Drift Roses

The company that has the patent on knock-out roses also has another product that is gaining some interest -- drift roses.

Drift roses are smaller, more of a landscape plant, and they retain their green leaves just about all year.  They bloom from early summer through December.  They are hardy, disease-resistant, and pest resistant.  Their shape allows them to be trimmed into a more rounded shape or let go, they kind of spread out.  Maybe that's where they get the name drift roses?

The blooms are tiny when the buds but open up to a multi-petal display of about an inch in diameter.  They could probably be used here and there in a bouquet as long as the branch does not have to be too long.  They don't need any special treatment before winter's onslaught -- just don't prune them late in the year.  The adage is that if you prune roses too late, the cold that comes will follow the open stem right to the inners of the plant and kill it.

The colors available are peach, red, and pink so far as I can tell.  The peach has a yellowish quality to it.  Drift roses would not make an impact from the street.  They are most effective as a fill-in plant to add greenery and color. 

Locally, Rice Nursery carries them in what seemed to be a fairly small quantity.  I believe maybe Donzell's has them too.  If you travel to Tallmadge, Petitti Gardens carries them, and usually has a half-price sale in around June. 

Perennials are gaining in popularity for a number of reasons.  The biggest one is probably economics.  Annuals only last for the season and as Americans are more affected by the economic downturn, it may seem like a luxury that a family can't afford.  By spending money on perennials, they become an investment in your landscaping efforts.  However, there are some annuals that are just too lovely to ignore, namely the wave petunias.  They are quite a show stopper and the colors are lovely.  Just trim them when they start getting too ungainly, and they will fill out even more.  Dead head the spent petunias and they will multiply even more often.  Because the also lovely impatiens are not going to be in large supply this year due to a mold that has infested the plants at the growers, a nice change might be the petunias.

There is a flower/plant for everyone.  God has given us such a wonderful selection, so much to choose from and enjoy.  Artists and their plants are often a twosome, such as Monet in his famous Giverny gardens.  Van Gogh also painted flora and there are many others.  Couple beautiful flowers and plants and the sound of water and you've created something as close to the Garden of Eden as we will ever find on this earth.

Keep the faith, friends.  And don't despair if you suffer from doubts.  All of the great saints had the same experience at times, even Mother Teresa who was beset by doubts for many years.  We must simply persevere and plow past them and walk with God.  Run the good race and keep your eyes on the prize.