Home Run Rose is the Season Opener!

Home Run Rose

While enjoying the warm company of other garden professionals and enthusiasts, along with lunch and the (frozen) lakefront view of the Chicago skyline from Riva Navy Pier on Thursday, I had the pleasure of hearing Tom Carruth of Weeks Roses tell us all about 'Home Run' Rose. 

Bred from the Knock Out Rose, velvety red 'Home Run' boasts lifetime freedom from both black spot and powdery mildew.  It is also the first rose to bloom and will bloom continuously throughout the growing season into fall, when it will produce both flowers and hips.  Because of this extremely short rebloom cycle - no pruning, please!

Be on the lookout for this rose in the familar Proven Winners pots at your favorite garden centers this coming season and about mid-summer you may see, in smaller pots, an even newer 'Pink Home Run' rose.  What a color!

Thanks so much Proven Winners for the lunch invitation - I had so much fun getting the scoop on these interesting new rose cultivars and meeting several Chicago area bloggers face to face!

Bed-time Reading

Oh joy - the new Digging Dog catalog came today!  I opened my mailbox this afternoon and did a little happy dance right out on the front porch!  Guess what I'm curling up with tonight?!! 

Is it just me that gets this excited about reading all the juicy descriptions and companion plant suggestions?