09/26/17

ARS Photography Challenge Class

ARS Photography Challenge Class, the First

ARS Photography Challenge Class: The Board of Directors approved this Challenge Class at the Fall 2017 National Conference and Show in Gettysburg. In addition, this was the same meeting at which they approved the final Guidelines and Rules for Judging Rose Photography.

Nat’l Challenge Class

The Challenge calls for three separate images, all mounted and matted per ARS guidelines. In addition, they are to show Cycle of Bloom for either miniature or miniflora roses. Look for this Challenge Class at the 2018 Spring Miniature and Miniflora National Conference and Show, Jacksonville, FL, May 4-6. The Penn-Jersey District sponsors this award.

In conclusion, this is one more exciting development in Rose Photography at the ARS level. Have fun planning your entries, whether for 2018 or subsequent years.

05/22/17

Spring 2017 Roses

Spring 2017 Roses is a small collection of images of roses mainly grown by me. ‘Austrian Copper,’ the species rose R. foetida bicolor, was grown by Tim and Laurie Price. If you wish to see any of the images at a larger size, click on the image.
You may also watch a slideshow containing these and other images.
Additional post will be made throughout the season.
I hope you enjoy the varied beauty of the roses.

Miniature Rose, ‘Incognito,’ after a gentle overnight rain

Species Rose, R. foetida bicolor, grown by Tim and Laurie Price

Spray of shrub rose, ‘Route 66’

Spray of miniature rose, ‘Bees Knees’

Shrub rose, ‘Pike’s Peak’

Shrub rose, ‘Othello’

Miniature rose, ‘Spring Fling’

Floribunda rose, ‘Betty Boop.’ Rose shows now frequently have a class for “Rose Art,” and very often what you will see are images that use photoshop filters or other editing that leads to the destruction or loss of beauty of the rose itself. I want to show that images can be greatly edited, and/or enhanced, without destroying the integrity or the beauty of the rose.

02/6/15

February Gardening

Challenges of Gardening in the High Desert in February

February gardening in New Mexico? Well, that can be both a temptation and a challenge. Here in Albuquerque we are in the midst of a series of warm, sunny days without wind; perfect gardening weather!

The problem is, our average latest frost-free date is in mid-April, and I have seen killing freezes as late as May. When it comes to roses, for example, we tend not to prune until early April, and fertilize even later.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of things to do in the garden in February when the days are so wonderful for being out. I did some weeding; I need to do a lot more before Spring really does arrive! I removed some dead canes from some of the roses. This is not pruning; this is removing dead canes, plain and simple.

I couldn’t help looking over my own-root miniature roses in containers, in protected areas. Some of these have not been appropriately pruned in some time. They always start to leaf out in February, and by the time another 6-8 weeks go by, they are virtually impossible to prune. The canes become spindly, and the blossoms smaller and with less perfect form.

February Gardening – I took a chance with some of these own-root miniature roses, in containers, in protected spots, and pruned them. Several different outcomes are possible with this February Gardening action:

these miniature roses could look better than they have in years;

these miniature roses could die back to the ground with a really severe cold snap, but since they are own-root, most would come back, although it might take time;

the majority could look like they always have.

I want to stress that I did this only with own-root roses in protected areas, for this February gardening and rose pruning action.

This is not the only time I have gone against conventional wisdom in the pruning of some of my roses. Some of you know that I have the Old Garden Rose, ‘Mermaid,’ a Hybrid bracteata introduced in 1918. After its near-demise in the 22 inch snow (“The Big Snow of 2006”), I always cut it back in the fall, and then do not trim it again until after first bloom. It has rewarded me with lush spring growth and spectacular first blooms. It then blooms intermittently throughout summer and fall.

But, this is the first time I have pruned any roses as part of February gardening in Albuquerque. I’ll keep you updated on the result.

Miniature rose ‘Marriotta.’ On its own root, and grown by me in a container in a protected spot. Image from Fall, 2014.

11/25/10

Rose ‘Bees Knees’ in the Thanksgiving Snow

Miniature rose 'Bees Knees' under a Thanksgiving snow

Happy Thanksgiving!

08/1/08

‘Cinnamon Delight,’ A Russet Rose

‘Cinnamon Delight’ is a miniature rose, and its official ARS color classification is russet. Russet roses are not all that common. They are generally achieved by some mix of mauve roses with yellow roses.

Probably because of the mauve component, russet roses seem to like some degree of protection from the hot afternoon sun. This one grows in a large container on the patio, where it gets lots of morning sun, but only filtered shade in the afternoon.

07/7/07

Yoyo, a Rose Sport

Yoyo is a sport, or mutation, of the well-known and loved Gizmo. Both are miniature roses, singles (4-8 petals). Gizmo is orange, while Yoyo ranges from a deep velvet red with a white eye in cooler weather, to a deep velvet red with a brilliant white eye but orange stripes in warmer weather. The stripes are individual for each rose, and give each bloom a “hand painted” effect.