THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 1, 1995 TAG: 9509290068
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
GARDENERS THROUGHOUT the area have the opportunity to pick out the roses they'd like to grow by visiting the Colonial District Rose Show on Saturday and next Sunday in Virginia Beach.
Members of the American Rose Society from four mid-Atlantic states will be exhibiting at the show, which is free and open to the public.
The show marks the 60th anniversary of the local Tidewater Rose Society and the 50th anniversary of the Peace rose.
Old roses are back in style and some will be on display. Two that are often recommended are Old Blush and Mutabilis. Old Blush has clusters of medium-pink roses that flush darker in the sun. It was commonly planted by the back door years ago in Virginia and the Carolinas. Its habit of repeating flushes of bloom every few weeks gave it the nickname ``pink monthly.''
Landscapers throughout the South also have rediscovered Mutabilis. It's a late 19th-century rose with five-petaled blossoms that change from yellow to coral to pink. It's caught the fancy of homeowners and is often called the ``butterfly rose'' because its petals resemble a butterfly.
Whether to plant roses in the fall or spring is often debated in this area. Because winters continue to be mild, more fall planing is being done. In the past, the only way you could get a rose for fall planting was by mail. This fall McDonald Garden Centers are stocking potted roses ready for planting. Included are new varieties and one 1996 All America winner.
On their list, in addition to the new `Flower Carpet' ground-cover rose are: `Sevillana,' a wonderful bush rose that I grow and consider to be one of the best; `Bonica;' `Mutabilis,' the butterfly rose; Rugosa roses; and `Carefree Delight,' the new Conard Pyle 1996 All America rose. In the Freedom series of ground-cover roses, they have `Ivory Carpet' and `Dawn Creeper.' Also Sunblaze roses, antique roses and `New Dawn,' one of the best climbing roses of all time.
Pick out the roses you like this weekend and then plant them this fall or early next spring. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
JACKSON & PERKINS
The Barbara Bush is one of many roses to be displayed at the
Colonial District Rose Show.
by CNB