Mary Lou or Janice?

After a full exhausting month of pruning my client's rose bushes I had a little bit of time today to start my own. I did 5! Who-hoo! But I have begun! My garden is so full of weeds, ready to be cleaned and the roses pruned. If only I had time. I'm tired and sore when I get home. Maybe I'll have an hour here and there. I still have a full February of pruning and regular garden jobs ahead.

I did cut this beautiful Red rose today. When I got it the rose was called Mary Lou Heard. Named after the nursery owner of Heard's Country Garden in Westminster, CA who died in 2002. It was a lovely garden center and I would make the 45 minute drive to Orange County once a year or so to visit it. About 7 years ago the rose was renamed Janice Kellogg for the proprietor of Kellogg Garden Products who died just last year 2015. When it was MLH the rose was classified as a Hybrid Tea. Now that it's JK it's a Floribunda. It IS a shorter growing bush with short stems. But the flowers are BIG, about 5". Makes it hard to classify.   I was kinda bummed at the name change. But rose companies need to sell plants. And I guess a name that's more known nationally might sell better. Whatever! I'll still remember this rose as Mary Lou Heard.

Happy Gardening!