I am a modern gardener—at least sometimes—but I still have a soft spot for old-fashioned printed garden catalogs. Fat ones used to flood my mailbox beginning just after the winter holidays. Now, with the rise in e-commerce, thin ones begin to flood the mailbox in December. I welcome them all the same.
I am not the only one looking to the past for inspiration. The latest Jackson and Perkins catalog does the same, heralding the “J&P Library of Roses,” which is billed as a place “where meaningful roses live on.” The catalog also contains listings for “J&P Vault Roses”—older varieties from the company’s “breeding archives,” including thumbnail biographies of storied rose breeders.
J&P’s adventures in categorization, evocative subheadings, and historical references are interesting, but what are they all about? Reintroducing consumers to an American rose breeding and merchandising pioneer. The cover of the catalog says it all, showcasing a brand-new rose, ‘Ruffled Romance’ that has the look of an old-fashioned rose. The cover also bears a round stamp emblazoned with the “Exclusive J&P Collection” logo. An inspired evocation of the old, the new, and the special, all on one sheet of paper.
I am easily seduced by such things, but am a savvy enough rose buyer to know that not all glittery roses are gold. If you have limited space and a limited budget, it pays to do a little research and find out which roses are worth the investment. I am sure that there are AI tools that can do the whole job, and possibly produce superior results, but I think starting with a bit of content knowledge is never a bad thing.
First, figure out what you want your rose to look like and what function it will fulfill. Do you want long-stemmed beauties with plump buds and big flowers? Go for a traditional hybrid tea type like the red ‘Mr. Lincoln.’ Shrub roses, like the hybrid musk, ‘Buff Beauty,’ feature clusters of smaller flowers that may last longer on the shrub than in the vase. Floribundas have some of the best features of both hybrid teas and shrub roses, with relatively large flowers borne in clusters atop longer stems. Groundcover roses are meant to be used as landscape or hedging shrubs, covering the earth rather than taking star turns in indoor arrangements. Patio roses, miniature roses and tree roses are generally meant for special situations, small spaces, or container culture.
But rose type is only one factor in rose selection. This is where a bit of close inspection helps. Let’s look at a tried-and-true favorite hybrid tea rose, ‘Double Delight,’ which is a red and white with strong fragrance. A good catalog listing will tell you its registration name, which is ‘ANDeli.’ A check of the invaluable rose resource, www.helpmefind.com/roses reveals that the “AN” stands for Armstrong Nursery, the now-defunct California rose nursery that introduced the rose in the United States in 1977. “Deli,” of course, is short for ‘Double Delight.”
The first part of a rose’s registration name is that of either the breeding or introducing nursery. “Jac” stands for Jackson & Perkins, “AUS” indicates David Austin Roses, and “KOR” represents the great German rose house, Kordes. There are many more.
The fact that ’Double Delight’ is still in commerce 49 years after its introduction is a good sign of its value as a garden plant. The same website will tell the rose’s parentage. ‘Double Delight’ is a cross between ‘Grenada,’ a rose introduced in 1963, and ‘Garden Party’, introduced in 1959. Both are bi-colored hybrid tea roses, and both are still commercially available. Strong parents and a good breeder add up to a good garden rose.
You can look up member ratings and comments on helpmefind/roses, and those can offer some guidance as well. Other internet information sources may provide additional insights, but not all are authoritative. The American Rose Society’s website, https://rose.org also has lots of information, searchable by typing the name of the rose variety into the search box at the top of the homepage.
Once you have chosen a good rose, buy and plant it at the right time. Online/mail order vendors sometimes offer bareroot roses in the spring for early planting. This is a great time to buy a rose and you are likely to get strong stock at a good price. Nurseries are more likely to offer potted specimens in the spring. Prices are always higher for these, as the plants are likely to be older, in bud or in bloom, and displayed in containers. If you buy at a nursery, make sure the rose has been well cared for and looks healthy. If you buy later in the season, you may be able to get a bargain at a good nursery that provides ongoing care for its plants. Big box stores and discounters are less likely to do so. Early fall is also a good time to buy and plant roses, but selections may be more limited.
Roses have been in fashion for centuries and will continue for centuries to come. Go out and buy one—or at least make a wish list. Despite all the dire warnings and instructions, roses are not hard to grow if you have a sunny space and pay attention. It helps to start with a good variety, and with rose information so easy to come by, it is a snap to find one.