Roses in the subtropics are a pain in the neck...but

when they set their heart to flower they make up for it!

One more glorious autumn day has leaped into the sky.

I have bought ,while grocery shopping, this miniature yellow rose, no name. I also bought a new climbing rose named Tzigane (Gypsy), when it flowers I will post a picture .


When I see cool climate rose gardens I am green with envy. I don't care about pigeon egg sized rubies or diamonds; I don't want a Maserati or a Bentley! I only want a care free rose garden with a thousand roses and a gardener to look after them, that's not much I am asking for is it?

THE ROSE
The lily has a smooth stalk, Will never hurt your hand;

But the rose upon her brier Is lady of the land.

There's sweetness in an apple tree, And profit in the corn;

But lady of all beauty Is a rose upon a thorn.

When with moss and honey She tips her bending brier,

And half unfolds her glowing heart, She sets the world on fire. Christina Rosetti

Old Noisette Roses

Bouquet d'or yellow blend zone 7-11
Bougainville pink blend zone 7-11
Milkmaid white (Clark 1921) zone 6-11

A vigorous pink miniature Rose. One of the roses to buy in super markets by the dozens, no names, not expensive and is sold in many colours.


“Beauty without virtue is like a rose without scent.” Proverb

Old china roses:

Comtesse du Cayla orange blend zone 7-11

Bengale rouge zone 7-10

Camelia Rose light pink grows in shade zone 7-10

Chance is vigorous and propagates well from cuttings.


Old Tea Roses:

Mme de Tartas light pink zone 6-11

Mme de Wattville Yellow zone 6-11

Marie van Houtte pink blend zone 6-11

Bon Silene deep pink

Tender Blush light pink zone 5-10 old Alba easy to grow in semi shade.

Pearl Dior, a beautiful climber, the buds are light pink, the flowers soft, blowsy and scented.

Old Noisette Roses:
Milkmaid white (Clark 19250 zone 6-11

Meteor deep pink zone 5-11

Bouquet d'or yellow blend zone 7-11

Climbers to grow in zones, 9, 10 and 11:
Mary Wallace med.pink to 3 m for tripod
Devoniensis old Tea
Amy Johnson Alister Clark Rose
Aimee Vibert Noisette pure white
Alister Stella Grey creamy yellow
Crepuscule apricot

A Pink David Austin. This Rose hasn't done to badly considering growing in "unroseable" conditions, hot, humid, lashings of rain, dry spells, she has experienced the lot and still sends out from time to time her lovely, silky blooms.




But he that dares not grasp the thorn Should never crave the rose.”
Anne Bronte quotes (English poet and novelist, 1820-1849)

Peace or Gioa is a temperamental Diva in my garden, I love the subtle colouring.

“Do not watch the petals fall from the rose with sadness, know that, like life, things sometimes must fade, before they can bloom again.”

"Yet, O thou beautiful rose! Queen rose so fair and sweet. What were lover or crown to thee, without the clay at thy feet?" ~ Julia C R Dorr

Iceberg does very well in the subtropical climate. Floriferous all year round and can be propagated from cuttings in winter.

Apricot Nectar does well in the subtropics, flowers through the year and grows well from cuttings.

This rose does well too in my garden, grows from cuttings made in winter.

And I will make thee beds of roses And a thousand fragrant posies." - Christopher Marlowe

Chance is my favourite, It is nearly disease free grows tall and flowers freely. Propagate from cuttings in winter.





I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses and with elgantine." - Shakespeare






CORAL roses imply desire.
YELLOW shows "I care"; friendship, joy, gladness or freedom.
LAVENDER symbolizes love at first sight and enchantment.
PEACH roses indicate modesty.
LIGHT PINK roses denote grace, joy, gentility and admiration.
DARK PINK roses are to signify thankfulness.

Believe it or not:

“Man is harder than iron, stronger than stone and more fragile than a rose.”Turkish Proverb

Organic tip of the week:

Basic Insect Control for Roses.

In a blender puree 2 garlic bulbs (not cloves, but the whole heads of cloves, peels and all) and 3 chili peppers in 2 cups of water. Steep in a sealed container overnight then strain through cheesecloth or sieve, pressing out all liquid. Discard pulp and store liquid in tightly sealed glass container in fridge. Use ¼ cup of liquid and 1TBS lemon-scented dish soap to a gallon of water.

To Control Blackspot and Powdery Mildew add 2 TBS of baking powder to your gallon mixture from above.

Roses like Banana peels, they contain calcium, sulphur,magnesium and phosphate, so when you eat a Banana feed the peel to your roses.

I have bought a commercial rose spray, but its chemicals sound so bad I really don't want to use it. It says Rose Shield, Insect and disease spray. The safety directions state, wear protective clothing , may irritate the eyes don't let it get into water ways etc.

Active constituents in Rose shield are: Tau-Fluvalinate and Myclobutanil

MYCLOBUTANIL Toxicity to humans, including carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and acute toxicity. This is also used to spray soy beans!Myclobutanil

Water quality standards and physical properties affecting water contamination potential.

Toxicity to aquatic organisms.

TAU-FLUVALINATE
Toxicity to humans, including carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and acute toxicity.

Water
Water quality standards and physical properties affecting water contamination potential.

Ecotoxicity
Toxicity to aquatic organisms.

Those two chemicals are used on soy beans to control diseases.
I can't see an end to using toxic sprays on food production. More people, more animals have to be fed, more food has to be produced. Where does it lead to?