Have you lost several of your blooming plants from this harsh winter? With the extreme thaw and freezes we had here in Wisconsin, several plants were lost, including roses. The rosa rugosa might solve several of your problems. They are old, easy care roses. Native to Russia & Northern China they have withstood harsh winters time and time again. It is also commonly known as the beach rose, as it grows naturalized all along the Eastern Seaboard. Rosa Rugosa spreads & grows quickly into a formidable hedge and is noted for excellent disease resistance and no winter cover is necessary.
Types of Rosa Rugosa
It comes in many colors from white, pink and purple with a strong clove-like fragrance. Some hybridized cultivars are double-flowered such as the Foxy Pavement Rose pictured below at our Garden Center.
They also produce fragrant and usable rose hips. Many uses include jellies, jams, and birds love them in the winter. The rose is hardy from zones 3-9. To learn more visit The Missouri Botanical Garden and also here.
For rose hip tea, here is a great DIY recipe from Eat Weeds UK. This rose hip jelly looks easy to make and this rose hip syrup would be great for a summer cocktail. For a lovely overview of roses in general here is a beautifully photographed post.
Do you love to read about roses and their history? We have found a few great reads to pour over this summer. The Rose Rustlers from Texas A&M, they have a great story about a house eating rose, yes a house! In Search of Lost Roses tells the story about the reemergence of old roses with adventure and lore. You will want a garden of old roses after reading this book. David Austin Old Roses book is a keeper.
The available selection of Rosa Rugosa at our Breezy Hill Garden Center
You can plant rosa rugosa all summer. They are available in containers from garden centers and retail nurseries. Landscape architects and landscape contractors are using these plants more and more. Talk to your landscape architect or maintenance contractor about using these roses instead of other shrubs or groundcover plants.
If you have questions about what will grow best in your yard or specific bloom times of plants, check with our garden center. Give Breezy Hill a call at 262-537-2111 or stop in to see our rosa rugosa options.