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Breeding roses is a careful, hands-on process. It starts when the breeder picks two parent roses—one to give pollen (the father) and one to grow the seed (the mother). The breeder removes the petals from a mother rose so the center is easy to reach. Next, the breeder takes pollenContinue Reading

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Picking the right rose parents is one of the most important parts of rose breeding. Not every rose makes a good parent. Some roses may look pretty but pass along weak or tricky traits. Others might be strong but don’t share their best features easily. A great parent rose hasContinue Reading

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Genetics is the science of how living things pass traits to their children. Roses, like people, get their looks, scent, and strength from their parents. These traits come from tiny parts inside the plant called genes. Genes tell each part of the rose how to grow. Genes are found inContinue Reading

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Have you ever wished for a true blue rose? Roses come in red, pink, yellow, white, and even orange—but there’s one color they just don’t grow in naturally, and that’s blue. For hundreds of years, people have tried to create a real blue rose, but it’s one of the trickiestContinue Reading

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December is a great month to stay cozy indoors with a good book—and that includes learning more about roses! Even though your garden is quiet outside, you can still enjoy roses by reading about them. Books are a fun way to explore new rose ideas and get ready for nextContinue Reading

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In the wintertime, your roses look like they’re doing nothing. The leaves are gone, the flowers have faded, and all that’s left are bare stems. But even though your roses seem quiet, they are doing something very important—they are resting. This time of rest is called dormancy. Dormancy is likeContinue Reading

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Winter is here, and your roses need a little extra care to stay safe through the cold months. Just like people put on jackets and scarves, roses need protection when the temperature drops. Taking the time to winterize your rose garden helps your plants come back strong in the spring.Continue Reading

Pruning Roses in the Spring

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Have you ever wondered why roses have thorns? They’re beautiful flowers, but sometimes you have to be careful not to get poked! Those little spikes are actually called “prickles,” and they serve an important purpose. In nature, roses grow in the wild where animals like deer or rabbits might tryContinue Reading

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Did you know that some rose varieties are disappearing? These are old kinds of roses that people grew many years ago, sometimes over a hundred years in the past. They are often called “heritage” or “heirloom” roses, and many of them are hard to find today. There are a fewContinue Reading

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November is a good time to take cuttings from your roses if you want to grow more plants next year. A cutting is a small piece of a rose stem that can grow into a whole new bush. It’s a fun way to share your favorite roses with friends orContinue Reading