Of the many roses we grow today, there is one particular class of rose that can handle our climate. Known as Old Garden Roses, or OGRs, these roses were introduced before the year 1867. Most of the OGRs bloom once in the spring, but there are some that bloom lightly again in the summer, and again in the fall. Because Old Garden Roses are winter-hardy, they do well in our climate with very little care, and the shape of the plant and texture of the leaves compliment many of our ornamental grasses and perennial favorites.

OGRs can be small, tall, and can even overrun your garden if given too much water. Many are used as hedges, and some have such a wonderful fragrance they are the first choice for potpourri companies. Poems and love songs have been written about them, and many of these roses were brought over from other countries by our ancestors who wrapped them in wet rags with dirt around them inside of a suitcase.

Pruning OGRs depends on the type. However, this old adage holds true; if the cane is dead or diseased, cut it off to the ground at any time of year. When pruning roses, cut out any canes that are rubbing and cover pruning cuts with either fingernail polish or school glue. If the rose blooms once in the spring or early summer, prune right after bloom. Prune carefully for health of the plant and size of the rose. Remember that the bloom that looks dead is forming a hip, and if you remove the dead flower, you will be removing the rose hip as well. Rose hips are used for food and medicines, because they have a high level of Vitamin C. Many birds in the winter or spring will come to feast on rose hips if left on the rose.

Here is a list of OGRs, descriptions and pruning techniques:

Alba--blooms once in white, light pink or medium pink. The foliage can be either grey-green or blue-green. Albas will tolerate some shade. These are the "White Roses" of Shakespeare. Very fragrant blooms. Prune weak, thin canes to the ground and shorten stems by 1/3 immediately after bloom. Looks really nice as a backdrop for other types of roses or flowering perennials.

Bourbon -- some bloom all summer. Very fragrant large blooms. These roses reportedly were used to edge farmers' fields. Named after the L'Ilse of Bourbon where they were discovered around the 1800's. Prune as you would a Hybrid Tea. They do need winter protection here in Fort Collins. Also susceptible to blackspot.

Centifolia or Cabbage -- These are the roses you see in the Dutch paintings of the 17th Century. Often referred to as the 'one-hundred petal' roses, they have thin, overlapping petals that make them look like a small cabbage. With a spicy fragrance, these beauties only bloom once in the spring in shades from pink to purple. Can be spreading or look like shrub roses. Sizes very from small to tall. Hardy.

Moss -- This rose is a sport of the Centifolias. Moss roses have a sticky, elongated gland on the back of the sepal and the peduncles are scented. They have a ferny, frilly appearance. Prune both types after they finish bloom. Cut back about 1/3.

China -- Yes, they do originate from China, and they repeat bloom all summer. Not as cold-hardy as some other types and can't take heavy pruning. Prune after danger of frost in the late spring. Needs some winter protection in Fort Collins.

Damask -- If you have ever seen a rose called "Madame Hardy" (it's a white rose with a green eye) you have seen the most famous Damask rose. These roses date all the way back to early Greece and Rome. Always used for rosary beads and medicines in old European monasteries. The blooms are really intense in a nice way, and they come in shades of white, pink, and red. Thorny stems and bloom only once in the spring, the hips are more tubular than other roses. Arching habit. Can not take shade, but is very hardy.

Gallica -- this is one of the best drought tolerant roses ever. Also known from ancient Rome, one particular gallilca, the Rosa gallica officinalis is the Red Rose of Lancaster. This rose was used on the badges of the Lancasters during the century-long Wars of the Roses in England. This famous rose has been in cultivation since before 1300. Extremely hardy. Blooms in the late spring. Great red hips in winter. Blooms come in pinks, purples, mauves and maroons. Prune lightly after flowering.

Hybrid Perpetuals -- Bloom heavily in the spring, repeat usually in the fall but have sporadic summer bloom. Very popular in the 19th century, before the Hybrid Tea was born. Hybrid Perpetuals look very similar to Hybrid Teas, but must be pruned more severely. Come in shades of pink, purple, red and sometimes white. Not very drought tolerant, but in the OGR class.

Noisette -- These roses brought the colors of orange and yellow to many of our modern climbing roses. Not hardy at all, and not recommended for our area.

Portland -- There are not many Portland roses left today. It is believed they came from a Damask and China cross. Available at times in shades of pink. Victorian-age roses. Flower stalks are short, so deadheading is imperative.

Spinosissima -- Also known as the Burnet or Scotch Briar rose hybrids, the flower is a single, very fragrant creamy white or a pale pink. This rose has hips that are nearly black, and almost perfectly round. Not too winter hardy. Needs protection. Prune as you would Albas.

Tea -- These are not the Hybrid Teas many people are familiar with. This was brought by the sea traders in the late 1700's. It is a tender rose, often killed by our late frosts. Not winter hardy. Not recommended for our area.

Species Roses -- These are the original rose varieties found in nature from which all the others have been bred. They are lovely, vigorous bushes that are very hardy. Not too fussy about soil. The blooms appear in early spring. They then form hips for the winter. Prune lightly after bloom.

To make sure you are getting the color of rose you want, it is best to check out the roses in bloom at your local nursery.

For more information about roses see Fact Sheet #7.404 - Selecting and Planting Roses and #7.416 - Rose Culture.

Q: Two of my lilac bushes have very tiny pale yellow bugs crawling over the bark. What might they be and how should I treat them?

A: At this time of the year you might be dealing with the crawler stage of oystershell scale, a common insect pest of certain trees and shrubs, including lilacs. The adult female, who looks like a tiny oyster shell and overwinters in the bark, is often mistaken for the underlying bark and can go unnoticed. These adult females lay eggs that hatch into the tiny crawlers in late May or early June. The crawlers are mobile only a short time after hatching. Once they find a suitable location on the trunk, usually in the shade, they insert their mouthparts into the tree and begin feeding by sucking out plant sap--eventually weakening the branch or whole tree if the infestation is heavy. They remain attached to the bark for the duration of their life cycle and develop a waxy scale that protects them from most insecticides. The trick is to apply a "crawler spray" or insecticidal soap or oil spray as soon as you see the tiny bugs moving on the tree and before they develop their protective shell. Be sure to read the label and follow the directions when applying any chemical.

Q: Is it safe to use newsprint as a mulch in the garden?

A: Most ink used on newspapers today is soy based and will not harm soil or plants. Avoid using paper that is glossy and colored as it might contain heavy metals that could be taken up by the plant. At the end of the season, try covering it with hay or straw and till it all under.

Q: It seems like I get fewer fruit from my cucumbers, squash and other vines each year. I'm sure they get enough water. Any ideas?

A: The vegetables mentioned must be pollinated to produce fruit. Try attracting bees by planting flowers nearby that they like. A few are cornflower, cosmos, coneflower and black-eyed Susan. Herbs that are favored by bees include coriander, mint, bee balm and hyssop.

Continue to plant warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash of all types and cucumbers.

Cover cherry trees with protective netting available at nurseries and garden centers before the birds discover your fruit. Stake or tie down the netting to keep the birds from getting underneath it.

Propagate your own shrubs like butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), forsythia, cotoneaster or potentilla by taking softwood cuttings now while the stems are still pliable. Cut shoots with 4 to 6 leaves or leaf pairs. Remove the lower leaves, soak the cuttings in rooting solution and stick in a pot with a peat/perlite mix. Put the pot with the cuttings in a plastic bag and place in bright indirect light. Once new leaves appear, pot up the cuttings individually.

Callebrachoa (Kal-ih-brah-KOE-ah) look like petite petunias. They spread and mound like petunias but with 1 inch flowers. They are resistant to the tobacco budworm that attacks petunias and the faded blooms fall off naturally so you don't have to deadhead to keep them blooming all summer.

Control mosquitoes in your yard by making sure that you don't allow water to "stand" where they can breed - like saucers under plants, watering cans and buckets. Use mosquito dunks ( Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis ) to control mosquitoes in fountains, ponds and other water features.

The European paper wasp (polistes dominulus) is a new species of wasp to Colorado. It is slender-bodied, has shiny black and yellow markings and is easily mistaken for yellow jackets. They are beneficial predators of caterpillars and other insects and do not scavenge but can become a problem because they will nest in many locations around the yard. Active nests causing problems can be destroyed with an insecticide. Look for an insecticide with permethrin, tralomethrin, bifenthrin or tetramethrin. Be sure to read and follow all label directions.

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

Gardening and Insect Fact Sheets are available on-line by clicking HERE.

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This page updated:  June 22, 2004