Tag: Rose

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The Magic of Rose Buds

White rose with pink buds

Each year, just as the new season’s roses are appearing, I set out to take pictures of rose buds for the readers who love them (you know who you are). I never do as well as I hope.

It isn’t good to be too critical of your own photography, so I’m offering these up as part of my latest series of posts on roses. Continue reading “The Magic of Rose Buds”

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Droopy Roses: The Ones That Nod

Rosa 'The Generous Gardener'

Most articles online about drooping roses are geared towards fixing a problem. Cures suggested for a drooping rose include:

  • Watering it more (assuming the rose is wilting)
  • Watering it less (assuming its roots are staying wet and rotting)
  • Feeding it (assuming the plant is lacking some elements)
  • Feeding it less (assuming persistent elements have built up too much in the soil, or that the canes are outgrowing their strength)
  • Staking, growing against an obelisk or training as a climber in the case of vigorous roses
  • Hard pruning
  • Diagnosing it with one of several rose diseases, then treating the problem
  • Leaving it be (assuming that the canes will strengthen enough to support heavier flowers from the third year on).

It’s not hard to see how gardeners might get confused. Continue reading “Droopy Roses: The Ones That Nod”

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Rose Bedeguar Gall (Robin’s Pin Cushion)

Mossy rose gall (Rose bedeguar gall)

Some rose diseases are so easily spread and devastating that I have a horror of them (rose rosette disease or crown gall of roses, for example). On seeing these mossy galls, despite the overactive alarm message, ‘Do not touch!’ flashing at the forefront of my mind, I did get close enough to take pictures. I vaguely remembered what these fuzzy growths were but needed to look them up to be sure.

I need not have been so alarmed: Rose bedeguar gall, known as Robin’s pin cushion or mossy rose gall, is neither a disease nor as harmful to the rose as might appear. Continue reading “Rose Bedeguar Gall (Robin’s Pin Cushion)”