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Photo courtesy of Ronda's Carolina Garden
Rose (member) Garden
Listing last updated on Fri Mar 2025
In the Upstate of, South Carolina United States
USDA Zone: 7a (0 to 5 F / -17.7 to -15.0 C)
Please email questions [Information]
. If you have a garden and a library you have everything you need. - Cicero
I originally had over 80 roses until I relocated. It was a difficult decision on what roses to leave behind, but there was just no way to bring them all.
I currently have a home that is on .18 acres. Within the first 4 years after the move I had planted over 60 roses. I can not add roses like I used to but I love the ones I have. They are intermixed with evergreens, perennials and annuals in an organized fashion, but my spacing and layout leans towards the cottage style.
I have a hill in the back of my lot that is too steep to grow grass on. When I moved in it was planted with creeping juniper shrubs. They were home to yellow jackets and hornets. The back yard was hot, ugly and unwelcoming.
Here is the lot before I moved in. You can see it is small and there are junipers lined up like soldiers on the back hill:
I decided that I would make this hill area work for me as it was the only real gardening space I had!! I have mixed the hill with evergreens, arborvitae, red maples, wax myrtle, and over 30 different roses.
I grow roses that are hardy, disease resistant and good on repeat blooms. The roses placed on the hill must be able to survive extreme conditions since the soil is a horrible clay and rock mix. I try to dig the holes wider and deeper than the plants will initially require and amend it so they have a good start….however…..this is nearly impossible on the left bank. One this side there is a rock shelf under the thin layer of clay Amazingly, many roses have survived this harsh condition and have even flourished. (Namely: Knock Out, Carefree Sunshine, Madison, Blush Noisette, Sea Foam, and White Dawn)
Here is the work in progress on the hill:
I do not like to spray chemicals so I actively seek out roses that can handle the heat and humidity of our region. I do this so I can avoid foliar spraying for fungus. I have been pleased with the Bayer All in One drench to control thrips, Japanese Beetles and black spot.
Currently I grow the following roses around the house and on the hill:
Abraham Darby Autumn Sunset Belinda’s Dream Blush Noisette Bonica Borderer Carefree Beauty Carefree Sunshine (3) Christopher Marlowe Chrysler Imperial Cinderella Cinnamon Twist (Standard/Tree Rose) Climbing Pinkie Country Dancer Cramoisi Supérieur Don Juan Double Delight Ducher Duchesse de Brabant Faith Whittlesey Fellenberg Frances Drubeuil Général Galliéni Granada Green Ice Gruss An Achen Gruss An Achen--Pink Hawkeye Belle Honey Bouquet Hot Cocoa (2) Julia child (2) Knock Out (3) La Marne Lady Hillingdon Lafter Lillian Austin Madison Margo Koster Marie Pavie Mothersday Moulton Noisette Mutabilis Mystic Beauty (2) Old Gay Hill Papi Delbard Penelope Pink Knock Out Playboy Quietness Scepter'D Isle Sea Foam Sophy’s Rose Uncle Joe (a.k.a Toro) Weeping China Doll Westerland White Dawn
Total Roses = 63 on .18 acres!!!
_______________________________________________________________ Roses that didn’t make the cut (I shovel pruned them): Altissimo: too big for the space I had for him Daybreaker: Had RMV when I purchased it and it faltered immediately Spanish Rhapsody: Didn’t love the blooms, some disease and defoliation The Fairy: a heart breaking loss to rose gall. This was a beautiful standard rose, I cried when I had to remove it for crown gall. __________________________________________________________________
I hope to show others that a small lot size should not contain a gardeners enthusiasm! I also hope that I can discharge the myth that roses are hard to grow and maintain. I choose my roses carefully, fertilize with 10-10-10 in spring and then just water. You don't have to fuss with chemicals to grow beautiful roses!
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple ... that's creativity. - Charles Mingus
 
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