Two NEW Earth Kind Roses:

Earth Kind is an important designation given to select roses by the Texas A&M University AgriLife program. Earth Kind Roses have been through rigorous statewide testing and evaluation by a team of horticultural experts and found to possess the high level of landscape performance and outstanding disease and insect tolerance/resistance required to for this special designation.

Earth Kind Roses are among the most thoroughly tested and environmentally responsible plants for the use in Texas landscapes. These roses do very well in almost any soil type, from the well-drained acid sands of East Texas to the poorly aerated, highly alkaline clays of central and Southwest Texas. Earth Kind roses are certainly not immune to pest problems. However, their tolerance to pests is so great that they rarely require the use of chemical pesticides.

Recently 2 new roses have been added to the Earth Kind list…

Ducher (pronounced "doo shay"):

Joseph Pernet was a French rosarian born near Lyon. In 1879 he began his career with the Ducher nursery and in 1882, he married the owner's daughter. He then took on the name "Pernet-Ducher" under which he continued rose breeding until his death in 1928. Between 1907 and 1925, Monsieur Ducher won the Gold Medal thirteen times at the Annual Concours de Bagatelle International Rose Competition held in Paris.

The Ducher rose was introduced 1n 1869 and is considered the only white China rose available. The flowers are a soft ivory-white color with very round buds that may have a hint of pink on the outer petals. The flowers are extremely fragrant. Ducher is a relatively small China rose reaching a height of only 3 – 5 feet. This also makes it a very good candidate for use in containers. Many gardeners have observed that Ducher has lighter green foliage than some of its close relatives.

Cultivar Name Ducher

Blossom Color – Ivory White

Blossom & Fragrance Double – Very Fragrant

Blooming Period May – First Frost

Mature Height 3 - 5 feet

Mature Width 2 - 5 feet

Rose Category China

Growth Habit Shrub

Landscape Uses:

Ducher is a relatively small shrub rose that works well in the landscape or in a container. These plants require a well drained soil and do best in full sun. This repeat bloomer makes an excellent specimen plant and the fragrant blossoms are extremely attractive.

Georgetown Tea:

In 1983, Dr. William C. Welch, Professor and Extension Specialist at Texas A&M University, discovered this rose in the yard of a daycare center in Georgetown, Texas. It was a large healthy specimen but the owner knew nothing of it’s origins. Georgetown Tea is among several “found” roses that Dr. Welch is credited for re-introducing in to the rose community.

The double flowers are approximately 4” in diameter with a dark salmon pink center that fades to lilac pink. Georgetown Tea is a repeat bloomer from spring – first frost. Another interesting characteristic of this cultivar is that the petals become pointed at the tips, giving the open flower a star shape appearance. Like most roses in this class, the blooms have a Tea-like fragrance. The upright, bushy plant reaches a height of 3 – 5 feet with medium, dark green semi-glossy leaves.

Cultivar Name: Georgetown Tea

Blossom Color: Dark Salmon Pink

Blossom & Fragrance: Double- Tea-like

Blooming Period: Spring – First Frost

Mature Height: 3 - 5 feet

Mature Width: 3 - 4 feet Rose

Category: Tea

Growth Habit: Medium Shrub

Landscape Uses:
Georgetown Tea is an excellent landscape rose requiring full sun for optimum growth and performance. Plants may be used in mass or as a specimen in the landscape. The flowers starry shape provides a unique appearance in the garden. These upright, bushy shrubs should be planted in a well drained soil on no less than 3’ – 5’ centers.

For more information visit the Earth Kind Rose web site at:
http://earthkindroses.tamu.edu/

Sustainable Sites Initiative

The term “sustainable” is open to a broad range of interpretation. Following is some important information on a nationwide project focusing on the landscape area.

The Sustainable Sites Initiative is an interdisciplinary partnership between the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the United States Botanic Garden and a diverse group of stakeholder organizations to develop guidelines and standards for landscape sustainability. The motivation behind this initiative stems from the desire to protect and enhance the ability of landscapes to provide services such as climate regulation, clean air and water, and improved quality of life. Sustainable Sites™ is a cooperative effort with the intention of supplementing existing green building and landscape guidelines as well as becoming a stand-alone tool for site sustainability.

We encourage you to stay informed on this project. For more details visit: http://www.sustainablesites.org/index.html

Native Plants Conference:

The use of native and well adapted plants in the landscape is an important Earth Kind practice for conserving water and creating a sustainable environment. On May 28-31, 2008, Stephen F. Austin University will host a statewide conference focusing on this topic.


4th Lone Star Regional Native Plant Conference
In Association with the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference
May 28-31, 2008
Nacogdoches, Texas

This educational program will provide naturalists, horticulturists, nursery professionals, landscapers, and gardeners with information ranging from rare plants to conservation and propagation. Participants will also have the opportunity to enjoy local flora from a choice of guided tours.

For detailed program information visit their web site:
http://pnpc.sfasu.edu/brochure.pdf

New Tool for Google Earth Users:

By now most of you are familiar with Mapquest, Google Maps or one of the other web-based applications for getting directions from one place to another. Google Earth is another powerful tool that works similarly but offers a broader range of potential uses. This spatial information system links Global Positioning Systems (GPS) with relevant data to create a Global Information System (GIS) which can be used to describe a variety of characteristics. The increased use of tools like Google Earth has greatly advanced the application of spatial technology by making it available to anyone with access to the internet.

Recently, Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension, in cooperation with the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association, have developed several Google Earth image overlays for use in water management/conservation, as well as other related resources. These overlays include:

Texas Major Underground Aquifers
Texas Minor Underground Aquifers
Texas Average Precipitation
Texas Plant Hardiness Zones
Texas Plant Heat-Zones
Texas Ecoregions
Texas Soils

Click here to access these overlay files for download.

We hope you will find this information a useful tool for making landscape management decisions that assist in creating a healthy and sustainable environment.