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SAN JOSE HERITAGE ROSE GARDEN
Here's What's Going On in the Garden
This page will be updated from time to time to let you know what's up in the garden.
June 1998 Status:
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modern roses peaked on April 30th, Most of the old, once blooming roses and polyanthas
peaked a month later and are still going strong well into early June. This is the first
year that the now mature OGRs have put on a magnificent display. While there is much yet
to see, many of the modern roses are between flushes.
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| The cloudy and rainy weather, nearly unheard of here
in May has fostered strong fungal diseases in our no-spray garden... powdery mildew, black
spot, and rust... the works. One hybrid rugosa, 'Vanguard', has so much rust that merely
walking by causes a golden fog of rust spores! Many roses were nearly completely
defoliated. Still all except a few of those with deadlier botritus, are coming back
nicely. The sun seems to have found us in mid-June, so look for the garden to snap back
quickly By July 4th, the tough winter evidence should be but a memory. From now on, the
individual roses will flush at different times so that the garden will be under constant
change until late fall.
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| Planting. We have accomplished
much of our planting requirement for this year. Another 100+ varieties were planted in May
giving us a total of around 3,400 varieties and 4,400 roses. From now on it gets harder.
With a few exceptions, remaining varieties are either climbers for which we have little
room at present, reserve plants that must await next winter for a plant to be moved into
its correct space and hold plants that require a duplicate in the garden to be removed, a
process now in progress.
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| Climbers.
We are working with the Sacramento, California, Cemetery to place a number of our climbers
on their new fence. This will preserve these varieties until space is made available in
San Jose. This will accommodate approximately 100 varieties in the greenhouse and being
held for us at Vintage Gardens.
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| Collecting. This year's collection activities
will be limited to no more than 250 varieties. Ed Wilkinson is hoping to secure new
varieties from Mike Lowe's in Maine. Jason Derer is collecting some rare old Hybrid Teas
from Bush Pastures in Oregon. We hope to increase our miniature collection by growing a
number of the varieties held by our local Mini Maven, Terry Hart! Remaining efforts will
be directed at regrowing garden varieties endangered by rampant understock suckering. Miniatures. The South Bay Heritage Rose Group and the Guadalupe River
Park and Gardens Corp have voted a total of $1,000 for Miniature Plant Kingdom to
propagate heritage miniatures.
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| Summer Work Days. - Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Deadheading... Always!
Propagation help. We'll show you how to start cuttings and bud roses if you will help us
Additional plant removal and planting
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| Volunteer and Education Coordinator. Two
ladies are splitting the newly created position. This is giving us help in calling folks
to help maintain the garden. Already Laurie Lynch and Judi Henderson are making an impact.
Wednesday work days are preceded by coffee at 8:45am and followed by a garden discussion
half hour at 12. Find out more by calling them at the Garden Center at 408-298-7657.
Especially needed are knowledgeable rosarians that can take supervisory responsibility for
work days.
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Mel Hulse
Garden Maintenance Supervisor
Links to past status pages
May 1998 Status:
April 1998 Status:
March 1998 Status:
This page was last updated on
02/27/06.
Address comments to Mel Hulse
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