Customer Reviews

A Year in the Life of a Rose: A Guide to Growing Roses from Coast to Coast

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Short sweet and to the point. Reddell covers all of the basics of growing roses from selecting varieties to preparing the planting hole to annual care. Particularly handy and unique is the appendix which gives rose growing tips from master growers in each of the 9 USDA zones--finally a book that helps you grow roses where you live.

This book is one of the most useful - practical - "how to" rose books I have come across in many years of research. In brief, not particularly technical language, the author takes you through the year giving excellent advice, tips and recipies along the way. The additional advice from experts in most zones enables you to adjust your plans for your own climate. It's pocket size ensures that I carry my copy around with me for regular reference. My roses have never looked better and I include some fairly tender varieties in a zone 4b (the Laurentian mountains). For beginners or experts, this really is a "must have". I also recomment "Tender Roses for Tough Climates" by Douglas Green for any other climate-challenged (as in very, very cold) roseophiles.

Do not let this thin little book fool you. Yes, I know, there are any number of books on keeping and growing roses. Most have a lot of pictures and technical advice.

This little book has no pretentions and hand drawn illistrations. It is basic common sense advice and instruction. When ever I read through it I feel like I am out in the garden with the author going over the facts of rose keeping. The author owns Garden Valley Ranch and wrote "The Rose Bible" and "Growing Good Roses".

I have used this book much more than any of the others I have and his no nonsense approach works. From stripping the petals a week before I prune... in January or February, to using Epson salts and alpha meal. The first time I pruned by his methods I found that stripping the leaves a week before did indeed signal the bush to put out new growth. I have kept roses for many years and used this book to do it. You might give it a try.