastarana.

Rosa moschata was once thought to be extinct.  It was rediscovered by chance, and it is prominently placed in the garden at Tufton.  

Finally, let's follow up on the mystery roses I introduced you to last Wednesday.  I took pieces of my roses to compare to Tufton's Baltimore Belle.  Immediately, I knew that my rose is not THE Baltimore Belle. 

This is my rose:

and here is the beautiful, white Baltimore Belle:

Since I now know that I have two identical giant roses on my Rose Field fence, I think I have to remove one of them after the flowers are finished.  This will free up space for a rose that's coming to me from a rose friend in Montana ... it should get here tomorrow or Thursday.  I'm so excited!

The rose formerly known thought to be Baltimore Belle will now be listed on my web site as "Pink Baltimore Belle".  It's okay if we never know its true identity ... this rose will take its place among all of the other found roses that live here.

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog)

White Wednesday Roses!!

My favorite day-of-the-week feature is back!!  I love white roses, and blogging about white roses is almost as good as seeing them in the garden.

For my first White Wednesday of the season, let's make one more stop in Lynchburg, to see some of the white roses that grow in the Old City Cemetery.

Aglaia, Hyb. Multiflora, 1896.

Technically, Aglaia is pale yellow (it's also known as Yellow Rambler).  The flowers start yellow, and they quickly fade to a beautiful ivory white.  I have been searching for this rose for two years, and no one had it for sale.  The lovely ladies at the Rose Festival last Saturday knew how much I wanted it, and they set the last one aside for me.  Now I just have to decide where to put it.

Sir Thomas Lipton, Hyb. Rugosa, 1900.

I love this rose!  It was one of the very first ones I bought for the garden, when I started buying roses in 2002.  The poor thing lived in a pot until two years ago.  It has settled into its anchor position on the row of rugosas in the Rose Field, and it's blooming its head off right now.  The American Rose Society, however, does not love this rose ... saddling it with a pitiful rating that it doesn't deserve.

Blanc Double de Coubert, Hyb. Rugosa, 1893.

I don't grow this rose ... yet. Hybrid Rugosas are so carefree, and this one is wonderful.  I will be adding this to my collection if the VERY near future.

Frau Karl Druschki, Hyb. Perpetual, 1901.

In old rose books, Frau Karl Druschki is mentioned as one of the very best white roses EVER.  Her only flaw is that she has no fragrance ... which I can overlook, because she is so beautiful.

Fortuniana, Hyb. Banksia, 1840.

Fortuniana is a lovely almost-evergreen climber, that covers itself with clusters of delicate, papery flowers every spring.  Our friends in Florida are probably most familiar with this rose as a root stock.  It is fragrant, and worth garden space on its own merits.

Madame Plantier, Hybrid Alba, 1835.

Madame Plantier may be one of the most perfect white roses.  Light green foliage, trailing/mounding habit, fragrance, and THORNLESS.  Who doesn't love a pure white rose with that cute little green pip in the center?

Sombruiel, Large-flowered climber, c. 1950's

This rose was once thought to be a climbing Tea from the 1880's, but it isn't.  It's also been called Colonial White ... having a rose with two names confuses everyone.  (There is a climbing tea known as Mlle de Sombruiel, also known as La Biche, which makes this really confused.)  Whatever it is, this rose is fragrant and vigorous, and a great addition to one of the pillars on my Arcade.

Silver Moon, Rambler, 1910.

I'll wrap it up this week with one of my favorites, Silver Moon.  It is a product of one of my favorite hybridizers (Dr. Walter Van Fleet) and I grow it in a prominent spot at the end of the Rambler Fence.  The ones at the Cemetery are in full bloom, and mine is just now getting started. 

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If you're local, and you want to come visit the roses in full bloom, I'm opening the garden this Sunday (May 16) from noon to 4:00.  The roses are early this year, and I'm afraid that many will be finished if I wait till the nursery opens on May 29.

The front Hybrid Tea beds, as seen from the front porch.

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog.)

White Roses on Wednesday

I  am sorry to have to tell you this ... are you sitting down?  These are the last of my white flowers photographs.  I searched all of my photo folders, and there's no more.  One last dozen ...

Paul's Himalayan Musk Rambler.  I saw photos of this once-blooming rose cascading from trees, and I fell in love.  Here, I have it planted at the base of a wild cherry tree beside the driveway, and it's happily scrambling toward the top.

Rosa Macrantha.  You know how much I love singles and stamens.  Isn't this beautiful?

Moonlight ... I have shown this rose before.  It's so photogenic.

Madame Plantier.  Pure white flowers, pale green leaves, nearly thornless canes and stems, good disease resistance ... this Alba hybrid rose is practically perfect.  Give her space, because she can become a big girl.

Dagmar Spaeth is a lovely smaller floribunda.  Sometimes her white flowers will have a small red stripe or two.

Secret Garden Noisette, found rose.  This class of rose was very popular in the early/mid 1800's ... and there have been many unidentified Noisettes discovered in abandoned sites over the years.  This one was found in the same garden as the more-well-known rose, Secret Garden Musk Climber.

Haywood Hall, another found rose.  I grow this one on a rebar tripod in my front border ... it blooms like crazy and smells wonderful.

White Killarney ... a color sport of Killarney, the famous pink hybrid tea rose from 1898.  I love the form of these early hybrid teas.

I think I might have used this photo of Leda in a Friday Flowers post a few weeks ago ... I love it so much, I'll use it here, too. 

Souvenir de la Maimaisson isn't really white.  The flowers bleach out a bit in the hot sun, and this photo made it look almost white.  SDLM, as it's abbreviated, doesn't like cool, damp weather ... but it's a fabulous rose in the heat of July, when many other roses are suffering.

I forgot to take a photo of the label for this rose, and I have no idea which one it is.

Our final white rose is Silver Moon.  Pure white flowers (which I love), simple single form (swoon) and look at those stamens.

I was thinking ... if I had been on the ball earlier this week, I would have gone out to the garden while we had snow and taken White Wednesday snow pictures.  Winter is just beginning, so I'll make a note to do that the next time we have snow.  (wink wink)

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog)

White Roses on Wednesday

It's Wednesday, and the weather is gray and chilly here in Hartwood.  Let's brighten things up a bit with some white roses from the garden this summer.

Darlow's Enigma is an unknown rose, possibly a Hybrid Musk, discovered in Eugene, Oregon, by Mike Darlow.  It is very fragrant.

Mary Lovett is one of the Hybrid Wichuriana ramblers bred by Walter Van Fleet in 1915, and named for three Lovett sisters.  Mary, and her sister rose Alida, grow here on my Van Fleet fence.  I have a dark pink mystery rose that I am evaluating to see if it may be their lost sister Bess.

Rosa Moschata, the musk rose, was once thought to be extinct.  It was rediscovered in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery, where it still grows today.  Though it is technically a once-bloomer, it starts to bloom in July (later than almost all other roses in the garden) and finishes in October ... and its scent is wonderful.

Ivory Triumph is a rare floribunda from 1961.

Baby Alberic looks just like a dwarf form of the famous rambler Alberic Barbier.  It is small, and round, with beautiful shiny foliage and creamy white flowers.

British Queen is a lovely old hybrid tea from 1912.

Out of Yesteryear, Hybrid Bracteata, 1989 ... nice shrub with snow-white flowers.

Unidentified Alba rose in the Doswell Plot in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery.

Sir Thomas Lipton, a beautiful white Hybrid Rugosa bred by Dr. Van Fleet in 1900, is completely undeserving of its miserable ARS rating of 5.5.  It's fabulous in the garden here.  This is a clear example of what a mistake it is to use the ARS ratings to help you choose your roses.

Moonlight.  Beautiful, photogenic, white Hybrid Musk.  'Nuff said.

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog)