THIS WEEK: Left, It's "What's this flower ...?" time again. Center, Kathy Huber retiring? We're so sad! 

Right, just a few of Baxter & Patsy's gorgeous roses.

 

OUR GARDENING HORIZON IS ABOUT TO SIGNIFICANTLY 

CHANGE . . . WHAT'S THIS FLOWER? . . . BAXTER'S ROSE TIPS

BY BRENDA BEUST SMITH

 

For almost three decades, Kathy Huber has been our gardening mentor, guide, educator, advocate and, most importantly, my good friend. 

Even more than that, for almost as long, she edited my Houston Chronicle gardening columns and I relied so heavily on her expertise and absolute thoroughness in every aspect of gardening coverage we tackled.  

Even before that, she was my copy editor on general assignment articles - a wonderful stickler for correct grammar, perfect punctuation, minute fact-checks. We go back a LONG way.

Kathy is retiring. She's earned it!  She was Chronicle Features Copy Desk Chief before becoming, in 1988, the Chronicle's first full-time (and only) Garden Editor. She's a Texas Master Gardener, author of The Texas Flower Garden, a familiar speaker at area gardening events and a member of many local gardening boards.  

I can't even imagine a Houston garden scene without Kathy Huber's input. Hopefully she will re-surface to continue as a gardening advisor in some capacity.

 

Ever wonder what Kathy's own garden looks like? Houston House and Home  magazine did a wonderful article on Kathy last year, with beautiful pictures taken by her husband, in-demand photographer John Everett. Check it out: 

 

    * "A Walk Through A Master's Garden: And A Visit Inside Kathy Huber's Home 

And don't miss her farewell column: "Dear Readers, Thanks for all the memories... " 

A wonderful chance to congratulate Kathy on her retirement is coming up.  Kathy will be the official Ribbon Cutter to open the March 6-8 2015 Azalea Trail. 

This free activity March 6 at 10:30am kicks off this very special Trail, it's 80th birthday, at the Lazy Lane entrance to Bayou Bend, 2940 Lazy Lane. Don't come late, it doesn't take long. 

No ticket is necessary for the free ribbon-cutting ceremony, but it will not include access to Bayou Bend, a perennial stop on the Azalea Trail. But Trail tickets will be available at the ribbon cutting, including Bayou Bend, home of the late Miss Ima Hogg, famed philanthropist who created a museum that now houses one of the nation's finest collections of American antiques, along with 18 acres of organically-maintained, Southern-influenced gardens. It was Miss Ima who introduced azaleas to Houston.

At one stop on the Trail, however, admission is free all three days: the River Oaks Garden Club's Forum of Civics, 2503 Westheimer at Kirby, where numerous also-free activities are planned, including:

     * "Ask The Experts" - bring your gardening questions. 

     *  A "Flower Shop" where flowers will be available for sale. 

     * A 2 p.m. flower arranging demonstration by award-winning ROGC members

     * A spotlight on the Sundial Garden, recently been renovated by McDugald-Steele, on the Forum's east side. (The west garden will be updated next year.)

 

While you're there, look for the incredible crape myrtle trees in all their winter bark sculptural splendor.  If you are considering wacking  your crapes off across the top (crape murder!), check these out first and see what a horrible mistake you will be making.  http://www.riveroaksgardenclub.org

 

 

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THIS PLANT FOR ME. . .

 

Perhaps it's we're all so desperate for a true indication spring is coming that several readers have sent in pictures lately asking "What is this flower?"  All three of these are definitely spring joys for us and should be in every yard:

Left to right above:

* PINK MAGNOLIA (Magnolia × soulangeana or tulip magnolia). While these can get quite large (  Jane Hoffert Moore's record-book tree in the Museum District was almost three stories high), they more often are moderate growers. But when they're in bloom, wow, do they immediately draw the eye!  But, be forewarned. Jane's treasured tree became infested with ball moss and despite heroic efforts to save it, gradually succumbed. Imagine the delight of Jane and everyone who mourned this tree loss, when new branches sprouted from the base.  May take them a while to reach such proportions again, but just the fact that green leaves have reappeared is cause for celebration.

 

* CAROLINA JESSAMINE  (Gelsemium sempervirens). Mine's been blooming for quite a while, but soon the woods north and east of Houston should be exploding in yellow, if they aren't already. This is an evergreen vine so is a great choice for covering fences for a little privacy.  

 

* REDBUDS. Most of what you see around Houston are Eastern Redbuds (Cercis canadensis var. canadensis).  Not a bad choice - as all the incredible color testifies. But a better choice is our Texas redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texensis) or Mexican redbud (Cercis canadensis var. mexicana).

 

IF YOUR ROSES AREN'T ALREADY IN BLOOM, they should be soon. As promised last week, below are tips from Rosarian Extraordinaire Baxter Williams. At the March 14-15 Galveston Home and Garden Show, Baxter will speak Saturday at 1pm, right before I get to do my dog-and-pony-show at 2. I hope you'll drop by to see us and the other great speakers.  (Sat.-Sun., Mar. 14-15 Galveston Home & Garden Show, Convention Center, 56th street at Seawall Blvd. Fees, hours: www.galvestonhomeandgarden.com)

If you've never had a chance to see Baxter & Patsy's incredible rose gardens in Pasadena during one of the annual Houston Rose Society garden tours, there's a glimpse at the top of this column. What you're seeing, of course, is only a fraction of their 500-plus bushes. An American Rose Society award recipient, Baxter is as generous with his expertise as he is totally knowledgeable - as he shows with his Spotlight tips below.

Hopefully Baxter will so whet your appetite, you'll check the calendar for these other learn-about-growing-roses here (it's different!). Check our calendar below for even more.

* Wed., Mar. 11: "Why Do Rose Grow by the Side of the Road? ... and Why Do They Not Grow in My Garden!" by Jon Jons. 10:30 am, League City Garden Club, 2105 Dickinson Ave. Free.www.leaguecitygardenclub.org 

* Sat., Mar. 14: "Roses," by Mary Fulgham. 10:00 am to noon, Mary will be available for nursery assistance after her talk. Congo Nursery, 2018 Strawberry Rd, Pasadena. Free. www.congonursery.webs.com

* Sat., Mar. 28: "Roses and Companion Plants," by Gaye Hammond. 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, The Enchanted Garden and Enchanted Nursery, Richmond, TX. www.myenchanted.com 

Another great source for local horticultural (and more) events: "Cheryl On The Beach."

* Brenda's GROUP LECTURES include: "How to Reduce the Size of Your Front Lawn to Save Water  Without Infuriating Your Neighbors," "Landscaping for Security," "10 Commandments of Lazy Gardening," and "What's Blooming in the Lazy Gardener's Garden." Details: lazygardener@sbcglobal.net. 

 

 

Among the many good advice offerings on the Houston Rose Society's website (www.houstonrose.org) is an introduction to the Griffin Buck Roses which HRS is recommending for Greater Houston area gardeners. Among them, as pictured on the website are, left to right, are Frontier Twirl and Wild Ginger

 

Some Rose Tips from Baxter Williams

Houston Rose Society - bxtwms@att.net
 

Rose growing has been said to be relatively hard to do in the Houston/Galveston area, but such just isn't true. Anyone can successfully grow our National Flower --- "The Queen of Flowers" --- the rose. But the real secret to doing so with ease for us is learning the proper horticulture for growing them on the Gulf Coast. So let's mention the most important facets.

 

1. Plant roses in the sunniest spot in the yard. Roses aren't very efficient converters of solar energy, and should receive 6-8 hours of full sun per day. Less isn't good.

 

2. Raised beds are recommended. Most of our soils are black clay, which is not friable enough and therefore doesn't drain well. Raised beds inherently drain by gravity, and won't allow too much water to remain in the root zones of roses. Too much water excludes oxygen to the roots, and that is bad.

 

3. Choose No. 1 bushes. Cheap bushes are poor choices. The best ones are 3- to 5-gallon pots, and have been fed and kept free of diseases prior to your purchase.

 

4. Don't fertilize a newly planted bush until it has bloomed once in your flower bed. As a bush puts out new roots it is best to not have roots against fertilizer granules. After that first bloom, begin to give the bush required nutrients.

 

5. The most important tip is to KEEP THE LEAVES ON THE BUSH! Most dead bushes have been weakened by allowing disease to invade the bush. A new bush won't likely come to you with disease in it, so if it becomes diseased it is likely because of infections in neighboring bushes in your garden or across the fences. Usual diseases are blackspot and mildew, both of which are treatable. There are NO roses in today's market that won't contract a disease, if exposed to enough of it...NONE. A leaflet with a black dot is a doomed leaflet.

 

6. There are people to help you. Your Houston Rose Society has American Rose Society Consulting Rosarians who can give you free advice. And the monthly Rose-Ette newsletter is the best one in the nation. Membership cost is less than one rose bush, and can be paid for on-line at www.houstonrose.org. 

 

7. Pruning is important. Bushes grow best when properly pruned. And using the right tools in the proper manner is key to success. Sharp bypass shears are the right choice, and there is much misinformation about when and where and how to cut stems for best flower production, so ask a Consulting Rosarian to show you how to do it.

 

8. Water is important. Too much cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off. Too little causes the leaves to turn yellow and fall off.

 

Baxter Williams is an American Rose Society Master Rosarian, and has been growing roses in the Houston area since early 1967. His garden has approximately 500 bushes of all types. He currently serves as Programs VP of the Houston Rose Society, the nation's largest local rose society. Email Baxter at bxtwms@att.net.