Garden Reports and Rejoicing – June 6
Gertrude Stein wrote this line in a poem, and it’s entered the popular vocabulary as another way to say, “It is what it is.” This might have been true of roses in the past, but just as language changes, plants do as well.
We’ve had several periods of cool, damp weather in my region, and any rose that’s prone to black spot already has it. Other roses have not signs of black spot at all, however, proving that all roses are not equal.
I have many rose plants, and in general I don’t spray them with fungicides. Some get black spot every year, and others stay clean. Any that are unsightly for three years in a row get ranked from the garden: three strikes and you’re out!
Working with the baseball theme for a bit, I have to note that the three best roses I have right now are Home Run, Oso Easy Cherry Pie and Sunny Knockout. All are full, flower-filled and free of black spot.
Sometimes figures of speech remain true down through the decades…other times, not so much.
In this garden I have several roses. The David Austin roses were chosen for fragrance...and they are. They are also black spot filled by mid-May. The other shrub roses are clear and clean, however.
Oso Easy Cherry Pie is indeed easy. It is also delightful. Use this rose in any cottage garden or sunny shrub planting.
Home run is also black spot free, and covered with lovely single flowers. A pretty shrub!
