Thanks for the tip - I think I will try to go tomorrow.

Wow, looking fwd for pictures. Will see if I can make it in a week or two. Thanks for the info.
Antique Rose Emporium is having an event this weekend, trying to make it there.

Where in TX is Farmer's Branch?

Jeri

I know the Earth Kind studies started in Texas, and have been done somewhere else, too. Does anyone know if there have been, or are planned any EK studies of roses anywhere in CA? Local conditions are so important, I just ignore any data from places far away from here. It seems to me that we on this forum have been exchanging our own sort of EK data from our own gardens, but it certainly would be helpful if the EK study folks would do a formal study in CA.

Jackie

Jeri, Farmer's Branch is a part of the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. It is just north of Dallas.

I went two years ago to the Rose Dango in October; they gave talks about the Earthkind roses, Michael Shoup gave a very interesting talk,the Rose Rustlers were there, and they had bluegrass bands; it was glorious weather, and they served hot dogs and hamburgers, just an all around pleasurable day...

Roses were gorgeous then, bet they are even more so in the spring!

Thanks Michael -- SO, it's not far from Chambersville?

Jeri

Please can you comment on the weather where the trials are held? Is it a hot HUMID location, or just hot, and dry? that humidity or lack of it makes a big difference in how those roses appear, whether they get BS or not.... I sure wish they could hold trials here in BS ground-zero, Central Fla. !! thanks, sally

Sally,
It can be humid here in the spring - right now it is at about 55% (but I wouldn't call this a very humid day). I think that summer humidity values usually hover around 35% give or take 10%. So, not as dry as Arizona, but not as humid as FL.
Michele

wow! glad to see the interest!

this garden is huge. it is in the northwest quadrant of 635 and IH 35 west in north Dallas area. i'll post a link if i can find one.

(ogrose, I went to Rose Dango, too and heard Michael Shoup! wonder if we shared a picnic table as I sure didn't miss the burgers!!)

saldut, weather is HOT, up to 110 some summers. last year we had (correct me someone locally) over 60 days or so in the summer over 100. humidity is not extreme. not arid, but not oppressively humid as a rule, altho it can be at times.

the site there has a gentle slope, so they make good use of rainfall. AND, a great breeze and open area, which minimizes infestation of pests.

jack. i doubt it (regarding california). it is out of texas a and m university which is near houston. don't know the details of the dallas area selection, but it is a great thing. and proven reliable roses for this area. and many, i would presume. just google earthkind roses and find an a and m univ. link and you can read about it.

jeri, no, not far. all easy within a day...last year for this event ogrose spoke of, i went to both. probably an hour apart, altho they are both 'dallas area'.

HEY DFW PALS! if anyone is going to rose dango, maybe we could share a picnic table and converse old style!!

TOO, jeri, they have a nice (and different) selection of roses for sale at chambersville. i need to check their list. when are you coming??

OH! DON'T FORGET YOUR BUG SPRAY WHEN YOU GO!!!!!! something kept nibbling on me, but strangely, not the roses! apart from no maintenance, which is a part of the protocol for the test gardens (no deadheading and just, I think, once or twice a year trimming of major dead wood...if that) everything was lovely. the arbors with The Generous Gardener were spectacular!! and there ARE some HT's that are hardier than I used to believe!!

ENJOY ALL! IT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE! hats off to Farmer's Branch, they have roses landscaped in many public areas. and not JUST knockouts!! They have a row of Archduke Charles probably 100 yards long that are always beautiful!! (near the police station).

AGH!!! northEAST quadrant of 635 and IH35 EAST....so sorry!! :+)

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/roses/media/farmers-branch/

this is the web address.

Unfortunately, everything looks good at this time of year. Go back in August and look again.

I don't know where else the EarthKind program is going but there was a small trial in Wichita Kansas over the past four years. I don't know the outcome.

We're going to be in TX some time in mid-to-late May, on a swing around the country, after the Dalmatian Club of America Specialty. It's a good time to see family in AR, TN, MS and -- of course -- TX. We'll probably see my folks in Adina, and then go on, hopefully to hit Chambersville, en route.

So, please don't let TX get too hot and humid, too early.
:-)

Jeri

jeri, i will do my best!! didn't have much luck there last year tho!

professorr, i did go last year, in september, which is no better!! and, while they did SOME remedial watering, it was basically 'a part' of the testing, and some, MOST, looked good. the proof, i believe, they are looking for, is established with their ability to withstand drought issues and survive. and the plants i saw yesterday are mature plants, that handled our worst summer in history, and are still ticking. and lookin' good, at that.

ilovemyroses, I will definitely plan on going in October! That would be fun to meet up and share a picnic table. So much depends on how my husband is feeling, sort of have to go by that, but that sounds fun!

ogrose! great!! i just looked it up, i thought it was in the spring! bummer! i do need to go up there and visit the gardens sometime soon, before the heat sets in!! I loved it last year! So many I had never seen mature.

You mention Michael Shoup from the ARE, but what about Dr. Stephen George? Isn't he directly involved with the Earth kind roses?

We share your weather, but not the convenience of being able to take a short trip to Dallas. It is 4 hours away, and that is quite a distance for a Sunday afternoon drive.

Jeri, I am looking forward to seeing you. it will be soon now, won't it?

Sammy

professorrousch, NOTHING in Texas looks good in August, trust me!!

Oh darn, I wish I had read this sooner. I could have gone yesterday, but today is yucky and rainy. Maybe next weekend!

I'm so jealous! I would love to go visit this garden. I may do that, the next time I have a dr appointment in Dallas.

Thanks for the humidity feed-back, folks-- just as I suspected, the humidity there is much lower than here where I am, today we are not too bad, w/humidity at 70% and dew-point at 75, when summer gets here it gets much higher, we have the A/C on now... roses here get a work-out that's for sure..... astonishingly there are many that do not seem affected at all, no B/S... mostly the China and some Teas and Noisettes, and the sweet little Drift roses.. and KOs... sally

There are Earth Kind gardens all over the US. Texas A&M has many gardens all over the country including Alaska. There are some in California somewhere but it doesn't say where. You would have to email them. We have a nice Earth Kind rose garden in Columbus, Ohio. Texas A&M with cooperation from the Park of Roses and The Ohio State University keep up with care of the Columbus garden and Chamblees supplies most all the roses.

Here is a link that might be useful: Earth Kind Gardens

I think the EarthKind trials are a magnificent idea. I've been talking recently on one of the (two) Italian forums I frequent about how to grow roses without using -cides, talking about some of the basics because the people on the forum, even the expert rose growers, don't seem to have a clue. If I can even find a couple of gardeners who are interested, or transmit to a neophyte rose grower the idea that gardening without spraying is possible and rewarding, I'll consider my efforts well spent.
This has been a fun thread to read. Ilovemyroses, thanks for starting it!
Melissa

Saldut, I'm in south Louisiana so you and I both deal with simmilar heat and humidity pressures. The LSU Agricultural Research Center station at Hammond, LA has been field-testing Earth-Kind roses for years. You might check around their website to see if anything has been published lately about their results: www.lsuagcenter.edu

Here in Western Washington we do not have a humidity problem but in the spring and fall rain and rain and rain...well you get it.
Many Ht's and Floribunda's get oodles of BS especially in the fall.
I have ordered many EarthKind roses from Chamblee in Tyler Texas. They have performed magnificently. Amongst the OGR's most dont get BS. Those that do have not had significant leaf drop. There are exceptions however.
So if anyonbe is looking for excellent roses that do well in this area the Chamblee list of Earthkind roses is a great starting point for an easy to care for garden.
Jeannie