Easlea's Golden Rambler......

Is taking off in this tree pot-based Restricted Drainage Container Garden. Since the one I saw at Peter Beales' nursery and in Bill Grant's garden were huge husky semi-climbers, I need to choose carefully where I will bury the pot. I'm leaning towards it going due west of the fish pond so that it can fill that whole bed if need be. The new growth is uncannily glossy. A shame I can't find the photo I took two days ago!

Spring Pruning

Yesterday I gave a hard pruning to the Fairmount Cemetery Mystery Rose "Jo Ann's Pink Perpetual" and stuck the cuttings in hopes they root as despite south Tampa being Zone 9B this lusciously fragrant cold hardy rose that loves Denver THRIVES here in a 15 gallon Water Wise Container Garden. I hope to have plants to sell in about 18 months. Next I give it and 'Baronne Prevost' a good feeding and deep watering, then do the same to the lanky "Moroccan Rose" that Mike Shoup of The Antique Rose Emporium donated to my studies. The attached photo is of "Morrocan Rose" last spring when it bloomed for the first time, thriving in a buried 5 gallon Water Wise Container Garden.

A bit early but....

Today I cut back my young but thriving own root 'Baronne Prevost' in a buried Water Wise Container Garden and stuck the cuttings. Next I feed and DEEP water it in an effort to grow a bushier frame of canes. Tomorrow I will do the same with "Morrocan Rose", 'Louise Odier', "Jo Ann's Pink Perpetual" from Denver's Fairmount Cemetery, 'Graham Thomas' and "Fairmount Red". In six weeks or so I should see evidence of how effective these steps were.

Nothing Like The Scent of 'Nastarana'!

Spring is in the air in Tampa

What a delight to see and smell blooms on 'Mme. Antoine Marie', "Pink Cracker Rose", 'Marechal Neil', "Barfield White Climber", Rosa bracteata, "Fairmount Prosperpine', my own hybrids 'Gainesville Garnet', 'Sarasota Spice' and 'Gold Blush' plus 'Reve d'Or', "Maggie", 'Teasing Georgia', 'Archduke Charles' and 'Cramoisi Superieur'.

I was blown away yesterday ...the mailman brought me a GIANT specimen of a mega-rare climbing rose I've wanted since 1994....'Easlea's Golden Rambler'. And it was FREE from Cliff Orent of Desert Roses! I was on the phone with a local friend as I opened the box and got teary eyed when I read the tag! Attached is a link to a site with data and photos, plus I will attach a pic posted here recently by a Canadian rosarian of a PORTION of his monster plant. I've only met it twice....once at Peter Beales' nursery in England, and in author Bill Grant in Aptos, California, a huge hulking plant the size of a large garden shed. Thanks Cliff!!!!!

http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.1698&tab=1

Woo Hoo!

Yesterday I got my roses' sales royalty check for 2011 from the good folks at The Antique Rose Emporium.....$35!  I better work harder promoting my rose breeding work!