Welcome 2 Garden

	Creating Bouquets from your Rose Garden by: Will Funk photos by: Gene Sasse
	One advantage of growing your own roses is having a nearly endless supply of fragrant blossoms for household bouquets at the tips of your clippers. Because most florists only sell varieties grown specifically for commercial markets, color, style and especially fragrance choice is frequently limited. By taking advantage of different rose varieties growing in our own garden we can create arrangements that will allow us to bring the personality of our blooming yard indoors. Plant choices You have probably noticed most of the flowers found in flower shops, supermarkets and other locations that sell cut stems of roses have little or no fragrance. Because vase life is prized in most professionally-arranged bouquets, plants are hybridized with this in mind. However, most of these flowers have little of the scent we treasure from roses grown in our own gardens. .
		When designing an arrangement with flowers cut from your own garden you can do so with either an eye for vase life or nose for scent. If you are seeking a long-lasting bouquet Weeks Roses has many varieties that will bring color to the inside of your home for many days. Some outstanding performers include All-America Rose Selections (AARS) winners St. Patrick (a slow-opening, yellow-gold hybrid tea), About Face (with a unique dark orange color on the outside of the petals opening to reveal a golden creamy orange center), Sunset Celebration (showing ever-changing amber hues in large blossoms) and the classic pink Memorial Day (which also has a long-lasting fragrance as well). By growing our own varieties of roses we can also select colors (and combinations) that are difficult to find at florists. Lavender roses like Barbara Streisand or Neptune can be arranged with white roses such as Stainless Steel or Home and Family to create beautiful and unique showpiece for your home. For a list of long-lasting Weeks Roses varieties for cut flowers click here. One of the best benefits of using roses clipped from your own garden is the ability to select fragrant roses. Because you have an ever-repeating crop of roses, longevity is not nearly as important. You can even mix long lasting varieties with fragrant blossoms, replacing the more heavily scented roses as needed.














	Weeks Roses has a large collection of extremely fragrant roses to scent not only your garden but your home as well. Favorites such as Julia Child, Sweet Surrender, Falling in Love and Ebb Tide are just a few of the scented beauties waiting to bring their sweet fragrance into your home. For a list of especially fragrant Weeks Roses varieties click here. Cutting the roses When clipping your rose bushes for bouquets there are two considerations, keeping the plants in your yard happy with new growth and what will best preserve the cut flowers. Fortunately we can meet both of these needs using just a bit of care.
		Stems should be cut in a location that will promote new growth. In general cut just above a stem with five or more leaves (the common location for a bud eye). Make the cut about ¼” above the stem and at a 45 degree angle. Make sure you cut the stem so that it is long enough for the vase or arrangement where it will be placed. You can always clip any excess off the stem later. Try to cut roses for arrangements while the weather is cool. Early in the morning or late in the afternoon works best and provides that buds have ample moisture. If you clip your roses in the heat of the day they will lack the necessary water and will not last as long once in a vase. Using commercially available preservatives will also help extend the longevity of your cut flowers. Most mixtures provide nutrition for the flowers (sugar) and also help to kill bacteria. Another tip many rosarians recommend is placing your freshly cut roses in hot water immediately after clipping. Hot tap water is warm enough. Let the water cool to room temperature naturally. Remove any leaves at the bottom of the stem that will be submerged once the stem is placed in a vase. Make sure to keep containers clean to avoid any contamination from bacteria. Also watch the water level in the vase and top off as needed.








	Rose selection If you are contemplating new roses for your garden and plan on bringing their scented clusters into your home there are several choices you may wish to consider. If the look of classic long stemmed rose is what you seek then select a hybrid tea for your garden. If clusters of blossoms are more your decorating style then floribundas or grandifloras will better suit your needs. By using roses from your own yard unique colors and styles are possible. The sweet spicy scent drifting from the spectacular red and white stripped flowers on Scentimental makes for a stunning showpiece in a home. With her pure red center and yellow reverse on the petals, the long-stemmed beauty of Rosie O’Donnell adds a twist to a classic red bouquet.
	.	Selecting rose colors also allows you to consider the color pallet in your home. Even with a small garden of roses a rainbow of hues can be grown, complementing the décor in several different areas of your home. Remember roses can also be arranged with other flowers from your garden as well (consider planting complementary flowers that will work well in bouquets with your roses). This season bring the beauty and scent of your garden indoors by experimenting with new arrangements in your home. By using clippings from your own roses you have an entire season to practice making beautiful centerpieces to enjoy inside.