Rosa glauca (rubrifolia)

A Rose with Handsome Foliage that Grows Well in the Shade.

From the mountains of central and southern Europe comes an exceptional rose - the Rosa glauca, also known as rubrifolia. Introduced into England around 1830, this species rose is known for its unique and stunning foliage and small rosehips that remain through the winter--unlike most roses, which are known only for their blooms. The foliage is dusty mauve in the sun and grayish mauve in the shade - especially beautiful in cut arrangements. And it's almost thornless too! With mauve canes to enhance to the beauty of this shrub rose, you can add a unique interest to your garden, especially in winter.

Rosa glauca's beautiful blooms are a match with the foliage. The single, one-inch, star-shaped blossoms are dark pink with white centers and gold stamens in early summer. They are followed by small oval, orange-red hips in autumn.

This upright shrub arches when its branches become loaded with flowers and can be used almost anywhere on your landscape. Its branches can reach up to ten feet tall - let them arch or take advantage of the long stems and train it as a climbing rose.

Rosa glauca will bloom on both old and new wood, so prune only when it has finished flowering for the season. This is a beautiful, easy to care for shrub that will bring you joy all year long, whether outdoors or as part of an intriguing flower arrangement.

Shade-tolerant shrubs with foliage in hues of grey are very scarce indeed, as are shade tolerant shrubs that bloom pink in the summer. Rosa glauca has not only the foliage color, but also a graceful habit that adds informal charm to the shade garden.

Planting and Care

• Fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil
  
• Plant in full sun to moderate shade
  
• Fertilize with Rose-Tone at planting and feed once a month during growing season
  
• Prune immediately after flowering.
  
• Hardy in zones 2-9
  
• Very resistant to black spot and mildew.

About the Author
Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries.

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Visit Also Rose Garden Care...

Plant a Rose Bush in your Garden

by Completely Free Catalogs

Now that summer is here and upon us many people start thinking about what garden project they will work on this year. Whether you are creating a new garden or adding to your existing garden and spicing it up a bit. Why not plant a rose bush in your garden? It is not as hard as some may think and they are beautiful, who doesn't love roses?!

There are thousands of rose types to choose from and the choices can be overwhelming. Most importantly pick a rose bush that will do well in your climate. You can visit a local nursery to see their selection and you can also ask questions. Your local nursery is a great resource for learning about roses, plants and more - use it! If your neighbor has a rose bush that you have been admiring, don't be shy ask them what type of bush it is. Some rose bushes will need more maintaining then others so be sure and ask as many questions as you can so you know what you are in for when you start.

After you have picked the right rose bush next you will have to figure out where in your garden you will be planting it. Be sure and pick a good location. Ideally you should have your plans laid out prior to purchasing your rose bush. Choose a spot that will allow for six hours of sun light each day, where air circulates and the soil receives good drainage. These are the most important factors when planting your new rose bush.

Most bare-root rose bushes are planted during late winter. If you purchase your roses in a container you can plan to plant them in the early spring. You should avoid planting roses during the summer. The hot weather can stress your new rose plant which will prohibit it from growing. If you still decide to plant your rose bush during the summer, you can expect to water it every day usually.

And there you have it, the basics for planting a rose bush in your garden. Take time and pick the right rose bush for you and make sure you have a location that will meet the needs of your new rose bush. Happy gardening!

About the Author
Get inspired this summer with free garden catalogs. We have hundreds of free catalogs and magazine offers available on all topics.

Yellow, Red or Pink Rose Gardening?

by ken sharp

Roses are truly beautiful flowers. They are so complicated and delicate and will definitely give notice to your rose garden. But which color theme do you go with this year? Red, yellow or pink? How about white? Hmmmm...Something to think about. You dont want to rush into things here.

You want your garden to be something special and show everybody that you spent a lot of time and hard work on it.

First plan, plan, plan!

Then when you found your theme, as you are buying the roses for your garden, think about these tips...

First choose the right potting soil for your rose garden. Your rose garden should have at least 1.5 feet of fresh and fertile potting soil. Make sure your soil is very ventilated and drains easily. Where you put your flowerbed is also important. Your rose garden should get anywhere from 4 to 6 hours of sunlight every day.

Mulching is good for roses. It keeps the rain water from caking up the top soil and also controls a weed problem. Since roses need water once a week, the mulching will help with any rain that may come in between watering sessions. Roses will need one inch of water per week and you should water them once every week in one session, opposed to watering them throughout the week.

Different kinds of roses have different meanings to people. Here are a few for you to consider when building your rose garden...

Two entertwines roses means that a wedding or an engagement is in the future of some lucky couple. A single red rose means I love you. Two dozen roses means congradulations. For dozen roses means unconditional love. A single rose, regardless of color, means thank you. One dozen roses is meant for graditude. Yellow and white roses means harmony. Red and white roses means bonding. Red and yellow roses means happy celebration. Yellow roses are for friendship. White roses means I miss you. Pink roses means thank you.

Roses require light pruning. To prune your roses, you will need to remove any old stems and leaves. This will enable the sap to reach any new stems and leaves that will need it.

When buying roses, they will come in to formats. Either packaged or plain rooted. You should buy the plain rooted ones right before you plan to plant them, because they cannot last long outside of soil. The best time to plant roses is after winter, after the ground is thawed-Right after winter for southern states or somewhere during spring in the northern states.

So when you are planning your rose garden, remember these simple tips and have fun building your garden!

About the Author
For more information on roses and rose gardens, please go to:
http://containergardening.awardspace.com/roses.html

Rose Gardening: Water, Sun and Shade.

by Derek Gardner

My rose is not blooming? The rose is not getting enough sun. Roses need a minimum 6 hours of direct sun a day to do well. The rose plant needs more water. Roses like as a minimum 1 inch of water per week during the growing season. The rose has been given too much fertilizer especially Nitrogen. Too much fertilizer can either damage the rose or cause it to grow additional leaves and stems at the expense of blooms. The rose is a new plant. Do not expect too much from a plant during its first year. Rose is a once blooming variety. This means it will bloom once a year in the late spring or early summer. Soil pH is too low or too high. If the pH is not within the range of 6.0 to 6.8 then nutrient uptake will be less, and the plant won't be getting the food it must have to produce flowers. Not enough foliage. If the bush does not have enough foliage, it can not make the food it needs to make new flowers. Inadequate foliage can be result from disease or too little fertilizer.

How much water do roses need? Roses welcome lots of water. Water kindly, at least 1 inch/week, if possible 2 inches/week during growing season. You should water every 4-7 days during the summer. A rose bush needs about 4-5 gallons/week during the hot summer. Roses get their food either through the leaves (foliar feeding) or through the roots. The only medium for transporting food is water. Infrequent deep watering is better than frequent light watering. This will help to promote a deep root system. Deep root systems help the rose to survive droughts and winter freezes. Light and frequent watering causes roots to form very near the soil surface, and that is not good. When watering late in the day, you should try to avoid getting the leaves wet, because it promotes disease. But on a hot day wetting the foliage can reduce transpiration and relieve heat stress on the rose.

How much sun does a rose need? Roses prefer a full day of sun. Give roses at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. Morning sun is especially important because it dries the leaves which helps prevent disease.

Can roses be grown in shade? Generally roses do poorly in shady conditions. They bloom less, are leggy, and get diseases more easy. But Hybrid Musk's and some Alba's can tolerate partial shade. The Floribunda "Gruss An Aachen" can be grown in shade. Some other roses that may grow in partial shade are the Iceberg(FB), Rugosas, Zephirine Drouhin (Bourbon), Madame Plantier and Souvenir du Docteur Jamain(HP)

About the Author
Much more information about Rose Gardening on this site - check out your self.