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Making It Grow! News Articles

May 8, 2005

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The rose is symbolic with a bowl game on Jan 1, Valentines Day, and the most important of all--mother's day. It is the one flower that expresses our feelings to individuals that are very close to us.

Years ago there was a tradition to have a red rose pinned on your Sunday outfit for church to signify that your mother was living. The white rose was to be displayed if your mother had passed. In both situations the rose was used as a remembrance to the very one who has always loved us no matter what the circumstances.

Hybrid teas have been the dominate rose for mother's day and other special occasions. This rose is probably the most difficult to grow in our area due to disease pressure. Since most of us are lazy and don't want the hassle of fighting leaf diseases every year, we purchase our roses.

Many gardeners are now returning to old traditional roses. These varieties offer resistance to diseases and other pests. They are good roses for those of us who practice "lazy gardening."

One such rose that is gaining in popularity is "Knock Out." this is a very hardy landscape shrub rose that requires very little care. It is my type of plant. "Knock Out" has cherry red blooms that begin in the spring and continue until the first hard frost. Another excellent feature of this rose is the drought tolerance. It seems to survive quite nicely without supplemental water.

You can forget leaf spot disease with "Knock Out." since irrigation is not needed; there aren't any additional moisture problems that can enhance disease pressure.

Many of our local garden centers carry "Knock Out." if you are unsure where to go, visit their Web site (www.theknockoutrose.com) for the nearest garden center.

Northeast Columbia is the home to the most elaborate backyard rose garden in the south. When he is not practicing medicine, Dr. Satish Prabhu is growing just about every type of rose known to man. He is definitely not a lazy gardener. In addition, he is a consulting rosarian and shares his talent and garden with everyone.

Ashdown Roses near Landrum , S.C. , is the home to many cultivars of shrub and English roses. Paul Zimmerman left a lucrative job with ABC-TV in California to pursue his first love--growing roses. Anyone who has an interest in roses would be smart to visit Paul and his rose farm near Landrum.

I wore a white rose today in memory of my mother. As I looked at each pedal, it reminded me of all the sacrifices she endured so that her three children could have opportunities which were not available to her.