Rose is a symbol of elegance and sophistication. She came to us from the 5th century. This beautiful and fragile bud grows on a sturdy stem that is studded with thorns. Most roses have a wonderful aroma; it is not for nothing that women all over the world prefer this flower. The beauty of red roses is sung in songs, but nowadays such a flower can be absolutely any color.
A bit of history
An ancient legend says that this flower was created by the goddess Flora in memory of her unrequited love for Cupid. Another version of the legend says that this amazing flower was born in the foam that covered the body of the goddess of beauty. The rose was white, but when the goddess rushed to the aid of her lover, who was wounded, the thorns wounded her legs, and the buds turned red with blood. Since the 18th century, these flowers began to be grown in Persia, Asia and other countries.
Modern rose growing
Nowadays, a huge number of varieties and garden groups have been bred. Rosa loves warmth, so growing it in the southern regions is not difficult. However, in order to preserve the beauty of the flower in the northern regions, it is necessary to think over measures to shelter the plant during the period of cold weather.
Now it has become fashionable to grow artisan roses. They can decorate the whole yard, plant along the lawn, let curl on a fence or wall. They have a wonderful aroma. A variety of varieties will not leave indifferent any gardener.
Roses scrubs - what is it?
This type of roses was bred relatively recently, it is unpretentious in care, anyone can decorate their garden with these flowers. Its main feature is that roses are planted in small bushes. When they begin to bloom, it looks like a huge odorous ball. By cutting branches, you can give the bushes a special shape. Such flowers are surprising in their power and volume, sometimes branches with buds have to be tied up or used supports. But this flowering looks very impressive. One of the representatives of artisan roses is rosa Gertrude Jekyll. Its large, heavy buds have a very pleasant and persistent aroma. Essential oils for perfumery are made from its petals. Consider the rose Gertrude Jekyll in more detail, we will analyze the features of its breeding, cultivation and care.
The Origin of the Gertrude Jekyll Rose
This English rose was named after a talented landscape designer. The gardens that Gertrude adorned are still standards of beauty in gardening and are carefully preserved. At first glance, a flower that has received many awards at various exhibitions and competitions may seem simple, but if proper care is provided for the plant, lush rose buds up to 15 cm in diameter will surprise with their beauty. Light pink petals closer to the center of the flower become a brighter color, which gives it a glow effect. However, such a luxurious color does not last long. On the 3rd day, the rose fades.
Flower description
This rose begins to bloom in early summer, the bush reaches a height of 1.5 meters and a width of up to 1.2 m. You can also let the plant curl, in which case its height can reach 3 m. The bush grows very quickly, so it is very important cut off excess stems, otherwise it will look untidy.
A very pronounced sweet aroma distinguishes the rose to Gertrude Jekyll among the other artisan roses, but the smell does not last long, for several days, and it disappears. Resistance to frost is average, experienced gardeners recommend sheltering a flower for the winter. Flowering is very dense, the rose blooms very early, buds on a branch can be 3-5 pieces, so it is recommended to cut off extra shoots on time. They last about 4-5 days. In rainy weather, the buds may not open.
An interesting fact: not only essential oils are made from petals, but also jam and compotes are made from them.
Features of breeding and growing Gertrude Jekyll
Already knowing what it is - roses are shrubs, how magnificent they can grow, it is easy to guess that when planting bushes, it is necessary to leave a distance between them. Otherwise, the bloom will not be so magnificent. Proper cultivation of Gertrude Jekyll roses will allow you to get neat, lush and voluminous bushes. To do this, it is enough to ensure that the flower does not grow randomly, and cut it in time, giving it a domed shape. You can plant a rose in spring or autumn. There are many methods of breeding these plants, however, for this bush rose, 4 methods are widely used, which even a novice gardener can use.
Cuttings
The first step is to prepare a place, remove unnecessary plants, dig and feed the soil. Take fresh Gertrude Jekyll rose branches and plant them in well-moistened ground at a distance of at least 15 cm from each other. In this state, the cuttings will germinate before spring, the main thing is to cover them well for the winter. When the cuttings began, the first leaves grew on them, you need to plant them, but leaving at least 50 cm distance between them, otherwise the rose bushes will be crowded.
Create layering
This method can be called the simplest, it can be used for breeding any other varieties of artisan roses. To do this, we also free up space and prepare the ground. We cut the long stem of the rose below and dig it into the ground. We fix the shoot to the peg so that it does not vomit from the ground. Do not forget to moisturize. This procedure can be done at the end of summer, and in the spring, dig a shoot, cut it off from the bush and plant it yourself in a prepared place. It is advisable to dig layers in the shade so that the sun does not dry it.
Gertrude Jekyll from the Seeds
The method, of course, is effective, but you need to be patient, because germination from the seed will take more than one year. There is one feature, new roses may not be very similar to the parent and even resemble a new variety. If you want to experiment and time, then you can use this method. We collect seeds, sprout them on a wet rag, as soon as the seeds bite, we plant them in a pot. And until a good strong stalk sprouts, we leave the future rose in a pot. Only then we transplant into the ground.
Budding method
One of the most popular methods, ideal for cultivating Gertrude Jekyll roses, however, for a novice gardener it may seem difficult. It consists in the fact that on the trunk of the plant you need to make a neat cut, place the ripened bud of the future bush in it. Thus, the kidney receives maximum nutrition and develops rapidly.
Plant care
Based on the description of the rose by Gertrude Jekyll, it is known that it is not very whimsical to care for and is prone to withstand small frosts. However, like any plant, it requires care. So that the bushes are lush and the plant remains healthy for a long time, fertilizer is necessary, this is especially important during the period of bud formation. Roses should be watered in the evening, at the rate of 5 liters of water per 1 bush. The plant does not like loose moisture, so the flowers can begin to rot in the rainy season. Pay particular attention to pruning the bush. About a third of the branch should be cut annually. The bushes are very flexible, you can give them any shape. Remember to cut off excess heads when buds begin to form. Otherwise, the food may not be enough for several heads on one branch at once, and none of them will fully open.
This sort of rose can be put on a fence or net so that it curls. To do this, do not cut the branches in length, but they need to be adjusted in width so that they do not randomly grow. Every 3 years old shoots can be cut, fresh, longer ones will grow in their place.