My inspiration this week comes from two things:  an article I recently wrote about the different types of roses and my determination to get a particular rose in my garden under control.

I’ve noticed for the past few years that the rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa) planted in front of my house has been spreading and was sorely in need of a good pruning—a task I put off last spring until suddenly the rose was in bloom and the bees and butterflies were having a field day there.  “Next year,” I told myself.

Rose (Rosa rugosa)

This year, I’ve resolved to deal with the enthusiastic rose in part because I was standing in the driveway after a January snowstorm, loppers in hand, pruning back canes that had reached out across the driveway the previous growing season and by that time winter snows had bent the prickly branches down low enough to present a danger to yours truly while shoveling the driveway.  Sometimes procrastination can be dangerous. 

Rugosa roses are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 9.  They like to spread, sending up new canes further and further away from the original plant, until there’s a thicket of beautiful and prickly roses.  In some places, they’re considered invasive due to their aggressive growth.  Fortunately, that’s not the case here in the Berkshires, but I can see how they could become a problem.   

The rugosa roses in my front garden have spread along the wall adjacent to my driveway.  They’ve even encroached on the flowering quince, which is itself sending out underground runners into the rugosa’s space.  There’s a lot of pruning on the schedule for tomorrow morning (tomorrow as in the day after today, not the mythical tomorrow of procrastination fame.

Rose (Rosa rugosa)

Once the pruning is done, I’ll be planting some new perennials—which have been waiting patiently on the driveway wall beneath the rugosa roses for about two weeks.  After that, there’s a new bed to plant in the dappled shade beneath the King Crimson maple in the back yard.  And after that…well, let’s just say my to-do list is growing as fast as those rugosa roses.

Rose (Rosa rugosa)

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