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^^^ That's why I suggested using native plants that are low maintenance, fill some spaces with gravel or step stones, make a nice sitting area with DIY pergola or something similar. Visit few yard sales for pretty pots or other ornaments and make this place interesting and enjoyable. It doesn't have to happen in a year or two. This is an ongoing process, a hobby that could be awarding for many years to come.
Roses are high maintenance, and high cost. Some sort of cottage garden could be pleasing too...
Nurseries sell or even give away plants that need to be resuscitated. There are pretty plants that don't cost
much. Look into it...
Just make sure you aren’t propagating patented roses. The patent holder is entitled to be compensated for each plant should they find out. And yes, that applies to anyone propagating roses for private use.
I have a somewhat large area that is currently growing all kinds of weed plus poison oak. I have been planning to turn the place over and make a rose garden. The intended plant area is about 5000 sqft. I think I can use many hundreds of rose plants. ...]
There are many rose societies all over the country. Google the one(s) for your area/close-by areas and ask to join. They usually have quite a few members and hold rose swaps and rose sales once or twice a year. You may be able to get quite a few own-root roses - or cuttings to root yourself - this way. Not sure how close you are, but the Heritage Rose Group in Sacramento (the ones who take care of the historic Sacramento Cemetery roses) maybe be willing to provide you with cuttings when they trim the roses. But better hurry, from what I've read the idiot city admin powers that be have basically ruined most of the cemetery roses and who knows how much longer til they are all gone
Thank you all for for the tips. I will study every tip carefully as I proceed.
I probably won't be able to tend to many details. This is not gonna be the white house rose garden. I hope I can do an one-time setup and then just kind of "set it and forget it" until year end pruning. My experience so far is that roses are very hardy and can take care of themselves. I haven't used any fertilizer for my current plants and they grow enough beautiful blossoms for me.
We have ground water here, so water can be had for very low cost; the location is also wet enough for vegetation to grow out of control without any artificial watering.
Weeding can be a problem. I have lost a few rounds to weeds. This time I am more serious about the job; may put down some stone pavers.
Here is another angle of the place. A path has been cleared a path and I am starting to expand. I'm thinking I can turn the slope into terraced planting rows. Any idea about landscaping? I wish I can hire a landscape designer but have no budget for such luxury. I am looking very hard to see if I can find a good design that happens to match this landscape.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheerbliss
I'm a rose enthusiast and former president of a rose society. I even won some trophies at shows. Based on that experience, I'll offer a few things to think about.
As mentioned, acquiring some 500 plants in a variety of cultivars is going to be challenging.
The 5,000 sf plot will have to be cleared of vegetation. Mowing or trimming around 500 plants isn't practical.
Roses need a large hole to develop a good root system. Unless your soil is especially loose and rich, it will have to be amended with compost or manure. Figure 125 bags of compost to go in 500 holes 2' wide by 2' deep.
Mulch. You can get free mulch from tree-trimming companies--they'll dump a chipped tree in your driveway. The pile I got was six feet high and the length and width of my one-car driveway--but it wouldn't have come close to mulching 5,000 square feet. It also mildewed after a few days. What is the plan and budget for mulch and how will you get it around the roses?
After planting comes maintenance.
Water. Will the city let you water the roses during a drought?
Fertilizing. Hybrid teas and floribundas are heavy feeders and need to be fertilized a few times during the growing season. If you're near water, you should be careful the fertilizer doesn't end up there. What will you use and how often? Cost?
Weeding. It looks like plants grow enthusiastically in your yard even without soil amendments and fertilizer. Are you going to hand-weed or use mechanical or chemical controls?
Dead-heading. Spent blooms need to be snipped often to keep the plants looking good and encourage more blooms.
Disease control. This is going to be a challenge in a humid environment with hundreds of roses growing next to each other. If one gets rose rosette virus, it'll spread like wildfire, and there's no cure for it. What is your plan and budget for controlling pests and diseases?
Pruning. Every year, cut out dead wood, crossing canes, and shorten the plant. All of those thorny canes have to be bagged up and hauled off. At 10 minutes per plant, this will take two solid weeks of stoop labor.
Replacement. Some of these plants are going to die every year no matter what you do.
Succession.
No matter how well this garden is planned, executed and maintained, it is going to be a liability when selling your house. Hardly anyone wants to take care of a large rose collection, and such gardens are out of style in favor of casual, more natural looking landscapes--much like your back yard pretty much as it is. (Have you considered simply replacing the poison oak with flowering native shrubs, adding some well-adapted flowers and cutting a few paths through the vegetation?)
Just a few things to think about. Talk to your local rose society and see if they swap cuttings. And pay a visit to some native gardens and parks in your area. They're very beautiful.
I have a somewhat large area that is currently growing all kinds of weed plus poison oak. I have been planning to turn the place over and make a rose garden. The intended plant area is about 5000 sqft. I think I can use many hundreds of rose plants. With this volume, obviously buying from Home Depot is not economical.
So I have been propagating my own rose plants with cuttings, and having some success. Some of my cuttings have bloomed nicely in just 3 months! I think I can create a few hundred plants this way in one or two seasons.
But I have another problem. I currently only have about 6-7 rose varieties in my garden. If I propagate entirely from these plants, seems it maybe a bit too boring, even though I can fill up the place with colors. I would like to get as many varieties in the mix as possible.
So my questions are this:
--How can I get some quality rose cutting for minimal cost or even free?
--Is there any exchange operation out there?
--Or do people just give it away?
--Or do people mind others taking some cuttings at pruning time?
Years ago there was a forum called Garden Web where we had various rose forums. Houzz bought it out. I'm not sure how to even make a post there any more, here's the link to the rose forum there.
I suggest you post your pics there, I'm sure that some of them also garden on a hill. I had a friend that had a really beautiful hill garden featuring roses as well as perennials. I found her page on help me find, Roselady44. I'm not sure if she has garden pics like me.
Just looked at google, here is another rose forum and another here
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheerbliss
I'm a rose enthusiast and former president of a rose society. I even won some trophies at shows. Based on that experience, I'll offer a few things to think about.
As mentioned, acquiring some 500 plants in a variety of cultivars is going to be challenging.
The 5,000 sf plot will have to be cleared of vegetation. Mowing or trimming around 500 plants isn't practical.
Roses need a large hole to develop a good root system. Unless your soil is especially loose and rich, it will have to be amended with compost or manure. Figure 125 bags of compost to go in 500 holes 2' wide by 2' deep.
Mulch. You can get free mulch from tree-trimming companies--they'll dump a chipped tree in your driveway. The pile I got was six feet high and the length and width of my one-car driveway--but it wouldn't have come close to mulching 5,000 square feet. It also mildewed after a few days. What is the plan and budget for mulch and how will you get it around the roses?
After planting comes maintenance.
Water. Will the city let you water the roses during a drought?
Fertilizing. Hybrid teas and floribundas are heavy feeders and need to be fertilized a few times during the growing season. If you're near water, you should be careful the fertilizer doesn't end up there. What will you use and how often? Cost?
Weeding. It looks like plants grow enthusiastically in your yard even without soil amendments and fertilizer. Are you going to hand-weed or use mechanical or chemical controls?
Dead-heading. Spent blooms need to be snipped often to keep the plants looking good and encourage more blooms.
Disease control. This is going to be a challenge in a humid environment with hundreds of roses growing next to each other. If one gets rose rosette virus, it'll spread like wildfire, and there's no cure for it. What is your plan and budget for controlling pests and diseases?
Pruning. Every year, cut out dead wood, crossing canes, and shorten the plant. All of those thorny canes have to be bagged up and hauled off. At 10 minutes per plant, this will take two solid weeks of stoop labor.
Replacement. Some of these plants are going to die every year no matter what you do.
Succession.
No matter how well this garden is planned, executed and maintained, it is going to be a liability when selling your house. Hardly anyone wants to take care of a large rose collection, and such gardens are out of style in favor of casual, more natural looking landscapes--much like your back yard pretty much as it is. (Have you considered simply replacing the poison oak with flowering native shrubs, adding some well-adapted flowers and cutting a few paths through the vegetation?)
Just a few things to think about. Talk to your local rose society and see if they swap cuttings. And pay a visit to some native gardens and parks in your area. They're very beautiful.
Agree that the OP should get involved with their local rose society.
I also agree that when they want to sell their house, no one will want a large, rose garden. Been there and done that.
I had over 200 roses at my last house, I left maybe a dozen of my doubles which were easier to grow roses. I also left many perennials, daylilies, iris. The new owners ripped up my oval garden in the middle of the lawn to plant grass. I dug the rest, brought it to this house, along with hundreds of perennials, iris, peonies and daylilies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by luv4horses
Don't forget that many commercial rose varieties are grafted. That means the cutting you take is grafted onto a more disease resistant plant that is already rooted. Those cuttings that you root directly, instead of grafting onto the tougher plant, might grow just fine, but if they are susceptible to diseases in your soil they won't last very long.
Or instead use wild multiflora rose which grows like a weed and has strong roots. But you will get an impenetrable thicket and the flowers are small.
Disagree. Roses on their own roots are way better then grafted roses. They're also not cheap to buy own root roses. A place called Roses Unlimited sells them about $15 for what looks like one rooted cane/stick.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ersatz
Do you have a local social media account like Facebook or Nextdoor? There is usually a garden club around or even just a seed/plant swap subgroup. If not, you can usually start one. Just post that you are interested in getting/trading plants or cuttings with someone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sassybluesy
Maybe walk around your neighborhood, and if you see a rose bush that you like, ask the homeowner if you could take a cutting or two. (Personally, if someone approached me about my rose bush, I wouldn't mind them taking a cutting or two. But I would supervise.)
Maybe BUY one or two rose bushes that you like, and take cuttings from the new rose bushes?
Or maybe even this...
Go to your local florist, and buy single roses that you like. Put the stem of the rose in a potato. When you see new growth on the stem, plant the stem in the dirt, potato and all. (I've never actually done this, but I read about it.)
Great ideas except the florist roses because they're not your typical garden rose bush. They're grown just for cut flowers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oceanside_M
I love the yellows.
Beautiful plant there. I would think joining a garden enthusiast club in your local area would be the first step if you aren't already part of one. You might have more luck for an exchange of cuttings.
There are so many varieties of roses. Wishing you lots of luck!
OP, I'm curious how long you've been gardening in general and growing roses in particular. These are champagne projects that can't be done well on a beer budget or a set-it-and-forget-it style of gardening. If you're determined to do this, though, start with 50 roses and see how it's gone after a couple of years. And ask some local rose growers what they think of your plan.
As to the hillside--your house sits atop this steep hill, I take it? And you live in earthquake country? Your state or county may require a permit from a licensed architect or civil engineer to create terraces. I wouldn't fool around with it.
OP, I'm curious how long you've been gardening in general and growing roses in particular. These are champagne projects that can't be done well on a beer budget or a set-it-and-forget-it style of gardening. If you're determined to do this, though, start with 50 roses and see how it's gone after a couple of years. And ask some local rose growers what they think of your plan.
As to the hillside--your house sits atop this steep hill, I take it? And you live in earthquake country? Your state or county may require a permit from a licensed architect or civil engineer to create terraces. I wouldn't fool around with it.
Agreed. I think wildflowers could look stunning on the OP’s hill. Combine that with a small area of roses, and I think it could look nice. The wildflowers take a couple of years to really fill in, but they don’t require nearly as much effort as roses.
I also agree that when they want to sell their house, no one will want a large, rose garden. Been there and done that.
I had over 200 roses at my last house, I left maybe a dozen of my doubles which were easier to grow roses. I also left many perennials, daylilies, iris. The new owners ripped up my oval garden in the middle of the lawn to plant grass. I dug the rest, brought it to this house, along with hundreds of perennials, iris, peonies and daylilies.
Must have a lovely garden! My old house had a beautiful native plant garden which was low maintenance. The new owner mowed it down. It's heartbreaking and wasteful.
However, it has a whole team of gardeners for upkeep. There are rows of lilacs nearby the roses. Lilacs grow pretty carefree, but I've found cutting off the spent blooms time consuming.
As other people suggested, I would mix in natives - food for birds and wildlife. It brings your garden to life more so than roses alone.
Last edited by YorktownGal; 04-24-2021 at 09:38 AM..
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