SAN JOSE HERITAGE ROSE GARDEN

The Latest from the Heritage!

This page is updated from time to time to let you know what's up in the garden. 

Mel Hulse, Garden Maintenance Director

Garden Report, Year End 2003

Wild swings in the weather marked 2003.  As this is being written, cold days and rain prevail.  More roses than usual are into dormancy.  With luck, we’ll get a great spring bloom.  From the hot summer on, disease this season has been minimal.  Little mildew and rust and essentially no black spot.  No new canker, thank goodness.  Aphids have been almost non existent.

The fall flush this year was quite nice with great bloom from our Hybrid Perpetuals, Bourbons and Portlands.  The peak turned out to be the third week in October.  Amazingly, several Eglanterias were still blooming in October!

Vandalism.  Fortunately, after being apprehended by the police and released, the vandal that damaged garden structures, quit.  We are finished with replacing the 50 climber supporting tree poles he broke off.  In the process, we further pruned most of the climbers involved.  Thanks to Marianne and Joe Sugg and Gordon Briggs who donated serious $$$ to a Santa Clara University crew team fund raiser to “buy” 2 hours of 5 BIG fellows who planted about 40 tree pole climber supports!  

Unfortunately, we suffered more vandalism in December.  Someone cut through our toolshed chain link fence and cut the lock hasp on the toolshed door.  They got away with 49 pruners, 12 loppers and assorted other tools.  The City, Friends of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens and Vintage Gardens in Sebastapol are helping making up the $2,000 loss.

Pruning.  We began winter pruning in early November with the Teas and Chinas.  Winter pruning will continue through February.  Your help is needed.  Some of the work is not much different from deadheading.  Even one session of your help would be appreciated.

Our free Rose Pruning Clinics begin Wednesday, January 7th and will be held each Wednesday and Saturday through February 14th.  We have loaner tools if you need them.  Be there for 3 hours promptly at 9am.  After 9:15, we can’t handle late comers.

Award of Excellence Miniature Standards.  This program has really gotten underway since we mentioned it in the last report.  Sequoia Nursery who is supporting us budded 2’ standards from the AoE miniature varieties they had and from 17 sets of budwood we have in the Heritage.  We should be seeing most early next year!  Sequoia reports they have 55 takes already and expect more.

Interim Propagation Facility. .  This 1000 sq. ft. fenced facility will provide space and controlled irrigation for growing out over 225 potted roses, a soil bin for potting soil and a large potting bench.     The City task force has made their selection and a more detailed plan was presented to them which they tentatively accepted pending assurance that we have the cash to proceed.   Detailed design and costing are in progress.   Donations to build the facility are now up to $7,535!  I hope we complete construction in March so that we will be ready to grow out roses this season.

Workdays.   Workdays are Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9-12.   Bring a hat, bypass shears and leather gloves if you have them. We'll show you how!   Its snack & yack time in the Garden center on Wednesdays after the work session. Stone soup time is the first Wednesday of each winter month. Bring a vegetable! But, most of all COME and work in the roses.

Catalog. Our year 2003 catalog is available at the Garden Center for a $12 donation and by mail for $15. E-mail oldroser@gmail.com for details.

Peak Bloom. There is always bloom to see at The Heritage. The first big show of the year is at the end of March when the old China and Tea roses produce a glorious bloom. The peak Spring modern rose flush is the end of April. Old Garden Roses peak about two weeks later and Polyanthas and Miniatures, a week after that. The peak Fall flush is mid-October.

Garden Center Staffing. There is someone at the Garden Center from 9am-4pm, Monday - Friday. You can call with questions about the Heritage and other elements of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens. Phone: 408-298-7657. If you get the answering machine, staff is probably out in the garden. Leave a message including your interest and they will return your call ASAP. To contact staff, check. http://www.grpg.org/ContactUs.htm

Mel Hulse, December 28, 2003

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Links to past status pages:

Late Summer 2003

Winter's End 2003

Late Fall 2002

Fall 2002

Summer 2002

Spring 2002

Winter 2002

Early Fall 2001

Spring 2001

Winter 2001

Late Fall 2000

Fall 2000

Spring 2000

Late Winter 2000

Early Winter 2000

Fall 1999 Status

June 1999 Status:

October 1998 Status:

September 1998 Status:

June 1998 Status

May 1998 Status:

April 1998 Status:

March 1998 Status:

This page was last updated on 02/27/06.

Address comments to Mel Hulse