My Favorite Rose

Bastrop Chapter of Native Plant Society of Texas forming

by Jeff Long

As spring wells up in Central Texas, so do the colors of nature, especially for the rose lover. Watching the roses begin to bloom around our nursery, my eye has often been caught by the unusual and minimalist beauty of a certain china rose, the Mutabilis. Shy like a wallflower at first, this lovely plant flowers first with a pale yellow, like a few wisps of parchment. As the days march forward, Mutabilis’ bloom then blushes pink and finally mutates to a carmine, as if it were truly embarrassed by it’s own beauty and potential. As the season progresses, you will find the five-petaled flower spread about the plant in all its lovely shades, making an average six-foot bush that truly lives up to its reputation.

Sometimes called the "Butterfly Rose", its delicate flowers often resembling a resting place for the insect the petals seem to imitate, you have to be quick to catch its fleeting fragrance when the flower just opens. According to documentation, this hardy plant was introduced before 1894 and grows from five to seven feet with repeating blooms and just a few hips and will tolerate some shade. It is considered scentless by most rose growers because of its momentary fragrance, but prized for its variety of colors that appear at the same time.

Mutabilis beautiful reddish foliage makes a perfect background for this changeling rose and many experts say this twiggy shrub make an excellent wall plant, suited to brighten any landscape. In fact, it is an excellent transition plant in the garden when changing your color scheme from yellow to pink. I like the plant so well, in fact, I have adopted a picture I took of a single bloom for the "desktop" on my computer, where it’s beauty can be with me all day long – my favorite rose.

SEED BALLS

Fun and easy way to spread wild flowers

Ingredients~~

1.) Sifted dry clay soil, preferably red clay and not grey or black, to remove debris such as rocks and sticks. Sifting can be done with one-quarter or one-half inch screen.

2.) Sifted dry compost or humus to remove debris.

3.) Seeds.

How to prepare seed balls ~~

1.) To Five parts clay soil, Add One part humus and mix thoroughly;

2.) Add One part wild and/or domestic flower seeds and again mix thoroughly;

3.) Add One to Two parts water slowly, mixing to make a good dough;

4.) Roll the clay into smooth, small balls;

5.) Dry for a day (24 hours);

6.) Scatter the balls in a Sunny Spot.

At this point, let nature take it=s course ~~ wait for rain to melt the balls and plant the seeds.

Return to the Home Page.

Go to the Features Page.

Please e-mail us at Bastrop Gardens.

Last revised June 3, 2006. URL:http://www.bastropgardens.com.