Everything's coming up roses

There's a reason so many females long to be "June Brides." June is that magical month when the roses bloom. Who doesn't want to surround themselves in that aura? The intricate layers of delicate petals, the magnificent scent that triggers a thousand happy summer memories?

Like nearly everyone on the planet, I've always been fascinated by the rose. Even if you're not a fan of Mother Nature, you can't deny her creative charms, exemplified in the complex design of this floral phenomenon.  My attempts throughout the years to grow roses have always been thwarted due to one key factor: I don't get full sun--six consecutive hours per day--in any part of my yard.

If you're a rose aficionado, it's a good time to be alive and gardening. Advances in "rose technology" have kept pace with every other aspect of modern life, and today there are a number of rose hybrids and cultivars that require less sunlight in order to flourish--with the added benefit of supreme disease resistance and less need to water!

Many of the latest, greatest rose offerings requiring partial sun (4-5 hours per day) can be found in shrub form, which are most closely related to species native to forest or thicket habitats. Once-blooming varieties (many old garden roses) require less light. Unlike most hybrid tea roses, which require more sun, many roses of the shrub variety add delicious scent to the garden. Some shady showstoppers include David Austin and Griffith Buck roses, which produce spectacular flushes in partial shade. Particularly good: Sophy's Rose, a bright magenta repeat bloomer, resistant to disease and Molineux, with gold center and creamy outer petals and semi-glossy foliage.

These rose varieties are less prolific than their sun-drenched cousins, the floribundas, grandifloras and hybrid teas, but are less likely to develop rose spot in shade, are often more fragrant, and have longer-lasting blooming times. Follow the tips below to keep your partially shaded roses looking their best:

• Choose pale or pastel blooms that “pop” in shady areas.
• Supply adequate water with good drainage.
• Apply sufficient fertilizer.
• Prune periodically, as shaded roses tend to grow taller.
• Plant away from tree trunks to avoid root competition