I have a huge flower garden area and I am a new gardener. Where do I begin?

I want alot of roses all types. Do they have to have FULL SUN all day? What are other types of flowers/greenery that I can plant near roses? The garden is the length of my home around 70 ft long So I need alot to fill it. Also I need a good weed killer that will not harm my flowers. Do you recommend anything? How about a good fertilizer for plants to help them grow beautifully? Also I need a big bush or tree to put at the end of my home can you recommend any that will not touch my house ( afraid of color bleeding on house?) skinny but tall like 6 feet tall? Can I plant azaleas near roses? Thanks so much.

I have a huge flower garden area and I am a new gardener. Where do I begin?
Ah ... the rose garden. I tend to my bosses rose garden one of which has a variety of roses planted infront of my residence. Last year I was granted permission to plant other things around the roses, partially for pest control as well as appearance because the roses themselves look so lonely on their own. With the advice of our head gardener, I now have lavender and sweet alyssum (oh ... and garlic, for aphid control). Heather also compliments the rose garden nicely. You want lower shrubs to compliment and not distract from the visual effect of the roses themselves.





Weeds ... pull them out by hand. Don%26#039;t use weed killer near your flowers. There is also the philosophy that if you have too many weeds, it%26#039;s because you don%26#039;t have enough plants.





As for minimizing black spot and mold on roses, for they are susceptible to these in damper climates at any rate, I use a mixture of 2% milk and water (50/50) and spray the roses first thing in the morning about 2 - 3 times a week. The calcium from the milk helps to give the stems strength to support the flowers as well as overall strength to fight off disease. You can also make a solution of epsom salt and water (about a half cup of salts dissolved in boiling water, left to cool and top it up to make a gallon) and water the roses with this about once every 6 weeks. You may use standard rose food as fertilizer but as with all plants and fertilizers you can cause a dependency situation. Good rich compost is always good, but well rotted.





Roses prefer full sun but there are varieties out there that do well in partial shade. Talk with your nursery people.





As for the tree -- try an Emerald Green (a type of cypress).





You can plant azaleas near roses but because both are quite showy, it might be overkill in the visual department. They also require slightly different soil conditions ... nothing too major but it%26#039;s best to keep some distance.





Have fun.
Reply:I%26#039;d look at perennials and bulbs like tulips, daffodils or rhizomes like iris. They come back year after year and all you need to do is remember to fertilize and divide the bulbs every couple of years or more. I%26#039;m fond of sweet william and snapdragons (perennials) because they are hearty and robust and come back strong each year. I also like irises, the kind that bloom both spring and fall since blooms can be short lived. Geraniums are also an excellent choice as they are also strong and will come back next year as long as you mulch really well or bring them into your garage over the winter. Going with these types might cost you more up front but will save you money in the long run, and as far as I know they all would do just fine with roses as long as they aren%26#039;t crowded in too much. They all like sun, and all of mine (all types listed above) get only morning sun and do well. AND, if you start from seed, you can save even more. I have a 20 gallon long aquarium and I start my seeds in there with at least one 40watt fluorescent light, with seed pots about 4 inches from the light. Okay, probably more than you wanted, but I wish you luck! I wish I had that much space!!





Oh, and I like miracle grow for my outside plants... I use a 1:1:1 ratio, but for my indoor plants, some of which are large ferns and peace lillies, I use a type of fertilizer that doesn%26#039;t have urea in it. Urea builds up in the soil over time making it necessary to change the soil in pots more frequently, which makes it really difficult with the big plants. I think Scotts makes a fertilizer with no urea in it. :) But with outdoor plants, you wouldn%26#039;t really have to worry about that.
Reply:Hi there!





I think you should go for bigger trees at the corner of you land area, then flowering plants at the border and some vegetable plants near your door way and have a green pleasing lawn in between, you got to do a lot of work though,





to start with try this: http://makemyhome.blogspot.com/2007/05/g...





Good luck
Reply:I recommend any new gardener go and talk to someone at a plant nursery. Your questions are all over the place. You will learn from trial and error if you try to go it alone.





Roses are a lot of work. I%26#039;m hoping that you are interested in spending lots of time, if you plant lots of them. Yes, they like full sun. There is also a special rose food you need to feed them to get the best results. Azaleas can go near roses.





Don%26#039;t just pick any weed killer because there are certain kinds that do certain things. I don%26#039;t know the type of flowers you have, so I can%26#039;t recommend one.





Colour bleeding on your house? I don%26#039;t understand how a plant could do this? Are you meaning the flowers, or the actual plant.
Reply:look at what typs of flowers you would like to have hen look on the tag and make sure they are a good type for the weather where u live and gomfrom there
Reply:You need to go flower shopping read the tags on the flowers to find out if they need sun, also be careful when you water because you can over or under water the plats. also miracle grow help a lot with our gardens.



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