Debra, your rose growing benign neglect method is very interesting. I don't think it would work for me but each garden is different. Fabulous Article by the way!

I am shocked you have so many roses! They're beautiful!

Your roses rock!

Thank you, everyone. I am consistently as shocked as are you, Arlene. But it is working so far and that makes me happy.

I guess that didn't come out right. I didn't really mean shocked, just really surprised to see so many roses, especially when you said you have a small property. They looks absolutely gorgeous! I'm thrilled that you let us in on your style of taking care of them, it would be close to what I would do too, maybe a bit more! I can so relate to looking at the bags of mulch!

Thoroughly enjoyable read with lots of
I can relate on so many levels and attest to the fact that YES you can have beautiful roses and be lazy too.
It's too funny that this article is sandwiched between Rita's regimen and Paul's pointers, here, for rose week--but I'm so glad that it is ! Not at all all meaning to dis on the other articles, which are both chock full of merit and beautiful roses too; mostly trying to say that I, for one, really appreciate the the success stories of those of us who learn the hard way and still insist 'on at least some form of neglect'.
Roses do have a will to live and bloom just like so many other worthy plants--
I hope that others find encouragement to grow some, too.

I feel that the Articles have been well scheduled. Today, for instance, two totally different approaches to growing roses.

Great article. Makes a person actually want to grow roses. I mean, who needs more work?

Growing up in the humid, coastal New England I only 'knew' two rose bushes. One was a yellow rose, a Mother's Day gift from my brother to our mom. He planted it near the back porch and the only care it received was water. Mom cut it back if it got in the way of the laundry on the clothes line. The other rose I knew was a red rose grown on an arbor. It was never sprayed but was lovingly tied to the arbor and pruned once a year by Jane, the woman who first taught me about gardening.

When I need the calm, inspiring beauty of roses I take the lazy way out and visit Savannah Botanical Gardens near my home; even in November there will be some blooms. There are many methods of gardening; thanks for showing us a simpler way, and thanks for a very cheerful, colorful article.

Thank you.

I think Zuzu stagger-scheduled them that way a-purpose to get all the contrasts. Smart woman, that Zuzu.

Greene, that is pretty much the way I got my dose of roses, too. My best friend lives in northern New Jersey. About 15?20? years ago, I got to visit her and she took me to the New York Botanical Garden. Oh, MY, those roses!!!! There was one rugosa that I can still see in my mind just as clearly as the day I stood in front of it. Of course, I can't remember the name of it, but the picture-memory continued to reinforce my determination to have my own roses.

Great article! I share your attitude toward growing roses and mine do fine too.

Thank you.

Loved your article Debra!

Thank you, Margaret.

lovemyhouse said:Thank you.

I think Zuzu stagger-scheduled them that way a-purpose to get all the contrasts. Smart woman, that Zuzu. .

Thanks for thinking I'm smart, but Trish gets all the credit for the scheduling.

I liked the scheduling so far. Looking forward to the rest of the articles. But I think it was particularly interesting to have both Debra's and my articles on the same day. Really points out the differences in ways of growing roses and rose care.

I don't think there is any wrong way as long as your roses do well for you.

I love your humor! and your recommendations.

Thank you, Anna.

So, even after swearing I will NOT add ANY MORE ROSES...I have three new ones, all Kordes: a miniature called Cream Veranda (also sometimes Garden of Roses); a single called Lemon Fizz; and a hybrid tea called Savannah. These are all own-root, smaller than grafted, and fit my yard just fine..or rather they will if I get around to finding a place to plant--two are still in their small pots. Cream Veranda! Wowie, what a bloom! Disappointed with the Lemon Fizz in that the blooms don't last very long on the plant, but I like the blooms and foliage very much. Savannah has not yet bloomed, but I am eager to see it. A grandniece is named Savannah and I have put in a memorial bed in remembrance of her mother, which will have name markers for each of the children, which means I HAD to get this one, didn't I? All the roses have done surprisingly well this year in spite of the continuing drought. Currently more than 9 inches below normal rainfall for the year and well over 30 inches down for the last three years. Will be a true test of endurance, I think. Did break down and buy chemicals--the Pope John Paul II rose has brown rot AGAIN this year. It is the ONE rose on which I spend any extra effort and it has such a lovely flower that I would like to enjoy it unblemished.

Cream Veranda / Lemon Fizz / Pope John Paul II

NOID Miniature Red and White / NOID that has given a decent bloom for the first time in three years / NOID Multi-tone Pink that threw off some peach for the first time

NOID Miniature Lavender / Easy Does It / Opening Night

NOID Red / Monster Pink Climber. Not so monstrous since I cut it back to three feet high, but still throwing off plenty of buds / Sweetness--my niece's nickname and I got it for her kids

Red Drift / Just Joey /Heritage