Celebrate the Rose

Celebrate the Rose

As we mature, our lives take on different meaning. We become more attune to our surroundings and our appreciation for life changes. Some of us might continue to challenge the status quo, while others become steeped in tradition. I think gardening helps us discover which path our heart desires.

Specifically, I think growing roses hold us in a more traditional mindset.

Bee in a sunflower

Think back to the plants your grandmother grew.  Geraniums, Zinnias, Sunflowers, and Roses... gorgeous roses! These coveted memories of our grandmothers' garden roses become the impetus to carry on a desire to have beautiful roses just like she had.

The classic favorites are timeless and they have become the gold standard in our rose gardens. We speak of them as we would an old friend for they've become a permanent part of our collection. When these roses have finally become tired and less productive, we hold onto them for as long as possible until we can no longer fight the good fight. Eventually we give in to their aged status and decide to finally replace them. We ceremoniously dig them up and give them a proper burial. We ruefully scour the catalogs for suitable replacements thinking maybe this is the year we will "try something different."

But wait! What delightful new surprises grace the catalogs filling my mailbox!  

Suddenly, the desire to act with predictable decision making is uncontrollably thrown out the window.

Climbing Westerland

I regularly pay close attention to what comes out of the breeding program at Weeks Roses. The roses rarely fail to impress me. The new Climbing Above All™ is one that I'm excited to see because it's being promoted as a modern version of the Climbing Westerland. Having blooms as salmon-orange as it's predecessor but with a higher petal count and greater flower production.

Another rose that has piqued my interest is called Anna's Promise™.  

Named for Anna, a character in the British television show Downton Abby, it apparently symbolized the heart and integrity of her personality. There are golden petals blushed in pink with a bronze reverse which look absolutely stunning. It boasts a spicy, fruit fragrance to boot. Sounds delish... is this a rose or a new dessert?

The Wake Forest University Rose

In its parentage is About Face™, which I have always admired. Its glossy green leaves have never looked worn or faded and the growth always seems to be strong and vigorous. Good as Gold™ (a 2014 Introduction) come from About Face™ and has been an impressive hybrid tea so far this year.

Another new introduction from About Face™ that we are quite proud of here at Witherspoon is The Wake Forest University Rose. 

This grandiflora has good disease resistance and a light apple fragrance on golden blossoms that deepen with cooler temperatures. We are honored to have a hand in producing and promoting this exclusive rose to the market with $10 from every sale going to the general scholarship fund and Wake Forest University.

Peace

I feel like this article would not be complete unless I mentioned some of the old favorites. These roses are tried and true, so we go to them time and time again. Peace is for sure one of those on my list. And, let's be honest, so are the others in the Peace family. I believe the Peace rose is one hybrid that will remain in the hearts of rose lovers across the country. To add to this list, I would include Queen Elizabeth. This tall, pink beauty blooms in clusters and is a sight to behold! Did I mention she's nearly thornless? Certainly my list is not complete without mentioning Tiffany. How can you not love the tall pointed buds?

These roses were introduced around the 1950's when America was full of high spirit and optimism after World War II. The garden was a victory, family togetherness was time well spent and roses were in the hearts and yards of smiling gardeners.

Queen Elizabeth

Sincerely,

Sandie  

Pruning Video Tutorial - How to Prune Roses the Witherspoon Way

Witherspoon Rose Culture Presents:

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Pruning roses can be a daunting task.  Often rose growers are hesitant to prune for fear that they will cut out too much.

Fear not rose growers!  We have put together this video tutorial

"How to Prune Roses the Witherspoon Way"

Check out our previous post to download a free copy of the Witherspoon Pruning Checklist!

The Story Behind the "Rose of the Century."

 Rose Spotlight on Peace

WWI left a trail of destruction that stretched across European soil.  Great losses in manpower and resources sent all countries involved into a devastating landslide.  With millions dead and others in a state of depression, hope and beauty were precious commodities.  It was during these tumultuous times that Francis Meilland was born.  Following in his father’s footsteps, Francis found hope and beauty in his rose garden.  During the years leading up to the start of WWII, Francis and his father Antoine chose fifty promising seedlings to watch as potential candidates for cultivation.  One of these seedlings, 3-35-40, would survive being smuggled out of occupied France and eventually be given the title “The Rose of the Century.”  This is the story of Peace.

Lemony petals kissed with sweet pink edges caught the eye of Meilland as he scanned the bed of seedlings he was watching.  There, that one, that’s the rose I want to cultivate.  There’s my Madame Antione Meilland.  The year was 1939 and WWII was on the brink of escalation.  After Hitler’s invasion of Poland, it became very apparent that France was soon to follow.  Francis was close to launching this precious rose as Madame Antione Meilland, but he became concerned about the future of his rose nursery after the invasion of France and began to make plans to smuggle out his precious Madame.  He was able to smuggle three pieces of budwood out to three different cultivators in Germany, Italy, and finally Robert Pyle in the U.S.  As WWII tore through Europe and left communication lines severed, Meilland was unaware of how the smuggled roses were doing in their new environments.  These rose refugees were not only surviving, they were flourishing!  It was eventually launched in all four countries under different names.  In France Meilland launched the rose under the original name, Germany called it Gloria Dei (Latin for ‘Glory of God’), in Italy it was named Giola meaning joy, and in the U.S it was called Peace.  After the liberation of France, Meilland wrote to Field Marshal Alan Brooke, who was integral in the strategy behind liberating France, and asked if he would give his name to the rose.  Brooke declined since he felt that the more fitting name for the rose was Peace.  Peace was announced as the official name on April 29^th, 1945, the day Berlin fell.  In the midst of war and destruction, Peace started as a seedling and grew in strength and beauty until it could no longer be hidden from the world.  

In 1945, at the inaugural meeting of the United Nations, the Peace rose was given to each of the delegations.  Attached was a note that read, “We hope the ‘peace’ rose will influence men’s thoughts for everlasting world peace.”  Across the decades this rose has remained a symbol of hope and peace in a world that is often in a state of disarray.  How was Francis to know that this seedling, a tiny sprig of life, would inspire such grand emotions?  He even wrote in his diary, “How strange to think that all these millions of rose bushes sprang from one tiny seed no bigger that the head of a pin, a seed which we might so easily have overlooked or neglected in a moment of inattention.”  

With a story so rich in history and emotion, it is no wonder that Peace will always have a place in rose gardens across the world.  Standing out above the thorns, the yellow and pink bloom inspires peace and serenity.