Rosa ‘Iceberg’ brings bundles of crisp, white blooms among glossy green foliage. As a shrub or climber, they flower nonstop from early summer through frost. Explore these handsome, vigorous, effortless roses with garden expert Katherine Rowe. The Rosa genus contains over 150 species of shrub and climbing roses, with numerous cultivars in all sizes and colors. Of those, ‘Iceberg’ is a world favorite, earning the World Federation of Roses Hall of Fame designation. Its endless clusters of pure white blooms free-flower throughout the summer for a crisp, cool, abundant aesthetic. ‘Iceberg’ is a floribunda rose beloved for its beauty, vigor, and reliable performance. The sport of the shrub is an equally stunning climbing selection. Climbing ‘Iceberg’ roses add vertical appeal from near and far. Whether a tidy shrub or an easy-going climber, their easy care and robust repeat blooms enchant the landscape. What are ‘Iceberg’ Roses? ‘Iceberg’ floribunda rose bears bright white blooms throughout the summer. Clusters of semi-double rosettes free-flower in profusion. With creamy yellow centers and a light honey perfume, pollinators flock to them. The rose is out of Germany’s acclaimed Kordes Roses. Bred by Reimer Kordes in 1958, it’s a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit for its non stop flowering and hardy stock. It thrives with a bit of neglect and is tolerant of dappled light and less-than-ideal conditions. The accolades for ‘Iceberg’ are almost as numerous as its endless blossoms. It won the National Rose Society’s Gold Medal in 1958 and World’s Favorite Rose in 1983. These floribundas make a lovely show in small groups, mixed borders, and foundation plantings. They’re ideal in cottage and cutting gardens, fragrance-themed arrangements, and large containers. The climbing ‘Iceberg’ rose grows quickly with long, pliable stems that train easily. It, too, features continual flowering, attractive foliage, and easy-care growing. The floriferous stems quickly fill large trellises, house walls, arbors, pillars, arches, and fences. Unlike other climbing vines, they don’t twine naturally. They need support, training, and tying to a sturdy structure to climb. Without upright support, the climbers grow as free-standing shrubs. Let them ramble down a slope, crawl along a wall, or make graceful, arching garden specimens. Characteristics ‘Iceberg’ roses cool the summer display with sprays of medium-sized, semi-double white flowers. These showy clusters have 15 rosettes per bundle. While primarily shades of white, petal tips may have a pale pink blush. Flowers measure three inches across and hold up to 25 petals. Yellow stamens appear as flowers open fully. The shrubs grow three to five feet tall and wide and have an upright habit. Plants have handsome, glossy foliage in medium green. Stems have few thorns. New genetically mutated shoots are called sports, and they differ from the shrubby base branches. A climbing sport on this rose can grow up to 15 feet tall. After flowering, buds develop on old wood (the previous season’s growth). Both the shrub and the sport are cold-hardy and disease-resistant. They tolerate partial shade. Native Area Floribunda roses arose from crossing a hybrid tea with a polyantha. Since floribundas are further hybrids, they’re of cultivated origin. Their ancestors date back to wild species native to Asia, particularly China. Polyanthas are rugged and vigorous growers. They produce clusters of small blooms and repeatedly blossom on upright shrub forms. Hybrid teas have lineage in old garden selections, leading to their florist-worthy pointed buds and stylized blooms. Rosa ‘Iceberg’ is a cross between R. ‘Robin Hood’ and R. ‘Virgo.’ ‘Robin Hood’ is a Pemberton-bred 1927 hybrid musk with repeat clusters of small, cherry red flowers with white centers. Joseph Pemberton is a renowned British rosarian who created the first hybrid musks. His sister introduced ‘Robin Hood’ after his death the year before. The original, ancient musk roses have roots in southern Europe and the Middle East. ‘Robin Hood’ boasts good disease resistance and shade tolerance. The strong shrubs have an upright habit and reach four to five feet tall. ‘Robin Hood’ is an easy grower and adapts to various soil types. ‘Virgo’ is a short hybrid tea rose introduced by Charles Mallerin in Meilland, France, in 1947. High-pointed buds on long stems open to scrolled double blooms in white shades. The lightly scented teas occur from summer through fall. The climbing ‘Iceberg’ came about as a sport, or genetic mutation of the floribunda, resulting in an offshoot. Breeders cultivate these offshoots for the traits of the parent plant in climbing form. Planting For good air circulation and to plan for maturity, leave ample space around the plant for air movement. Plenty of space gives roots and upper growth enough room to spread. Leave at least one foot between roses and companion plantings and three to four feet between larger plants to avoid overcrowding. If your plant is a climber, place it near a support structure like a pillar, wall, arbor, or trellis. In their second year, long canes develop. Tie these to your support structure to direct growth.

Queen Lime zinnias are a special series with soft, sophisticated colors. They may not be as flamboyant as some of their more colorful counterparts, but we love them. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to discuss growing these special zinnias. Zinnias are a favorite of mine; I say it time and time again. If there is one flower I will plant every year without fail, it’s the zinnia. This powerhouse annual truly does it all. The ‘Queen Lime’ series is a unique and beautiful one. Zinnias are vigorous growers and producers of large, lovely flowers. Their long, strong stems make them an excellent choice for the cutting garden. They’re also an excellent addition to the pollinator patch with their flat, accessible, nectar-rich flowers. These flowers are incredibly easy to grow and have a great payoff for the effort invested. If you like to see butterflies in the garden, these will make it happen. They bloom throughout the summer and fall, right up to your first frost. What Is It? ‘Queen Lime’ zinnias are a group best known for their subtle, beautiful, and sophisticated colors. Most varieties get recognition for their bold, bright colors. These have a quiet loveliness that is best enjoyed up close and personal. They are excellent for the cutting garden, where you will want to add them to every bouquet. Characteristics ‘Queen Lime’ zinnias are medium to large-sized plants that can reach heights of nearly four feet. If you pinch them and cut them often, they will grow into lovely, shrubby plants that look lovely in mixed flower beds. They have strong, slim stems and slightly fuzzy foliage. The main draw for this particular series is the color of the blooms. There are four recognized varieties, but I’ve seen several others pop up in recent years. The classic ‘Queen Lime’ zinnia is a lime green cultivar; its petals are bright and cool. When combined with other colors, the results are charming and nostalgic. The lime green shade overlaid with pink, peach, red, yellow, and orange becomes a group of earthy, muted hues. They have a vintage appeal and blend well with almost any color combination. Native Area Zinnia elegans is native to parts of Central and North America, including Mexico and the southwestern United States. They grow in semi-arid, warm climates with moderate rainfall. ‘Queen Lime’ is a cultivated series that works well in the same climates as its wild predecessor. Planting The ideal time to plant zinnias is in the spring, as soon as the ground is warm enough for them to germinate (about 65°F or 18°C). You can start them earlier indoors, but they grow best if you plant them right in the garden. ‘Queen Lime’ is a medium-sized plant that requires about 18″-24″ of space to spread. You can succession sow them throughout the season, as they will continue to bloom until the first frost.

Do you love to eat figs? Did you know that fig trees are remarkably easy to grow? In this article, gardening enthusiast Liessa Bowen will discuss the proper care and maintenance of one of the most popular fig cultivars, the ‘Black Mission’ fig. Mission fig (Ficus carica ‘Mission’), also known as the ‘Black Mission’ fig, is a popular edible fig cultivar. There is a tremendous variety of different edible figs, and the ‘Mission’ fig is one of the more common varieties you can buy from garden centers and plant nurseries. ‘Mission’ figs are also one of the most common fresh figs sold in supermarkets, so you are likely to have seen them somewhere before. The most likely reason you’ll want to grow a fig is for eating. Figs are sweet, tender, and absolutely delicious! A fig tree takes up a bit of sunny space and requires rich, moist soil, but if you can provide the right growing conditions, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to grow your own fresh figs. You can eat figs directly from the tree. They are delicious when eaten fresh, at their peak ripeness. But figs ripen very quickly, and you are likely to grow more than you can eat all at once. Fortunately, you can enjoy figs in a lot of different ways. Preserve them in jams and jellies, make pickled or canned figs, freeze them to blend into smoothies, or dry them for snacking. Keep reading to find out if you can grow a fig tree in your yard and how to help it thrive so you can harvest your own superabundance of these fantastic fruits. Plant Natural History Edible figs originated in Asia and the Mediterranean region, including some of the warmer climates of Europe. Fig trees grow naturally on rocky hillsides and in well-drained soils with full sun. They evolved with a special pollinator relationship with the fig wasp. In cultivation, however, most fig cultivars, including the ‘Black Mission’ fig, do not require a pollinator to produce an abundance of edible fruits. Fig trees have long been cultivated as a valuable food crop. They are now grown throughout the moderate climates in the world and have been bred to include hundreds of different cultivars. ‘Black Mission’ figs are very productive trees and easy to grow, making this variety an ideal candidate for commercial production. They bloom in the springtime, but don’t expect to see any flowers. The flower is actually more of an inverted fruit. In early summer, look for tiny, rounded green structures. These are a combination of the flowers and the fruits. The flowering parts are inside and not visible from the outside. These fruiting bodies will continue to enlarge and grow and will eventually become the first fruits of the year. This first crop is called the “breba” crop. Then, in mid-summer, trees will produce a second or “main” crop of fruits. Many figs produce a small breba crop and a larger main crop, but the ‘Black Mission’ fig produces an excellent breba crop, making it one of the earlier-fruiting varieties you can grow. Characteristics The ‘Black Mission’ fig is a deciduous, small to medium-sized fruit-bearing tree. These trees develop a very highly-branched, rounded form and more closely resemble a large-branched bush. The branches, particularly at the truck and base, are very thick, with smooth, light gray bark. Fig trees have large, deeply lobed leaves. The leaves emerge in early spring and stay on the tree until they are killed by the first frost. Fig leaves do not display bright fall foliage but rather change quickly from green to brown. The leaves have short, stiff hairs on them that cause them to feel a little rough and possibly even irritating on sensitive skin. The leaves and stems also contain a white, latex-like, sticky sap. This sap can cause contact dermatitis on sensitive skin. It’s best to wear long sleeves and gloves when working closely with these trees and wash your hands thoroughly after handling them, especially if you come in contact with the sap. Most people do not have a severe reaction to the sap, but it can still be slightly irritating. The ‘Black Mission’ fig produces high-quality edible fruits. The fruits are two to three inches across and change from green to reddish-purple at maturity. The fleshy interior is strawberry pink and has a deliciously sweet flavor. These fruits have very soft skin and split easily when they are past their peak ripeness. These trees develop a large, shallow, sprawling root system. Wherever you plant your fig, you can expect to see some of these knotty roots poking above the soil surface around your tree. Propagation The easiest ways to propagate your fig tree will be either by taking cuttings or starting a root sprout. Stem cuttings are very easy and reliable and will grow you a full-size fig tree from a dormant twig! Whichever propagation method you choose, you will need a mature tree from which to gather your starter materials.