An ARS Master Rosarian Recommends Floribundas

Introducing Charlotte Hundley:

Our friendship with Charlotte Hundley and her husband, Jim goes back to the years before they became American Rose Society Horticulture Judges and even before roses became a major focus in their lives 25 years ago. The Hundley’s have shared their roses (and themselves) with us in so many ways through the years.

Bill, my artist husband, has painted many of the 300 varieties they have grown. (And by the way, he is responsible for the pictures you will see of the Hundley roses.) I recall a time that we had more than 30 varieties waiting in a cool darkened room of our home for Bill to paint. Another time Jim picked up a vase of roses off their dining room table and gave it to Bill to take home and paint. At many of Bill’s major one-man exhibits the exhibit area was filled with the scent of roses thanks to Charlotte’s help and generosity.

I received an email today from another friend who visited the Hundley’s with us recently. He writes that his wife’s “dream is to have a bed (rose bed) like Charlotte’s.”

Charlotte Hundley is an American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian, A Master Rosarian, an ARS Horticulture Judge and a founding member of the Northern Neck Rose Society.

She is one of the most gracious and charming people one could hope to meet. I am delighted that once again she is willing to share her knowledge and her roses for the benefit of others – most especially readers of Tending My Garden.

Charlotte in her rose garden:

Part 1 of 7 Parts

An ARS Master Rosarian recommends Floribundas by Charlotte Hundley

There is a rose that will fit perfectly in almost any perennial bed or garden. They require little care, they’re hardy, disease resistant, add beauty to the landscape, and are unrivaled in their ability to provide massive and long lasting colorful garden displays.

They areFloribundas. Created by crossing roses classified as polyanthas with the popular hybrid teas, they were introduced early in the 20th century.

If you have always thought that roses were too much trouble to grow, try growing Floribundas. These wonderful bushy plants come in a great variety of bloom form and color. They require less attention throughout the growing season than any other roses with the possible exception of modern shrub roses.

For a breath-taking statement in your perennial bed, plant a single variety in a group of 3.

Some years ago when visiting the gardens of the American Rose Society in Shreveport, Louisiana I saw an entire bed planted with Amber Queen. It made an impression I will never forget!

Don’t miss another season! There is still time to plant bareroot roses that have already been established in a pot. Even better, now is a good time to plant roses grown on their own root. A place I like to order is Roses Unlimited of Laurens, South Carolina. To order call 864-682-7673 or go to their website for more information – www.rosesunlimitedownroot.

There are dozens of varieties of Floribundas from which to choose. Over the next few days on Tending My Garden, I will recommend some of my favorites and show pictures of them as they are growing in my garden.

Let’s get started with Iceberg, a pure white rose that is highly rated by the American Rose Society and one of my personal favorites. It comes in 3 forms: the bush, the tree and the climber.

#1 Iceberg Rose Bush