The Foxes pose in front of Garden 01 Gulliver’s Travels | Artist Joel Pinkerton’s 18′ high sculpture ‘The Poser’ from Gulliver’s Travels | Sponsor Get Growing Foundation
Little Angel’s Tulips Garden 02
Garden 02 | Little Angel’s Tulips | by Doornbosch Bros. of the Netherlands
Time: Space Motion Illusion Garden 03
Time: Space | Motion | Illusion Garden 03 Fiber Rose
Houseplants & Sculptures Garden 04
‘Lift’ Michael Young Scultures | Garden 04 Houseplants & Sculpture Garden
The Story of Family Garden 05
The Story of Family | Garden Number 05 | built by JB Brickworks | Montana Hardscapes
Growing Back To Our Roots Garden 06
Chocolate Butterfly | Garden 06 | Growing Back to Our Roots
The Lost Words Garden 07
Endless Summer Hydrangeas by Bailey Nurseries
Racine Zoo Garden 08
Alpaca | My New Neighbor In The Country
Peoples Gas & 811 Chicago Outdoor Classroom Garden 09
Sculptures In The Rose Garden 2018
NPL Chicago Garden Garden 10
Sears Tower | Willis Tower City Skyline Gardens Garden 10 | NPL Chicago Garden
Chicago Flower & Garden Show ~ Navy Pier, March 20-23, 2019
CHICAGO (March 15, 2019) – Susan Fox, of Gaga’s Garden, Central, Illinois will dazzle visitors on how to choose the perfect rose based on their lifestyle when she attends the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, March 20-23rd at Navy Pier.
Tony Abruscato | Chicago Flower & Garden Show Director | Rose Garden Visionary
“People say that roses are their favorite flower and they want them in their garden. Roses have been growing in the wild long before they had to be ‘pampered by people’ so come to the show and let Susan Fox educate you in what’s new in the world of minimal care roses that you can add to your landscape,†says Chicago Flower & Garden Show Director Tony Abruscato.
“FLOWERTALES: The Story Grows On.â€
The ‘Classic Rose Garden’ at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show
2019 stands to be a blockbuster year when the creators of the Chicago Flower & Garden Show host “FLOWERTALES: The Story Grows On.†Chicago’s oldest event turns the page to the next chapter telling the story of entirely new interpretations of the unique roles flowers, plants and gardens play in the stories of our lives. The Chicago Flower & Garden Show is Wednesday, March 20 through Sunday, March 24, 2019 at Navy Pier.
Oldest Garden Show In America
Diane Sommers American Rose Society Celebrity, Board Member, Docent and Rosarian Extraordinaire Ecstatic at Our Turn Out for the Show!
The
Chicago Flower & Garden Show is one of the country’s top three consumer
garden shows and one of its oldest, with roots that date back to 1847 as the
Chicago Fruit and Flower Show. It was also one of the first consumer shows ever
held at Navy Pier.
Sauk Trail Rose Society Docents from left to right Thomas Bolden | Center Susan Fox | Right Frank Devries
Roses That Love Where You Live
Ms. Fox will show visitors how easy growing roses can be. These darlings of the garden respond quite nicely to a little TLC. She’ll explore this topic with attendees in an interactive and highly visual intense presentation and further discuss what visitors want to achieve in their garden with roses. Today there are so many types of roses to choose from that suit any lifestyle. Ms. Fox plans to explore the exciting, easy care varieties of roses suitable for busy lives that include environmentally friendly and minimal care plants. Remarkably, many gardeners perceive roses as difficult to grow and are hesitant about adding roses to their garden landscapes, Ms. Fox will dispel that myth via education.
The Rose: Americas’ Favorite Flower
David Austin Team at IGC, Kate Porter from the UK & Shellie Reese, Tyler
Fox claims that a large percentage of gardeners
that seek her advice tell her that they want to add roses to their landscape
but are hesitant due to either a lack of knowledge about caring for roses or a
perception that roses are just too hard to take care of. Her presentation is
about education and matching the right plant to the person’s lifestyle and
goals for their garden. She states that today there are roses to choose from
that fit any personal style. She plans to explore the methods and easy steps
that produce quick and lasting results with these wonders of the garden world.
“The Chicago Flower & Garden Show is excited to announce that Susan Fox of Gaga’s Garden will attend the Chicago Flower and Garden Show in March of 2019. Ms. Fox is a consulting rosarian, award-winning photographer, event planner, and a Biltmore Rose Trials judge with gardening in her blood. We are honored to have her representing one of America’s favorite flowers, the rose. Ms. Fox is a wonderful representative of the public education of growing roses. We look forward to our continued partnership with her,“ says Mr. Tony Abruscato, Director of the Chicago Flower & Garden Show
“FLOWERTALES:
Every Garden Has a Story to Tell†will present volumes of practical and pretty
ideas, highlighting the season’s styles, colors, and textures through more than
20 display gardens and more than two dozen points of gardening interests.
There’s something for every person and lifestyle; from balconies, patios and
small-space designs to creative vegetable and herb gardens, inspiring water
features, and glamorous perennial beds.
Susan Fox | Chicago Flower & Garden Show
The Chicago Flower & Garden Show is open to the public from March 20-23, 2019. Evening in Bloom, a show preview that will benefit show partner Bernie’s Book Bank and the new Get Growing Foundation, is from 6:00-9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2018. Show hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Save some “green” by purchasing group and individual day and evening tickets online at www.chicagoflower.com. –
          For more information about Susan Fox of Gaga’s Garden www.gagasgarden.com for the very latest updates and unique extras, on Facebook/.com/gagasgarden and tweet with us on Twitter @chicagoflower @gagasgarden throughout the show #ChicagoFlower #gagasgarden
###
Susan
Fox, is a consulting
rosarian that speaks, grows, photographs, and shows roses. Company founder of
Gaga’s Garden®, she was awarded the American Rose Society’s (ARS) Presidential
Citation “for Promoting the Rose and Rose Education Via Social
Media.” At her heart is a commitment to generating educational, entertaining
content that profiles specific products, personalities, places and events that
engage the larger audience through targeted social media campaigns. This and
other acknowledgments in the gardening community has firmly established Susan
as one of the most highly regarded rosarians and gardeners in the industry with
a special talent for promoting garden related products, people or events via
social media and content marketing. The Website at www.gagasgarden.com features
a sample of Gaga’s Garden® content and story telling graphics that keep readers
coming back for more!
Flower Show Productions, Inc. is
the production company for the annual Chicago Flower & Garden Show and for
grand-scale public events that celebrate sustainable living and eco-friendly
lifestyles. The company provides year-round messaging, education and
information about the benefits of earth-friendly choices to yards,
neighborhoods, communities and the planet. The 2018 Chicago Flower & Garden
Show runs March 14-18, 2018. The “Evening in Bloom†shows preview benefitting
area charity organizations is Tuesday, March 13, 2018. For year-round
inspiration and great ideas, please visit www.chicagoflower.com, and
find the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/chicagoflower and
Twitter @Chicago Flower.
It’s the dog days of summer. Excessive heat can create conditions for our roses to produce smaller blooms and stunted growth to preserve water. Many gardeners don’t realize that right now is the time to prepare for a glorious fall rose display.
August is the time to prepare for a spectacular fall rose bloom
September, October, November and even up until Christmas, fall is perfect throughout much of the country to spend time in your rose garden. You can enjoy the fruits of your labor, contemplate strategies for expansion and begin to winterize your roses. The cooler temperatures of fall create a glorious canvas for the fall rose show. It’s time now to begin the process of cutting back roses for your fall bloom. ‘Kimberlina’, a ‘Floribunda of the Year’ 2009 winner is such a spectacular rose in the fall I chose it to show you how to cut back your roses to create a spectacular fall bloom.
Cutting Back Your Roses For Fall
Cooler Temperatures of Fall Intensify Colors
Cooler temperatures in fall create a palette of colors that makes your roses look doubly magnificent. From Wisconsin to Texas I’ve seen roses continue to bloom through the holidays. Roses can tolerate 3 days of hard frost of temperatures below 21 degrees before they are fully dormant for the season. So you can plan on roses for your bouquets for the Thanksgiving table in Illinois, maybe even Wisconsin. September is time to determine if there are still any American Rose Society rose shows in the area you may want to exhibit at as well.
Here are some ‘Rose of the Year’ winners and roses exclusive to Jackson & Perkins that I’ve grown from IL to Texas successfully that bloom beautifully all season and into the fall:
#1 ‘Kimberlina’ ‘Floribunda of the Year’ 2009
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#2 ‘Black Cherry’ ‘Floribunda of the Year’ 2006
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‘Black Cherry’, glorious in Plano, TX award winning garden
#3 ‘Moondance’ ‘Floribunda of the Year’ 2007
Â
‘Moondance’ one of a Candelabra in Gaga’s Garden on a Fall Morning
#4 ‘Sugar Plum’ Exclusive at Jackson & Perkins
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‘Sugar Plum’ Cascades of Candelabras of Fragrant Plum Roses
‘Soft Whisper’ Cream colored roses kissed with peach perfect for fall blooms
Cooler Nights Begin
The nights begin to get cooler which creates an environment for black spot* and mildew so water early in the day allowing time for your garden to dry out before night fall. When you travel, and if you are putting in a small rose garden, the perfect watering solution is planting your roses in the Greenwell Water Saver
Nature Demands Balance
When roses (and virtually any other plant) reach the point of excessive water stress, they don’t “feed,” nor do they try to grow, they simply endure the heat to remain alive. That’s why even when you’re watering daily with what feels like excessive water amounts, many rose bushes will begin shedding their leaves to reduce their water stress. Many folks mistakenly think that dropping of leaves means their plant may be dying or they have “done something wrong.†Let’s dispel the myth. This is nature’s way of plant preservation during excessive heat. Since roses transpire through their foliage, dropping some of their leaves helps minimize water loss. This slows and can literally stop the flow of sap from the roots upward, so no food is taken in. Remember cutting back for fall to leave some foliage because roses feed through their leaves. Nature demands balance. Even in times of extreme heat I have seen my roses continue to remain pretty with just smaller blooms and less frequent bloom cycles. Roses seem to go into almost a dormancy state to conserve energy and water during the hottest part of summer.
August Rose Garden Check List
Remove all debris from the garden
Check for spider mites by feeling the underside of the leaves, they look & feel like salt and pepper and can be removed with a water jet sprayÂ
Add a layer of Good Dirt Soil Conditioner around each rose bush, top with hard wood mulch with breaks down into the soil and replaces it
Check out DIY composting options to convert useful veggie scraps into soil building organic plant food Â
Replace mulch as needed to conserve water and keep your bed cooler
Continue watering program, plant new roses using Greenwell Water Saver
Order fall rose deals and companion plants like clematis specials that you can plant now.Â
Summer Rose Watering Guide
90+ degrees: Â Â Water every day
80 degrees: Â Â Â Â Â Water every two days
70 degrees: Â Â Â Â Â Water every three days
60 degrees: Â Â Â Â Â Water every four days
50 degrees: Â Â Â Â Â Water every five days
Check hanging baskets and container roses daily because they dry out much faster than plants planted in the ground
Check on any fall rose shows, cut roses back for rose shows and State Fairs
Cut back your roses and stagger the times of pruning from now thru through the end of September when you want to start to let your roses form rose hips and go into dormancy so they don’t bloom all at once (what’s known as ‘cropping’)
Prune your rose like a vase‘Double Delight’ hybrid tea rose, pruned like a vase, fertilized, Canadian Spagnum peat moss layer added, ready for mulch for winter protection
How To Cut Back Your Roses For A Fabulous Fall Bloom
A good rule of thumb is to prune your rose bush about one-third to one-half their height. Prune out dead wood. Leave the strong hardy canes. Just deadhead your new rose bushes.
Folks that show roses cut back for the rose shows in their area or for the County and State Fairs. If you plan on showing in your local rose shows then cut back your roses based on this handy guide to approximately how long it takes to grow a rose:
Repeat Rose Cycles In Days Â
Hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribundas: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 42 to 54 Days
Multi-Petal Floribundas (Europeana):Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 54-60 daysÂ
Single Petal Floribundas (Playboy)                                               35 Days          Â
Miniatures                                                35-42 Days               Â
Follow this guide to a spectacular fall rose bloom and you can enjoy autumn in your garden and your roses will enter into winter dormancy the better for it as stronger plants.
Organic treatment for black spot
* Treatment: According to author and horticultural professor Jeff Gillman, who has conducted extensive research on black spot remedies, a spray composed of one part cow’s milk* and two parts water is the best answer to the disease. When applied weekly, the solution controls black spot as well as any synthetic fungicide, including Chlorotalonil.
Gillman says he thinks it’s the lactoferrin that milk contains that makes it effective against black spot. Lactoferrin also helps to fight diseases in people.
*any fat content you prefer. Rice, soy, and almond milk will have no affect on roses.
ANOTHER UPDATE: 2/3 water and 1/3 milk solution works on black spot. The solution also acts as a deer repellent according to the West Virginia Botanical Garden. I haven’t tried it with the raccoons as of yet, but I sure intend to try it.
How did the angel rose garden come to be? It was Divine intervention. Driving home from church one evening in Dallas, Texas I heard Kathleen Battle sing “All Night, All Day Angel’s Watching Over Me” on 101.1 FM. Listen to this haunting lullaby. You will never forget it. The lyrics are so simple, now this lullaby is part of our evening bed time repertoire for the babies.
How Many Roses Are Too Many?
The answer to the question is:when you run out of space. Have you noticed that most beautiful gardens are usually in back yards literally hidden from view? You work sometimes your entire life creating a stationary work of art and unless you have an “open house” only your eyes and the eyes of God will see those flowers that open once only to have the petals flutter to the ground in a season unseen.
Angel Bird Bath & Izzabelle Watching Over My Glasses
My mantra is a “garden is meant to be shared.”
The logical expansion place for your garden is at your front door. We had over 225 roses in Texas. When we moved to Illinois I told ‘Big Daddy’ that perhaps we should have a rose garden that consisted of maybe 35 roses.
‘Tropical Lightning’ Blooming on 4th of July Week-End in the Angel Rose Garden
Then I changed the inventory to no more than 100.
The plan was to put the gardens in in stages and show you that everyone can start over and have rose gardens established and blooming rapidly. Thus emerged the angel water fountain and bird bath by the brick planter at the front door and the “Angel Rose Garden” because I believe a garden can be enhanced by titillating the 5 senses, sight, the sound of water or wind chimes, and fragrance.
One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others |Â Angel Watching Over Lost Glasses 😉
Roses in the Angel Rose Garden
‘Cinco de Mayo
‘Yabba Dabba Doo
‘Tropical Lightning’
2 ‘Top Gun’ (Resistant To Rose Rosette)
‘Grande Dame’
‘Easy To Please’
*When these bareroot roses arrived some are own-root roses, which I find to be more winter hardy. I soaked all of the roses in water that I add a Haven Brand tea bag, its a product a friend makes on her Haven Farm. Its an organic, all natural, organic, American made, soil conditioner called MooPoo Tea. Call, tweet or email Annie Twitter: @GreenSoil with any questions she will get right back to you ASAP.
People asked me what else I use and I add soil amendments I used to mix myself until I found that Beaty Fertilizer makes Mill Mix. Its Called Mills Rose Magic and I add it as the totally organic soil amendments I used to buy in 40-50 pound bags at the feed store and mix myself but now its all I use
‘A dusky pink rose named “Savannah†emerged as the morning’s star. “Savannah†took the George & Edith Vanderbilt Award for Most Outstanding Rose of the Trials, in other words ‘Best in Show’. “Savannah†is bred by Kordes Rosen in Germany, and also captured the categories for Best Hybrid Tea and Most Fragrant.
Order your Mom a Jackson & Perkins living rose bush today from the list below that includes winner of the Biltmore Rose Trials ‘Most Outstanding Rose’ ‘Savannah’, she’ll get her roses in time for Mother’s Day and you can enter a chance to win a $100 gift certificate!
Do you often hear yourself saying the same witty quips you heard your Mom say to the kids in your life? “Close the door.” “Were you born in a barn?” “Quit running in and out.” Since my Mom was a rosarian, and avid gardener I hear “Mom’s Gardening Tips” in my head! “Top off your roses with Canadian sphagnum peat mossâ€; “Keep water off the leavesâ€, “You missed some spent blooms.â€
A Tribute to Moms & Caregivers Everywhere
In honor of Mother’s Day this is a tribute to Moms and caregivers everywhere that teach us all the things about gardening that we didn’t learn in books or Google Search. Since roses were one of my Mom’s favorite flowers, I wish she were here to see the first rose bloom each spring. Most Moms tell me they prefer living plants over cut flowers so this year why don’t you give living rose bushes to your Mom, Step-Moms, Mother-in-Law, and Grandmothers? You can even plant rose bushes in honor of the loved ones that have been important in your life and passed on.
85% of folks say roses are their favorite flower
They want easy-to-grow roses and prefer living plants to cut flowers. Just having returned from the Chicago Flower and Garden Show, I can tell you the world’s most prolific and famous rose breeders are listening to YOU! Each year there are better minimal care roses available that you can have great success with.
Where Can I Get Roses Like You Have?
Do you know the question I was most often asked while at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show? “Where can I get these kinds of roses?†Many people that attend the show are sophisticated gardeners that love and appreciate roses. Many have seen my website and even mention my roses, saying “We see the types of roses you have, but don’t know where to get varieties like ‘Savannah’ that swept the Biltmore Rose Trials!” People tell me often, “We don’t ever see roses like this at Independent Garden Centers.†They went on to say, “You have all these beautiful roses but where can we get them?†I’m here to tell you: you can get the very best varieties online at Jackson & Perkins.
For instance the amazing rose ‘Savannah’ that swept the show while I was a judge at the Biltmore, and underwent 2 years of testing, is available and in-stock so order it now so you can get it in time for Mother’s Day.
Here’s what LeeAnn Donnelly, Sr. Publicist at the Biltmore says about ‘Savannah’ that underwent two years of testing and won ‘Most Outstanding Rose’ at the Biltmore International Rose Trials while I was a judge:
“A dusky pink rose named ‘Savannah’ emerged as the morning’s star. ‘Savannah’ took the George & Edith Vanderbilt Award for Most Outstanding Rose of the Trials, in other words Best in Show. ‘Savannah’ is bred by Kordes Rosen in Germany, and also captured the categories for Best Hybrid Tea and Most Fragrant.†Posted on 06/01/2015 by LeeAnn Donnelly, Sr. Publicist, Biltmore
Enter Now For Your Chance To Win A $100 Jackson & Perkins Gift Certificate
If you’re feeling lucky, enter the Mother’s Day Rose Contest for a chance to win a $100 J&P Gift Certificate, so your Mom can take her pick of Jackson & Perkin’s quality varieties. To enter the contest, simply enter your email address below!
Mother passed away in 1994, yet she walked me through every step of learning how to grow roses; I can still hear her voice in my head say “plant the graft 4-6 inches below ground to protect the rose from frost damage over the winter.” Since I can hear my Mother’s ‘gardening tips’ in my head about taking care of roses, I thought in honor of my Mom, and Mom’s everywhere that pass on crucial oral history I’d share her 5 growing tips. And I want to thank Mom’s and care-givers everywhere for the critical role they play and their voices in our head and for passing on all the vital oral knowledge that cannot be learned anywhere else and their profound wisdom that is an echo through the furrows of time.
While working in the garden this spring I was wondering how did our Mom’s know so much without ‘Google Search’, and the Internet? Oral history was key to knowledge. I’ll give you a hint: Our Moms must have read EVERYTHING!
Moms Tips To Rose Growing Success
Plan your rose garden where you have 6-8 hours of sun
Design for easy maintenance with access to water
Roses need good drainage
Space on 3 Foot Centers for most roses
Fertilize regularly in soil that has lots of organic matter
There’s Still Plenty Of Time To Get Your Living Roses, Order Now
Order your roses now so Mom will have them in time for Mother’s day or get your Mom a Jackson and Perkins Gift Certificate so she can choose her favorites. The varieties I listed are VERY popular with Mothers!
Read More Mother’s Day Stories
You will want to read the amazing story called In Loving Memory, discovering the hidden peonies.
