The Rose Garden is one of the many gardens and habitats you can see along our walking trails here at Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary. One of our three enclosed gardens, the rose garden was implemented over a two-year time span between 1997 and 1998. Since that time the roses have matured, some have died, and new varieties as well as architectural elements have been added.

The garden is located at the site of the former residence of a long-time employee and friend of Mr. Norcross, Robert Begg. To pay homage to him as well as acknowledge the historical significance of its location, the garden is aptly named: The Robert Begg Memorial Rose Garden.

As this is not a native habitat, the decision to incorporate as many varieties as possible of the many types of roses came easily. In a relatively small garden, you will find at least one representative of each of the types of Old and New garden variety roses (so long as they have/will survive).

Whenever possible, links to more information and images of the roses here at Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary have been provided. All images of the roses and garden were taken in our garden. Finally, some practical information has been added to enhance or encourage you and your roses. While roses are notorious for being fussy, it is best to think of them as any other plant: right plant, right place. Find the rose that is best suited for your conditions and…the rose by that name couldn’t smell or be any sweeter!

SPECIES AND KIN:

The original old roses, species roses are wild roses that have been given names. Hybridizers use these roses for root stalks when developing new varieties due to their hardiness and disease resistance.

ALBA:
This is an old rose group with Rosa canina as one parent and either Rosa gallica or Rosa damascena as the other parent. Alba roses are the tallest of the old garden varieties. These are a hardy bunch of roses with attractive foliage, often with bluish-green tones. These varieties bloom only once a year, and tend to stay in the white to pink shades.  They make up for their short bloom time with their sweet fragrance.

CENTIFOLIA:
The Dutch made Centifolia roses famous.  Centifolia, when translated, means 100 petals. Centifolia roses are a hybrid of a number of species. These roses have an open habit, are fragrant, and once blooming. Their blooms are large and often referred to as "Cabbage Roses".  These blooms were popular amongst the Dutch for beautiful still life's landscape paintings. 

DAMASK:
Damask’s are hybrids of Rosa phoenicea and Rosa gallica. Old garden roses descended from gallicas. Damask’s are used for attar due to their wonderful fragrance. Romans cultivated this rose. Monasteries grew damasks for medicinal reasons, as well as for potpourri. They bloom, for the most part, in double flowers ranging in color from white to crimson.

GALLICA:
Considered the oldest of the cultivated roses, it can be traced back to ancient Crete. Gallica roses are extremely hardy and tolerate a wide range of conditions. They bloom once a year on old wood. Colors are usually crimson, purple and mauve. These roses are quite shade tolerant. They have a suckering growth.

MOSS:
Moss roses are a mutation of centifolias first seen in Carcassone, France in 1646. Victorians made this rose popular between 1850 and 1870. What sets this group apart from the centifolias is the mossy growth on the buds and stems. Most Moss roses are once blooming.

BOURBONS:
Originally from the Isle de Bourbon, these roses date back to the beginning of the 1800’s. It is believed they are a cross of Autumn Damask and Rosa chinensis (some have said bourbons originated with a cross of Quarte Saisons and the China Old Blush). Most bourbons are repeat bloomers. All have double, cupped flowers and can be trained as low climbers.

RUGOSAS:
Although they are considered by many to be native to North America, Rugosas are in fact native to Japan and western Asia. Rugosa roses are very hardy, vigorous growers. They have crinkly foliage on thorny stems with single open, fragrant flowers. The flowers are recurrent and produce showy red hips in the fall. This group of roses thrives in intolerant conditions.

TEAS: 
A group of roses distinguished first and foremost for thier fragrance.  Teas are also known for having elegant form and delicate colors.  Acute on the senses, these China natives also require a great deal of attention to keep them performing at such an intensity.  Serveral hundred varieties have been cataloged since their classification in the late 1700's.  

CLIMBERS:
Long-caned roses are roses from many backgrounds. Hardiness is the key for climbers to perform well.

DAVID AUSTIN ENGLISH:
These roses act as the bridge between old and modern roses. Named after its breeder, David Austin English, these hybrids have the fragrance; form and charm of the old garden roses but have the repeat bloom of the modern roses. Unfortunately, they have also inherited the tenderness of the modern garden roses. It is advisable to cover these roses.

EXPLORER SERIES:
Agriculture Canada has developed a number of roses over the years. This group of roses offers a wide variety of shrub and climbing roses that are winter hardy and disease resistant.

FLORIBUNDA:
A Dane by the name of Paulsen created the first floribunda. Floribundas are a result of the early Polypompons and Dwarf Polyanthas, crossed with Hybrid teas. Abundant clusters of blooms on short shrubs. They make nice borders and hedges.

HYBRID TEA:
Introduced in 1867, these mark the start of modern roses. Long stemmed double blossoms are found on upright shrubs. Hybrid teas have a huge range of colors from white to nearly black. These roses are great for cutting.

LONG CANE:
This is a type of rose that fits into many categories or other rose types so a particular rose grower clumped them together. These roses can be considered climbers, groundcovers, ramblers or pillar roses. Overall, most are good for hybridizing.

MINIATURES:
In 1922 Major Roulet found a number of cute pink roses with blooms less than half an inch in diameter growing on window ledges of Swiss cottages. Since the introduction of the first miniature rose, Rouletti, hundreds of varieties have been created. Miniatures are winter hardy and easy to grow in containers, as borders, and in mass plantings. They bloom from late spring through the fall.

POLYANTHA:
The first polyantha was developed in 1875 using Rosa multiflora and an unknown china rose. These roses are small, hardy, and healthy. Miniature roses and Patio roses are believed to be descendants of the polyanthas.

SHRUB:
This group of roses is like a potluck supper, a little of this and a little of that. Parentage, hardiness, and characteristics of these roses are not similar enough to put them into an existing classification and the characteristics of these roses differ enough from each other that they are left with this ambiguous grouping. Most are fairly hardy and have recurrent bloom.

 PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ROSES

All roses were planted according to these specifications except where indicated.

1) Dig hole 2 ft. deep and 1.5 ft. wide. Add 20 lbs. humus to soil and mix well.

2) Replace enough amended soil to planting hole to form a cone-shaped mound, which allows the rose to sit at the correct height for planting. For grafted roses, plant so that the graft union is at or just below soil level; for own-root roses the union should be 1 inch below soil level.

3) Trim off any dead or broken roots and prune back top growth to 6 inches or less to an outward-facing bud if possible. Place the rose on the cone and spread the roots out around the cone in the direction of their natural growth.

4) Fill the hole in with soil 3/4 full, then add 2-3 gallons of water. Let it drain completely and finish filling with soil. Make a moat around the plant and water again.

5) Mound soil over the canes so they are covered almost completely but leave the tips showing. This should be left in place for 1-2 weeks while the rose acclimates to the outdoor climate and the buds begin to break. Once this happens, gradually rinse or brush off the soil over a week's time.

6) After Planting Care: Do not add fertilizer and don’t prune except to shape the plants until after the first period of bloom. Newly planted roses also must be watered with 1-2 gallons per plant every 3-4 days until they’re established.

CARE OF ESTABLISHED ROSES

Pruning-- General Rules

All cuts should be made at a 45 degree angle about 1/4 inch above an outward-facing bud. This creates an open center for better air circulation and fewer disease problems and gives a nice shape to the plant. The amount you prune out depends on the ultimate plant size you're looking for, whether you're rejuvenating the plant, or whether you want large blooms. With many varieties, pruning isn't critical and there is a lot of room for error.

Modern roses (hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras) require heavy pruning in the early spring.

Climbers and ramblers require a heavy pruning after the first bloom in June because they bloom on last year’s wood.

Old and species roses (blooming on last year’s wood), which are non-recurrent, should be pruned after the June bloom, cutting back the long canes by 1/3 and taking a couple inches off the shorter canes. For recurrent old roses, polyanthas, miniatures, and shrub roses, just trim them to a good shape and don’t cut back too heavily.

Spring Pruning

1) Wait for the forsythia to bloom before pruning the roses. They should not be leafing out when you prune, but winter protection must be removed and danger of frost past.

2) With all roses, prune out anything that’s dead, which can harbor insects and diseases, making cut about 1" below dead area. If unsure about whether a cane is dead, nick it with the shears-- it’s alive if the nick is green.

3) With all roses, remove weak or deformed growth, canes that grow towards the center of the bush, or crossing branches. Remove suckers (on grafted roses).

4) For hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas, polyanthas, prune remaining healthy canes to create desired shape, cutting down to an outward-facing bud. Moderate pruning is probably best with these roses, which creates a larger shrub than heavy pruning (usually only done for exhibition roses). Leave 6-12 canes about 1.5-2 feet tall (about 1/3 to 1/2 of the growth). If you want to prune lightly, cut the plant back to 3-4 feet only. You can remove 1-2 old canes on any type of rose to rejuvenate the shrub after several years' growth.

Summer Pruning (for all rose types)

1) Remove spent flower heads, pruning back to the first 5-leaflet leaf, or back to 3-leaflet leaf if there is growth or buds present. Remove up to 12 inches.

2) Remove buds which are growing toward the inside of the plant, but don’t remove those facing out. This encourages full growth and better air circulation within the plant and cuts down on fungal infections.

3) Stop pruning 4-6 weeks before the first expected frost.

Watering

Roses need a lot of water, about 1-2 inches per week, which translates into 1-2 gallons per plant per week. This watering regimen must be continued into October. It is also wise to water 24 hours before applying fertilizers or pesticides to ensure proper absorption and to prevent burning the plant.

Fertilizing

Established roses should be fertilized once a month anytime from April to August, but not past Aug. 15, for a total of 4 applications. The soil must be at least 55 degrees before fertilizing, so if spring is late in arriving, there may only be time for 3 applications. This encourages basal breaks, or new growth from the base of the plant, which will mature and harden off before autumn so they'll survive the winter. Newly planted roses should not be fertilized until after the first bloom period. If you follow a typical feeding program using inorganic fertilizers, there are a few steps you should follow.

1) Water the plants 24 hours prior to fertilizer application to lessen the effects of fertilizer salts, which pull water from the root zone. This isn't necessary if using organic sources.

2) Remove mulch from around the plant. Sprinkle 3/4 to 1 cup fertilizer around the drip line. If Mg levels are low, add 1 TBSP Epsom salts in the May and June feedings to encourage basal breaks. Scratch gently into the soil, but avoid root disturbance (shallow roots feed the plant, deep roots anchor it). 3) Water 1 gallon per bush.

Pest Control

Most roses need a continuous program of pest prevention/reduction treatment, with the exception of rugosa type and "Carefree Delight"; Meideland types are disease resistant but often need some spraying. Spraying should continue from early May through October.

The three biggest problems that occur on roses are Black Spot, Powdery Mildew and Rust, all of which are fungal diseases. These diseases are all a result of moisture, heat and poor air circulation around the plant. This is another reason to properly prune roses in the spring. Use fungicide preventatively against powdery mildew, downy mildew, black spot, and rust.

The most common insect pests found on roses are Aphids and Japanese beetles. The Japanese beetle traps help reduce the number of beetles, but by no means will they be eliminated. Use insecticide only after insects appear. The recommendations is to spray approximately every 10 days, but not when windy or over 80 degrees in the sun. Catnip and Garlic are recommended companion plantings to combat both aphid and Japanese beetle infestations. If they aren’t enough of deterrent, horticultural oil at a two-percent solution is usually very effective.

An organic solution that fertilizes and treats fungus and insects is as follows:
Into one gallon of water, add and stir well:
1tbsp. Mild, liquid dishwashing soap
2tbsp. Ultrafine horticultural oil
1tbsp. Baking soda
1tbsp. Or equivalent of 8-8-8 fish oil/emulsion
2 drops Superthrive
Label recommended quantity of Bacillus thuringiensis

Winter Care

Nearly all roses need winter protection. Four to six weeks before the first hard frost, stop pruning away spent blooms. Immediately after the first frost, mound soil or compost around the base of the plant about 6-10 inches high; when the weather gets really cold apply leaves, wood chips, pine needles, or saw dust. Some climbers need extra protection and should be wrapped in burlap as well. You may want to prune back the plants to 18-30 inches before mounding the soil up. Be careful when removing winter protection in the spring not to do so before it really starts to warm up because even a light frost can damage plants. Remove protection gradually.