2006 – A Good Year For Roses!

Since today is the last day of the year, I thought that I'd share a few thoughts on the previous gardening year.  Overall it was quite good!  Most of the roses did very well.  My only real disappointment was that the newly planted Abraham Darby failed to produce any blossoms.  I think it's location may be too shaded for most of the day even though I try to keep the neighbors away from it.  Come spring, I'll try to find a new location for it.  After the excitement with the new rose standards, it was a pleasure to see them become established and provide us with lots of gorgeous blooms.  And, I've learned that the location plays a big part in how well they do; the difference between the Double Delight standards on the north side and the south side was amazing!  The previously planted Showbiz turns out to be a weak grower (at least in my garden) and chary with blossoms and I will remove it in the spring and replace it with, I think, another Old Garden Rose to complement Louise Odier which is at the other end of the same bed.  Now, I just have to decide which.  Perhaps Mme. Isaac Pereire … it's supposed to be deliciously fragrant which makes it wonderful for me!  I suppose I should mention that it's once again supposed to his 50 F today and that the long range forecast seems to indicate that we appear to have the year without a winter.  Several of the roses have buds that are still trying to open which, here in central New Jersey, is extraordinary!  Several of the other roses have put out new growth, fooled into thinking that this is spring!  For that matter, daylilies and bulbs have been fooled as well — I have hyacinths and daffodils sticking their heads up out of the ground!  2006 was a good year for roses but it has turned out to be a very strange year as well.  Happy New Year!