Floribunda Roses

Floribundas are available in a vast array of colours and
styles and can grow as high as 4 feet. They are often grown
for display rather than as a cut flower. Planted as an
elegant landscape bush, they can produce abundant colour
for many seasons.

Floribunda roses are some of the most amazing out there
because of the large, dense amounts of buds that are
produced. These roses will have simultaneously occurring
blooms in each truss. They are less perfect looking roses
but are so dense in their production that they can truly
make a statement in virtually any landscape especially when
planted together.

Floribunda roses first became popular in the middle of the
20th century. They resulted from crosses between hybrid
teas and polyanthas, to create roses that bloomed with the
polyantha profusion, but with hybrid tea floral beauty and
color range. In 1909, the first polyantha/hybrid tea cross,
'Gruss an Aachen,' was created, with characteristics midway
between both parent classes.

Their profuse,nonstop blooming over relatively compact,
dense-leaved plants and their general ease of care make
floribundas truly all-purpose roses. They are ideal for
both beds and edging. They are best planted in groups of
three or more and produce a stunning effect in mass
plantings.

Floribundas are considered particularly easy to grow and
are quite hardy, but they do require some winter protection
in cold regions.Floribunda roses can be planted in any open
but not vulnerable location. They enjoy the sun and
varieties are available for different amounts of sunlight
as well. They can and should be planted as bare roots from
the months of November to March in most climates. Remove
faded flowers to ensure continual bloom.

Trim those roots before you plant them, make sure to prune
back the roots to allow for new root growth to take place.
This can make a large difference in the quality of these
roses.Feed them when they begin to grow in the spring,
you'll want to feed them with a rose fertilizer that can be
commonly found. Do this monthly until the end of the summer
months.

Simple step by step planting guide

First pick a good site must have good drainage and 4-5
hours of sun.Do not crowd your rose with other trees and
plants. Some roses, such as climbers and shrubs, don't mind
company, but most like to mix with other roses or other
non-invasive plants.

Dig a hole, slightly larger than the pot size or root
system of your rose bush.If you're replacing an older rose
bush, it is important to remove an 18 cubic inch area of
soil and replace it with fresh soil. A newly planted rose
doesn't like to grow in the same soil that an older rose
bush has been in.

Add a small handful of bonemeal to the planting hole. Spade
in some compost or peatmoss to loosen the soil. Mix the
soil you took out of the hole with more compost or peat
moss.

Remove the rose from the pot carefully place in the hole
and shovel the extra soil around the new plant. Plant the
rose with the crown slightly deeper than the original soil.
The crown or bud union should be about 1 inch under the
soil.

Some of the varieties of floribunda rose available,Rosa
Amber Queen,Rosa Aurthur Bell,Rosa Chinatown,Rosa
Dearest,Rosa Fellowship,Rosa Happy Anniversary,Rosa
Honeymoon,Rosa Iceburg,Rosa Korresia,Rosa Many Happy
Returns and Rosa Margret Merril.

There are so many more varieties available to be listed
here.


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How To Garden In The Spring

Gardening in the spring is the next best time to garden
behind the fall.  The increased rainfall and temperatures
provide a perfect setting for plants and their roots.  Well
established roots will help your plants fight off the
damage droughts and insects throughout the year.  Although
not as good as planting in the fall, spring planting is
still a very successful time to build a garden.

Each plant has specific needs to be considered prior to
planting.  Certain plants require direct sunlight, shade,
frequent watering, certain soil types, and drainage.  A
soil test can be done to understand the existing
conditions.  This test will reveal the nutrient level, pH
level and soil texture.  Without this information you could
be wasting your time and money planting less tolerant and
needy plants.  Unfortunately, these often tend to be the
more exotic and attractive plants.

The next step would be to plan the grounds of your garden.
Popular items to include are garden bridges, landscape
rocks, and koi ponds.  Garden bridges completely enrich
your environment and require very little maintenance.  Koi
ponds on the other hand can require more work and
maintenance but bring another sense of life to your garden.
 Make sure you plan your landscape prior to planting your
spring flowers to ensure your project is completed
properly. After you complete your site layout you can start
preparing for planting.  Based on your soil tests,
fertilizer can be added to the soil correct whatever is
needed for the plants chosen.  Any changes to the soil
should be mixed in well and as deep as possible to make
sure the plant is able to take advantage of the adjustment
as deep as it roots go.

You will want to dig the wholes for each plant in a
oversized funnel shape.  You will want to loosen the roots
from the existing soil in the planter and place the plant
in the hole.  Release the plant from any basket or wiring
prior to planting.  Breaking the roots from the extended
sides can stimulate the plant and allow it to grow larger
within the hole.  Mix in the soil in with the freed roots.
Make sure the plants face is showing it's best side if it
is visible and be sure it is planted straight.  Do not pack
the soil down to hard to allow the roots to expand easily.

All that is left is to ensure that the plants are properly
watered and not damaged.  Following the steps listed above
you can expect to enjoy your garden year after year.


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Bring your garden to life with a garden pond

A garden pond adds new dimensions to any garden. As well as
providing a tranquil spot to sit and relax on a hot
summer's day, it attracts a whole range of wildlife to your
garden such as frogs, newts, and water birds and almost
inevitably gives you a mini nature reserve. It also opens
up new plant growing opportunities both in the water and at
its edges.

Choosing the right location, shape and size of garden pond.

An ideal spot for a garden pond is in an open area with
plenty of sunshine, but not too exposed to the wind and it
is best not to locate it directly under trees to avoid
accumulating soggy leaf mould every autumn.  You should aim
for as large a size as you can manage and the location will
comfortably support, as larger ponds will gave a greater
impact and are easier to clean and maintain than smaller
ponds and are less prone to green water. The shape should
be gently curving to blend with the environment and it is
best to avoid narrow necks of water if possible. The ideal
depth for a garden pond is around 2 feet deep, any
shallower and it will be prone to drying in the summer and
if much deeper it will accumulate mud in its base.

What lining material to use

Flexible liners are generally the best materials to use and
are usually made of either butyl or PVC. If  working to a
lower budget then polythene can be used but this is thinner
and generally won't last longer than 3 years before it
needs to be replaced.

Preparing the hole

You should mark out the area to be excavated with a trail
of sand or an old hosepipe and the best months for pond
making are April and May, so you should start digging
around March. The hole should be dug to a depth of about 3
feet at its lowest point and be prepared to dispose of a
large amount of earth from the dig! If you want marginal
plants it is a good idea to leave a shelf around the border
and the sides of the hole should slope upwards at about 45
degrees. It is also advisable to protect the liner with a
layer of fibreglass matting or sand in the base of the hole.

Laying the liner and filling the pond

Make sure the liner is large enough and then stretch it
over the hole and hold the edges down with some heavy
stones and check that it overlaps an even amount all around
the pond and even out any wrinkles. Now you can start to
fill it with water. Lay a hosepipe on the liner and run the
water in, this will push the liner flat against the soil
and again look out for wrinkles and smooth them out. Fill
the hole to the brim.

Edging the pond

Usually the best way to edge a pond is by laying flagstones
and tucking the liner under them, they should be laid so
that they overlap the edge by about 2 inches. These should
be laid carefully to get a level finish and should be
bedded with fine soil or sand. It is best to avoid
concreting them in or repairs can be difficult. Now it's
time to stand back and admire your new pond but a little
patience is required as it requires about 2 weeks to bed
down and for undesirable chemicals in the water to disperse.

Then it is time to start planning to decorate it with water
plants of your choice and for you local wildlife to
discover it and hopefully take it up as their new residence.

It should always be borne in mind that open water can
present a dangerous hazard to young children and this
should be considered before making a garden pond.

In a future article I will discuss the range of plants now
at your disposal and some of the fish wildlife that you may
wish to introduce.


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John McGuire is an active gardener and manages his own
smallholding with extensive gardens and keeps a range of
farm animals. He is also an internet marketer and runs his
own gardening information and products website.
http://www.TheGardenLovers.com