Roses
The rose is probably the most popular of all garden flowers. They grow in every part of the United States and are dominant in many landscape designs.
When using roses in the home landscape, some people envision them in a place of prominence, serving as a colorful, focal point or accent. Others visualize roses as only being suitable for a formal garden.
Roses are the Queens of the Garden! However, they have many functions in the landscape other than being the Queen of the Garden Party.
Roses can be some of the most versatile plants in your home landscape. These plants, because of the wide variety of growth habits, sizes, colors, and textures, can fill any niche in the home landscape. As long as the planting bed is prepared correctly, there is no reason you can’t have roses in all parts of your garden.
The popularity of roses is not new. The most important reasons for their continuing popularity are their fragrance and their wide range of striking colors, visible in gardens from early spring until late fall.
Rose fossil evidence dates back 35 million years. Six centuries before Christ, a poetess, Sappho, glorified the rose as "Queen of Flowers," a title that remains undisputed. The luxury-loving Nero was said to be fond of staging rose feasts. It is reported that at times he spent the equivalent of $150,000 to provide roses for a single banquet!
In other historical periods, the rose was so rare and scarce that even royalty considered a small bottle of rose water a precious gift.
Roses were in such demand in the 17th century that they were used to settle debts. In the early part of the 19th century, Empress Josephine, being fond of roses, requested that a plant of every specimen in Europe be represented in her garden. As a result, French rose growers were greatly inspired and soon began introducing new varieties.
Today there are more than 6,500 varieties of roses. New varieties developed by plant breeders are introduced each year. With proper variety selection and subsequent care, it is easy to grow beautiful roses in Mississippi.
Types, Classes, Growth Habits*
Get to know the best rose types, classes and growth habits for your garden style. This section was written by Marilyn Wellan, past president of the American Rose Society and a Master Rosarian. So Many Roses ….So Little Time
Site Selection, Bed Preparation, and Planting
There is more to planting roses than digging a hole, spreading out the roots, and replacing the soil. Several things should be considered before you start. Site Selection, Bed Preparation, and Planting
Techniques and Tips
All roses respond postively to good care. This section will provide information on fertilization, mulching, and watering: Techniques and Tips for Growing Good Roses.
Roses in the Landscape*
Roses have many uses in the landscape, including foundation plant, hedge, ground cover, accent, and many more. This section provides creative tips and numerous illustrations of roses in the landscape.
- Using Roses in the Landscape
- Suggested Roses for Landscape Uses
- Other Sources of Information on Roses
Propagation*
Roses are commonly propagated by cuttings or by budding. Roses generally root easily and this is an easy method for homeowners to propagate roses. This section highlights the propagation methods of seed, cuttings, layering and grafting for roses.
Pruning and Deadheading*
Gardeners often ask, “Why, when, or how should I prune my roses?” “What is deadheading?” This section was authored by Dr. Werner Essig, a Professor Emeritus of Animal and Dairy Science and a Consulting Rosarian of the American Rose Society. Pruning methods with diagrams for hybrid tea, old garden, climber, shrub, and English roses are included. Deadheading is defined and explained.
Recommended Roses for Mississippi Gardens*
Mississippi can be a challenging environment for growing spectacular roses. But, some roses do grow well in our hot, steamy, humid climate. This section includes pictures of recommended roses and tips to guide you in your selections.
Crafting with Roses*
Roses are not only great additions to our home landscapes, but add beauty to the inside of our homes as well. Different techniques can be used to craft roses into attractive wreaths, nosegays, potpourri and other home décor items.
Roses in the Kitchen*
The adventuresome person that first tasted a rose is lost in the mists of time. Since then we have learned that rose hip tea is a good source of vitamin C and we have also learned to use rose petals in many types of foods. Other than an occasional cup of Vitamin C packed rose hip tea have you thought about using roses to liven up your food preparation? This section will share with you some easy ways to impress your friends with your culinary flair and tantalize the taste buds of your family with fun, fast, simple recipes using roses.
Insect Pests of Roses
There are tens of thousands of different species of insects and mites in Mississippi. Only a tiny percentage of these are pests of ornamental plants, and even fewer attack roses. Still, there are some insect and mites that cause real problems for rose growers. Being able to identify these pests and distinguish them from non-pest species is the first step in control.
Rose Diseases
Many roses require not only timely cultivation, but good health care as well. You are the doctor for your rose garden, for no one else spends time in your garden like you do.
- IS1670 Watering and Plant Disease
- M1562 How to Collect and Package Plant Disease Specimens for Diagnosis
Growing Roses on Fortuniana Rootstock was written by Mr. James Mills, owner of K and M Nursery, in Buckatunna, MS. Mr. Mills is a well respected rose grower. This section represents his opinion on the Fortuniana rootstock for roses growing in the South.
Other Information
*Where noted, some content linked from this page was taken from a rose short course, Growing and Enjoying Roses in Mississippi, presented in the spring of 2007 by the MSU Extension Service.
Publications
News
It’s no secret that I’m a real fan of salvia. A couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed highlighting sage, which is a great culinary salvia. This week I’m going talk about perennial salvia, another group of these great plants.
If you read this Southern Gardening column frequently, you realize that I grow much more than pretty flowers in my home garden. Besides ornamental plants, I love to grow vegetables that my wife and I can enjoy for dinner.
Salvia is one of the groups of plants that everyone should have in their landscape. This plant group has flowers with a wide-ranging color palette and different sizes. Salvias are loved -- by me especially -- because of their ability to attract pollinators, butterflies and hummingbirds.
If you’re anything like me, I find any excuse to get outside. The warmer temperatures and colorful blooms are refreshing, especially after the cold winter we had! Working on outdoor chores is a great excuse to get some fresh air. Here are a few tasks you need to cross off your checklist during April:
Some of my favorite late-summer annuals are the ornamental peppers. These tough plants have to survive the heat and humidity of our Mississippi summers before they become the stars of my summer landscape.
Success Stories
Master Gardener volunteers despite pandemic challenges
The sun was beating down, the humidity oppressive, and the flower bed dry. It was April 29, 2020, and the pandemic had closed the Mississippi State University Extension Service office in Washington County, where the snapdragons are.
Mississippi’s Pine Belt Master Gardeners are extending their knowledge across state lines, with prize-winning results.
See what's new in Extension: Extension Supports University's Community Garden, Extension Appoints New 4-H Staff, Extension Landscape Symposium Honors Professor Emeritus, and Extension's Southern Gardener Opens Little Free Garden
As Jimmy Henry’s health began to decline, his wife, Shirley, wanted him to remain comfortable, safe, and happy. When the time came for Jimmy to enter a nursing home, Shirley was determined to stay right by his side, so she went with him.
See what's new in Extension: a new monarch garden, a storytelling series will begin, the Garden Expo highlights Extension education, and Keep America Beautiful recognizes MSU Extension.
