When I choose a new rose, I select a cultivar known to be resistant to blackspot disease and then integrate it with other perennials and shrubs. Growing many roses together in a traditional rose bed sets up a monoculture that invites disease — if one gets sick, there’s good opportunity for the pathogen to spread quickly to vulnerable neighbours. Some of my favourites include … [Read more...] about Healthy roses in bloom
Japanese Beetle
How to prevent (ok, reduce) next year’s Japanese beetles
When Japanese beetles discover your garden, it can be frustrating. I stopped counting after dunking more than 300 into soapy water. The beetles enjoy eating the leaves of more than 200 different plants and trees, and in our garden they feast on one particular rose bush and a corkscrew hazel. There seems so little one can do other than stand guard to spy the beetles and then … [Read more...] about How to prevent (ok, reduce) next year’s Japanese beetles
