Hi fellow and budding rose growers! Welcome to my page about Rose How!
I’m Michael.
I’ve always been more of an occasional gardener, I’d get interested in planting things from time to time but never really stayed the course.
So I’ve dabbled with planting flowers and gardening on and off for some years. But my passion for roses was sparked a few years ago after visiting a dedicated community rose garden in England.
I was stunned by the array of colors and aromas that hit me. I was mesmerized …and hooked! But like many, I still thought roses were pretty hard to grow successfully.
And while I could only dream of having such a grand design. It certainly started me down the road of exploring roses …to select, plant and nurture – as best as I could.
In particular, I only have a small yard area, so I have to be particular about how I plan and add roses to my space.
So no more dabbling, growing roses is now a growing interest of mine, I’m learning all the time. And I’ve since become a member of the American Rose Society, my passion for growing roses just seems to get stronger the more I learn!
So much so, that I have been asked by family, friends, and local gardeners questions about roses and looking for advice.
I thought it would be hard to grow roses and was expecting a lot of frustration, but in fact, growing roses is easier than many people think.
Sure, they’re probably more high maintenance than your geraniums. And I’ve been through a fair learning curve on my journey. But they are stunning and worth the extra effort.
As I was asked more and more questions, I decided it might be a good idea to document my learning and progress.
Where to start…
If you’re new to rose growing or looking to start a rose bed, then as a place to start, I’d recommend looking first at the various categories of roses, then moving on to the types of roses – which dives a little deeper into each kind.
See how each type fits into your yard or garden …or the amount of work you want to put in.
Look at areas such as soil type, shade, and sun (and your zone) and then look at which supporting companion plants you should add depending on what you want. i.e. more pollinators, deterring pests, border plants, color palette, etc.
I’m in the process of testing different treatments, and some super products so I can give you my take on how to make this all a bit easier for you.
So Rosehow.com represents my take, my learnings, and my help for anyone looking to grow, be proud of, and harvest roses.
I hope you find it useful!
Michael.