Description

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We hear roses are hard to grow. . . . We hear they require constant care and treatment. . . . Depending on where we live, we hear they can’t stand the heat . . . the cold . . . the humidity . . . the arid air. The list of reasons not to grow roses is long, yet we persevere.—from the first chapter

Most gardeners have tried, with more or less success, to grow roses. For a plant that has been in cultivation all over the world for millennia, roses have an oddly persistent reputation for being finicky and disease-prone, difficult to establish, and in need of constant tending.

And then you see a sprawling shrub, loaded with yellow blossoms, spilling carelessly over a church dumpster or a climbing mass of red roses clambering over a chain link fence. You wonder why growing a rose bush in your backyard should be so intimidating.

Now, veteran gardener and author Judy Barrett tackles the persistent rumors and illusions that inhibit many of us from trying our hand at cultivating roses. She answers the most common questions (how to water, prune, train, and choose the best locations, among others) and then points readers in the direction of the many good choices to be had among both antique and old roses (the Bourbons and China roses, for example) and some newer varieties (hybrid teas, miniatures, and others). She also gives advice about cold-hardy roses and offers tips for ensuring success with heat- and drought-tolerant Earth-Kind® roses.

Illustrated with gorgeous photographs throughout, Yes, You Can Grow Roses will convince you that these beautiful plants are not nearly as fussy, frail, and persnickety as you thought. By following Barrett’s advice, you’ll enjoy season after season of durable, aromatic beauty in your garden.

About the Author

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JUDY BARRETT is the author of What Can I Do with My Herbs?, What Makes Heirloom Plants So Great?, and Recipes From and For the Garden. Her online gardening resource HomegrownTexas.com is a favorite site for organic gardeners, and Barrett is a frequent speaker at gardening events and conferences across the South and Southwest. She lives in Taylor, Texas.

Praise For…

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“Afraid of growing roses?  Well, don’t be. In Yes, You Can Grow Roses Judy Barrett allays any fears that you may have by giving down-to-earth, no-nonsense advice about how to select, grow, and use roses.  She takes away the fears and brings roses back to the level of enjoyable garden stalwarts that they have been for many centuries.  This is a simple and beautiful book which offers fantastic advice on all aspects of growing and enjoying roses in your garden and I wholeheartedly agree with Judy’s approach to the subject.  If you want to grow roses and enjoy them without fretting the details then you will greatly benefit from Yes, You Can Grow Roses.”—Mr. T. Henry Flowers, Garden Director, Festival Hill

— Mr. T. Henry Flowers

“Yes, You Can Grow Roses is an earthy and inspirational book for anyone who wants to grow roses.”—Tina Marie Wilcox, head gardener and herbalist, Ozark Folk Center's Heritage Herb Garden

— Tina Marie Wilcox

"Judy Barrett's Yes, You Can Grow Roses is an easy to read, delightfully enlightening book on roses, providing a wealth of information for gardeners intent on expanding their knowledge of growing these versatile plants."--Mike Shoup, founder of The Antique Rose Emporium, author, Empress of the Garden

— Mike Shoup

" History comes alive in this beautifully designed book." --Glenn Dromgoole, The Eagle
— Glenn Dromgoole