DATE: Sunday, July 6, 1997                  TAG: 9707030325

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: COASTAL JOURNAL 

SOURCE: Mary Reid Barrow 

                                            LENGTH:   78 lines

BEACH WOMAN HAS LITTLE TO SHOW FOR HER HUGE LOVE AFFAIR WITH ROSES

Walton is growing more than 300 miniature roses in her garden in Shadowlawn. They fill neat, raised borders on two sides of her yard, but at first glance, you'd never know it.

When you walk into her yard, it doesn't look particularly unusual. Then you look down. There in low growing borders, tiny roses are everywhere, three deep.

With miniature flowers, leaves and stalks, these roses are exactly like their grownup counterparts, only they come in three tiny sizes. The regular miniature is 18 to 24 inches tall while a micro-miniature is up to 10 inches tall, and a macro, up to 3 feet.

``Everything is in proportion, including the leaves,'' Walton said.

The blooms come in an array of beautiful rose colors like reds, peaches, pinks, lavenders and yellows as well as pastel blends. White Angel is a tiny micro rose in rosy-white that looks exactly like a large hybrid tea rose and Finest Hour is a bright tangerine tea rose.

Walton's rose garden is only 3 years old. Although she grew miniatures with her mother in Pennsylvania, she only recently decided to begin growing them here at the Beach Although she doesn't know many miniature rose growers in the area, the hobby is widespread across the United States, she said.

``It's become so popular,'' she explained, ``that when you to the national rose shows, they're almost dominating the field.''

One beautiful apricot and pink miniature, called Jean Kenneally, is rated the top rose of all roses by the American Rose Society this year and it's growing in Walton's garden.

Gardeners are drawn to miniatures because yards are smaller these days, Walton said. The roses can even be grown in pots and hanging baskets on a condominium or apartment balcony.

Miniatures were discovered in Europe in the mid-1800s but didn't become popular here until after World War II. ``They stared hybridizing them and more varieties of miniatures are coming out now on a regular basis,'' Walton said. ``There are from 300 to 500 on the market.''

Walton has rose varieties that start blooming at the end of April or the first of May and they last until the weather gets cold. ``There's always something blooming somewhere,'' she said.

There are miniature hybrid tea roses, climbers and spreaders that are good for hanging baskets. Some have ruffled petals, others are old-fashioned roses with open centers and some are fragrant.

Owner of Wild Wild West Old Time Photos at the resort, Walton works mostly at night and spends days tending her flowers, sitting on her Scoot-n-Do. The low bench on rollers makes it easy to work with the roses.

Miniatures are easier to care for than full-size roses, she said. Walton doesn't have to use insecticides, only fungicides to keep her plants healthy. She uses fish emulsion, an organic fertilizer. The roses need only four to six hours of sun a day and they are easy to grow from cuttings.

If you are interested in knowing more, Walton suggests a book, ``Secrets of the Miniature Rose,'' by Elizabeth Abler, published by Dgicom Publications. Her favorite catalogs are ``Nor'East Miniature Roses,'' (1-800-426-6485) and ``The mini-Rose Garden,'' (1-888-998-2424). Mail order miniatures cost around $5 for a 2 1/4-inch pot.

P.S. Liz Sills has an abundance of anacharis (underwater pond grass) growing in her fish pond and will give it away to anyone who needs it. Call 428-6682.

A FAMILY PROGRAM to show how the flax plant becomes linen will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday at historic Francis Land House. The program is free with admission to the home. The following day, Thursday, a Flax to Linen workshop will take place at the Land House. Participants will learn every step from processing the flax plant to spinning the fiber. The cost is $35. For more information, or to make a reservation, call 431-4000. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY REID BARROW

Purple Dawn is one of Walton's miniature roses.

Lynn Z. Walton spends her days tending to the miniature rose

collection in her Shadowlawn garden.

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