6 Top Roses at Berkeley Rose Garden and Winter Rose Pruning!

Now you may be wondering, WHY, in the middle of January, I decided to write a post about “favorite roses at the Berkeley Rose Garden” but there is a reason- the main one being, January, is key time for annual rose pruning if you live in a mild Mediterranean climate.

The point of this short post is to inspire you to tackle your winter rose pruning, NOW! 

And, hopefully before you head out,  you’ll get inspired by reading about my six favorite, awesome roses from this past spring’s visit to the infamous “Berkeley Rose Garden,” located in Berkeley, California. After that, we’ve included our links to past rose pruning  articles and a video. Hope you’ll find them helpful.

OKAY, let’s see these favorite roses, shall we?!

Favorite Roses at Berkeley Rose Garden

BTW…The visit and photos are from May 23, 2018.

My favorites:

1. Lavander Lassie

Lavender Lassie – Hybrid musk . Zones: 6 +.
Hybrid musks tolerate more shade than most roses. Medium pink flowers are fragrant producing semi-double flowers which occur in large clusters. Mature size: 5′ tall x 8′ wide. Ideal size for training up a wall, arch, or trellis. Also makes an excellent shrub rose growing more upright than other musks. Blooms: spring to autumn.

2. Windermere

Windermere – Shrub rose. Zones: 5 – 10.
The blooms start as perfectly rounded buds, opening to full, cupped flowers that are rich cream at first, fading to almost pure white in the sun.

3. Apricot Nectar

Apricot Nectar.  Floribunda & Grandiflora. Zones: 6 -10
Small sprays of large, apricot-yellow flowers of almost Tea Rose form and delicacy. Fragrant. Vigorous growth. Boerner, 1965. Flowers which have a very unique warm apricot color and which last an incredibly long time in a bouquet, filling the room with their wonderful aroma. Floribunda Rose Apricot Nectar has large, stunning, pale apricot blooms with a strong fragrance. A healthy growth habit and unusual colouring for a floribunda rose makes this rose a worthy addition to your garden.
Floribunda roses provide a colourful display from late spring to late autumn, and will often spot flower even in winter. Medium bushes producing clusters of flowers that open continuously from small buds ensure that there are nearly always some flowers evident. Floribunda roses are hardy, vigorous, long (repeat) flowering and disease resistant making them ideal plants to have in large pots or as hedges or borders.

4. Escapade

Escapade – Floribunda. Zones:
Repeat Flowering. Garden Merit Award
Large trusses of single, pale magenta-lilac flowers borne on a strong, tall growing plant.
ESCAPADE FloribundaSingle, rosy-violet flowers with a hint of pink. Light-medium, sweet musk scent. Free-flowering. Harkness, 1967.

5. Gertrude Jeckyll

Gertrude Jeckyll – Shrub rose. David Austin English Rose.  Zones: 4 -8
Fragrance: Strong; intensely fragrant. Beautiful, rich pink rosettes (4.5″ across) with fully double blooms. These occur in clusters on arching canes. Another excellent choice for training up a low structure. Disease resistance: good. Mature size: 4 –  8′ tall x 4 – 6′ wide. Blooms: spring to frost. Leathery, dark green foliage.

6. Sally Holmes

Sally Holmes – Climbing Rose.  Zones 5-9.
Large, creamy white flowers, almost single, held in large bunches, producing dramatic clusters. This is a free-flowering rose that is nearly always in bloom. It can also be grown as a tall shrub or as a climber. Tolerances: adaptable to temperature extremes, like heat; quite resistant to pests and disease. It is nearly thornless, making it a good choice on arbors and pergolas where guests may brush against its canes. Flushed with apricot in the spring, the blooms are at their whitest and brightest in the summer before acquiring a rosy-pink tint late in the season. What a sight they are on the garden floor as they fall, creating a rich pool of color!
‘Sally Holmes’ thrives in well-drained soil and full sun, but is tolerant of some shade. Dramatic in clusters, it produces beautiful, highlighted single flowers on side branches.

Get Ready to Winter Rose Prune and Train:

NOTE: In colder climates – pruning is done a few months later, like March/April. Either way, same rules and techniques apply.

Before you head outside to prune, read this helpful post, How to Winter Prune Roses.

How to prune climbing roses and defoliate for better disease resistance? Watch video here.

And for pruning shears and gloves we’re passionate about, take a look at best pruning shears for the money and 2-excellent rose pruning gloves.

How about you? It’s January, 2019, let us know what the status of your roses are. Have you finished pruning and put your roses to bed (so to speak for the winter); or, are you getting ready to do so soon? Love to hear you successes or challenges!

Happy Gardening & New Year!

~Nicole and Judy
Passionategardeners.com