| Roses grow well here (over 40% of all the rose shrubs sold for resale are grown in the West Valley), but they do require fairly high maintenance, including water, mulching, fertilizing and pruning. They don't look great in the summer, but will usually pull through. The best time to plant bareroot roses is Dec-Jan-Feb so they have time to develop roots before the heat. Also, Old Garden or Heritage roses do extremely well, and take less maintenance. There is a Heritage Rose Demonstration Garden at the Cooperative Extension office, 4341 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, open 7 days during daylight hours, no charge to wander around. An excellent resource that describes how to care for them and has a chart with varieties that thrive here is Desert Landscaping for Beginners, Arizona Master Gardener Press, 2001, ISBN 0-9651987-3-1. |
