With Valentine’s Day
approaching, I thought I would include a little piece of an article that
Rosalinda Morgan wrote for ‘The Charleston Rose’ – which is a publication of
the Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society.
“This month when we celebrate Valentine’s Day,
it is interesting to note that the rose is not only a symbol of love but a
symbol of discretion. Legend has it that Cupid gave a red rose to Harpocrates,
the god of silence, to bribe him to secrecy over the dalliance of Venus and so
the red rose become the symbol of discretion, love, passion and romance. Roses
were henceforth painted on the ceilings of banquet halls to remind all gathered
there that whatever was said there, should not be repeated which became the
expression sub rosa (under the rose). Another legend says that while Aphrodite
was running to the dying Adonis, she was scratched by a rose bush and her blood
falling on the roses turn it red. Other account says that Adonis turned his
blood into red roses.”
I guess the roses painted on
the ceilings of banquet halls was the early roots (pun intended) of the saying,
“what happens in Vegas , stays in Vegas.”
Another mention from “The
Charleston Rose” is that Dr. Malcolm Manners will be at Cypress Gardens
February 22 to give a lecture in the morning at FRUITMANIA GARDEN SCHOOL and
he will give a program in the afternoon on Old Garden Roses at 2 pm. Tickets
for just Dr. Manner’s rose program will be $10 which includes admission to the
Gardens. Call to reserve a seat 843 553-0515 or levans@berkeleycountysc.gov or BUY
tickets on line.
If you are interested in
growing fruit in the Lowcountry, you should mark this date!
I have been going to Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society
meetings for over 20 years. When I started going to the meetings, I had some
hybrid tea roses, but what I learned from the meetings, I quickly applied to
other areas of my yard. Now I have very few roses (ones that I won as door
prizes at the meetings), but the knowledge, enthusiasm, and people keep me
coming back. Oh yeah, and the spring oyster roast (steam) at Bowen’s Island!!
Where I lived at the time I started going to the meetings, I
had terrible clay soil. So in late January or early February, while I was
adding organics to my Roses, I would add organics to all my plants. On these
nice February days it is great to get outside and spread some Flower Bed
Amendment (composted cotton burrs, cattle manure, feather meal, cottonseed
meal, and alfalfa meal) and SeaHume (humate and seaweed) around your plants and
trees.
The pruning techniques for roses are the basic techniques
that can be used on most other plants, fruit trees and trees. Bob and Sandy
Lundberg gave a great seminar and a hands on demonstration of how to prune
roses during the February meeting. They are national award winning exhibitors
with over 400 roses, and we are lucky to have them in our local society. They
drive from Blufton, SC to share their knowledge with us.
Whether you are pruning a rose or a crepe myrtle, start with
the inward growing, crossing and any sick or diseased branches then go from
there…
Time to apply preemerge products to your lawn and beds.
Always read, understand and follow product label. The
product label is a Federal Law.
