Rosy Resources

My annual excursion to the Columbus Rose Festival (June 13 & 14 this year) is one of the ways I decide which roses to grow in my own garden. Although the Whetstone Park of Roses is more sheltered than my own windswept property, there I see roses that are reasonably hardy and get an idea of their general appearance. I decided to try Fourth of July, pictured above, after discovering it at the festival one year.
Fourth of July was an All-America Rose Selection in 1999, the first time a climbing rose garnered the award in 23 years. You won't wonder why when you see a row of trellises covered with them at the festival. The sight dazzles the senses: firecracker blossoms in sprays from top to bottom of the 8-foot canes, healthy green foliage, and sweet rose fragrance, too.
If you're looking for an excellent resource to assist in choosing roses for your garden, check out the All-America Rose Selections web site, www.rose.org. Make an early summer visit to the nearest public rose garden, too. There's no more heavenly sight than a park filled with hundreds of roses in bloom. Fourth of July rose photo by JulenaJo.

Addendum: After my husband, the Gourd King, read the above post he informed me that the Columbus Rose Festival may be canceled this year due to lack of funds. Apparently, an article in the Columbus Dispatch said the festival lost money every year. If that's so, I can understand why they have to end it. If the city can't keep the garden going, however, it would be a great loss to gardeners and rosarians all over the state. It's just another indication of the miserable condition of our economy right now--the Gourd King's company is laying off workers, and the Library is faced with a budget cut, too. We see no end in sight, and it's alarming.