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Variety, Variety, Variety....

© Adriela Sakamoto

Roses are thought of by many, as the Queen of Flowers. When I see the blooms of one of my unknowns open, pale yellow-tinged peach, ruffled and translucent as a bridesmaid's petticoat, I am inclined to agree. But a one-note garden, at least in my own opinion, lacks the depth and texture I crave as an artist.

One of the most common arrangements I see on my drives through the city, are the hybrid teas arranged in rows or clumps, as if the garden is part of a horticultural university. While they may be easier to care for in this set up, the roses are all basically the same height and shape, with the only relief for the eye being the color of each. The eye moves from pink to red to yellow to white and back again, pausing but briefly briefly upon the the hues in between. Ultimately, it grows weary and moves on.

If you wish to make a statement with your hybrid teas, have three in a grouping, so the color sings, or put one beloved specimen alone so that no other rose competes for attention. Just don't leave it out there naked of any companions: border its special bed with something low growing and attractive, or backlight it with a line of delphiniums or even the hazy, delicate fog of some of the taller ornamental grasses.

Vary the types of roses you grow. Single roses are often overlooked in the landscape, and I have no idea why. Red Max Graff boasts one of the most vibrant reds you are likely to find, and the slightly ruffled petals unfurl beautifully. It is also a low growing rose, and tends to ramble along nicely at about knee high.

I have an unknown climber that resembles Evangeline in many ways, and it is covered with dome shaped clusters of brilliant pink, single roses with pale soft eyes. Not even my English roses put on such a show in late June.

If you have room and can find one of the older shrub types, there is almost nothing but a willow more graceful as it arches over a clipped lawn. I think they have fallen out of favor as yards have gotten smaller, but if you plan for it, almost everyone has a spot in which one of these neglected beauties can bloom. Make sure you have plenty of garden around it, however, as mowing under or around them can tax even the most patient gardener.