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How to Grow Knockout Roses and Herbs
The knockout rose has received what is called "Earthkind Rose" designation from Texas A&M. The researchers started with more than 117 rose varieties. The intent was to identify the most carefree beautiful roses ever developed. At the end of the five-year study, 11 of the tested varieties performed well enough to receive the designation as Earthkind, despite adverse growing conditions and an almost complete lack of maintenance. Each rose had to grow in either acidic or very alkaline soil, have spectacular blooms, and require little or no pesticide. Also, the roses were never watered after the first year, never fertilized and only pruned to remove spent blooms. I have tried most of the different earthkind roses and my favorites besides the knockout variety is the Caldwell Pink with a double pink flower, and the Belinda's Dream with pink fragrant blooms. The earthkind roses shouldn't get all the attention for a tough rose. There are others such as the Almost Wild Pink Rose with pink blooms all summer and another one of my favorites, the Martha Gonzales with red blooms and good disease resistance. Herbs Herbs are not just wonderful for cooking and landscaping. They've been used for centuries for their medicinal value. The only thing most herbs require is well-drained soil and a little sun. Rosemary, Lavender and Dill are the herbs I've grown that prefer full sun. Oregano, parsley, fennel, chamomile, French tarragon, Bee Balm, mints, yarrow, basil, horehound, lemon verbena, feverfew, tansy, thyme, salad burnet, passion flower, germander, chives, marjoram, winter savory, and gotu kola will grow in a garden that gets some shade from the afternoon sun. Many herbs such as fennel, dill, germander, and skullcap produce flowers that attract beneficial insects and butterflies to the garden. Taking a guest on a pinch and sniff tour of your herb garden is a wonderful experience. Herbs have such amazing powers. I've seen African Wormwood used to ease sinus headaches by simply pinching the leaves and inhaling the aroma. Some herbs such as the ancient Ginkgo Biloba grow into a tough drought resistant tree with beautiful yellow fall color and Bay Laurel forms a large shrub. If you like to cook with sage, an herb that also grows well here, there is a new type developed in Israel called hybrid sage that is the ultimate for cooking. We are lucky to have the right conditions to grow such a multitude of herbs. Many folks shy away from herbs because of the mysterious and sometimes supernatural aura that surround these plants. You might be surprised to know that a rose is also an herb. I encourage everyone to explore herbs. They add a whole new dimension to the garden and are fun and easy to grow.
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If there is one type rose bush that is in greater demand than any other it would be the Knockout Rose. Developed by A&M University and introduced in 2000, the Knockout Rose is drought tolerant, disease resistant and best of all doesn't get much mildew and black spot. The bloom is not the same as the tea rose, which is what most folks have in mind when they think of a rose, but are more of an antique type of rose with single rose petals around a white or yellow throat. They are a great drought tolerant landscape plant. New cultivars are now available such as the pink knockout and blush knockout. They grow 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide, are frost tolerant in zones 4-9, and bloom from spring to frost. They grow best if spaced 3-4 feet apart so they get good air circulation. Water well the first year to get established and fertilize with a good rose fertilizer. A layer of mulch placed around the root system will help conserve moisture and keep down weeds.
