It has been 11 years since I’ve thought about growing a rose let alone, think about hybridizing. 2010, I lost my whole collection of roses to RRD. I have a small yard and I had accumulated more roses than my yard could handle. Instead of keeping some at my house and move some I decided to move them all to my dad’s three acre lot. Mistake. Multiflora in the yard next door, that I honestly didn’t even know was there, had witches broom growing out the top. Once I saw that, I was concerned, and within a year, my roses were done for.
Lesson learned. I felt really bad because I was growing roses from a lot of different people on here and some Canadian varieties that weren’t available in the US. I felt like I let them down. So I just quit.
Well, I have the itch to do this again. Gonna stay small this time and keep everything I grow in my yard.
I am starting out with some proprietary stuff thanks to Kim Rupert. I will also be purchasing a few.
Carefree Beauty
Lemon Fizz
Baby Love
Sunny Knock Out
Hot Cocoa
Midnight Blue
Blue for You
R. soulieana
R. acicularis “Aurora”
I don’t really have a specific goal yet other than to have fun. I love the fact that rose hybridizing combines both art and science. I am calling it creative engineering.
I am also enjoying catching up reading this forum. Thanks to everyone who shares.
Mike Fitts
Akron, Oh Zone 6
