My Hardy Roses, Morden, Pavement and Explorer Roses

Try planting hardy roses like Pavement, Morden or the Explorer Series. Exceptionally beautiful flowers and easy care.

I really love every rose variety, but living on the prairies and in a Zone 3, I plant the hardy shrubs like the Parkland Series or the Explorer Series.

This year I'm taking the chance and I have planted a Flower Carpet Rose, Amber (Zone 4). Go to My Carpet Roses and see this groundcover rose as well as the Scarlet Flower Carpet Rose. The image above is the Amber from my garden.

Explorer Series

Very hardy with exceptional flowering habits. All are named after famous (and not so famous!) Canadian explorers. They were originally developed at the Ottawa research station, with new varieties being introduced from the research station in l'Assomption PQ. Although many say that the Explorer shrubs need no winter protection, I still cover mine.

I planted the following Explorer Shrubs:

JP Connel

William Baffin Climbing

The first image below is the William Baffin Climbing Shrub taken from my garden September 1, 2009. The second image is dated June 27, 2010.

The Canadian Artists Series

I came across the Felix Leclerc Climbing Rose at a garden center clear-out. Nowhere on the tag did it indicate climbing, however the shrub is still quite small so I believe that I will transplant this climber in the fall and allow it to grow up one side of my new back arbor.

This new series has 2 rose varieties. One being the Felix and the other being the Emily Carr. The Felix is a deep pink, while the Emily is a deep red. The Artist Series is being developed by a group of Canadian rose growers. Both roses are a zone 3, which makes them hardy for our cold northern winters.

The Parkland Series

Another exceptional series of hardy Canadian roses, developed by the Morden Research Station in southern Manitoba. All are very very hardy and have exceptional blooms.

The Morden Research Station is about 2 hours south of Winnipeg, my home town, ergo if its created in Morden you know that it will survive our Zone 3 winters.

I planted the following Morden Parkland Series:

Morden Blush

Morden Fireglow

Morden Sunrise

Morden Centennial

Winnipeg Parks Rose

The image above is the Hardy Morden Centennial taken from my garden September 1, 2009.

The Foxi Pavement from my garden July 8, 2009

Purple Pavement Rose from my garden July 8, 2009

The Pavement Series are very hardy, low-growing that are perfect to place along the edge of a walkway, or where you need a smaller bush.

They are also very salt tolerant, making them great for along side a driveway, hence the name Pavement.

They can also be used in planters, but make sure to protect "planter" roses very carefully in the winter.

I planted the following Pavement shrubs in late 2008:

Foxi Pavement

Purple Pavement

Planting My Hardy Shrub Roses

1. I choose a site that is well drained and that will receive at least 6 hours of sun daily. Shady spots will not do. Your roses will not have the desired blooms.

2. I dig a hole at least 10" larger than the side of the container. This allows for room to grow and drainage.

3. I seldom plant bare root. I always purchase my roses in containers and with buds formed. I prefer to purchase mature plants. I check for the healthiest plants (making sure aphids haven't housed themselves on the leaves underside), then carefully remove from the container.

4. I make sure that I have amended the soil with bone meal, compost, peat moss and a little bit of aged manure. Place rose in hole and make sure that the bud union of the rose is below ground level (2" to 4"). This is especially important in my Zone 3. I step/press firmly around my rose to make sure that there are no air pockets. Thereafter make a small well in the ground around the rose bush perimeter to catch the water. Keep your newly planted rose bushes well watered.

5. For the first winter make sure that you mulch (wood chips) around the rose to keep the root temperature consistent. Thawing and freezing can kill any rose bush.

6. Allow a good amount of space between your roses or other plants. At least 2 to 3 feet distance between the shrubs.

Since I love to deadhead, I check the leaves often and usually catch any of the 'bugs' that want to call my shrubs home. If I do need to spray, I use insecticidal soap and my hose.

Good recipe for rose soil...remember to add:

• peat moss
• manure
• bonemeal
• epsom salts (just a tsp.)
• compost

Thereafter fertilize monthly with a 20-20-20 fertilizer until mid August. Stop deadheading at the end of August, beginning of September to allow the bushes to prepare themselves for winter. Let the rose hips develop.

Another good fertilizer is SmartCote Rose Food 14-12-12 slow release.Works for 4 months.

Pruning My Shrub Roses

I will admit I was once very intimated at the thought of pruning my shrub roses. Today, after 15+ years, I know that in order to keep them healthy I must ensure that the soil is well prepared (fed), fertilize regularly and clean out the center deadwood (making sure the the center can breathe).

I will also admit that I do check (lightly prune) my shrubs prior to covering them for the winter snow. Because our area usually gets a brief thaw in January, I do clean up the fallen rose leaves. Otherwise, fallen leaves and wet snow soil is a recipe for a mushy, mold disaster.

Pruning TIP:

• Use clean, sharp rose clippers
• Always cut on a 45 degree angle

In the spring and after I have removed the winter covers, I check and remove all dead, damaged or thin canes (you can tell if the cane cannot support a bloom). I also check for 'sucker' canes (which come up from the roots and not the bud union). When cutting the suckers, I make sure to cut right at the root by removing the dirt around the base of the shrub.

I was once told that a shrub rose should not be pruned in its first year or two, but there are times when an unruly cane must be cut to shape. An old adage worth repeating: leave a rose shrub alone for the first 2 years, then prune off 1/3 of the old canes.

In the spring if there is a dead/damaged portion of the cane above a swelling (leaf) bud, I will prune off the section leaving (hopefully) 1/4" inch above the bud.

DID YOU KNOW...

Did you know that 'deadheading' roses is a form of pruning? In order to encourage blooming on my shrub roses I prune off the spent blooms to just above the first five leaf cluster from the spent bloom.

Did you know that the 'heavier' pruned shrub roses produce fewer but bigger blooms and the 'lighter' pruned shrub roses produce more blooms but smaller?

Did you know that whatever the length is of the new top growth, the same growth happens underground to the roots?

Did you also know that there really isn't an exact science to pruning a shrub rose? Light or heavy pruning never killed a shrub rose. If you do make a mistake, there's always the next year!

Remember to Stop and Smell the Roses.

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