The mulch pile
The class project for the Master Gardener Intern class of 2006, the bed was started in May of 2007.
The city of Wichita Falls donated a load of compost, the location at Hamilton Park AND water for the first year. The interns, along with Horticulture Agent Tara McKnight spent the day, building the bed and planting the six rose varieties. Intern Doug Hutchins brought his John Deere tractor, and saved us a huge amount of time and labor spreading the mulch. Once that was done, we framed the bed with landscape timbers and measured out the rows. The names of the six roses were put into hat, then drawn for the first row, put back, drawn for the second and the same for the third row. The six varieties used were, Do-Si-Do, Carefree Beauty, New Dawn, Polonaise, Dublin Bay, and Bright Melody. By the end of the day, the roses had been planted and watered. A drip irrigation system was installed and then covered by a 3″ layer of hardwood mulch, that was replenished every 6 months.
Over the next 3 years, data was collected was collected and reported to Dr. Steve George who is in charge of the EarthKind Program for Texas Agrilife Extension Service, and Texas A&M University.
Planting
Now that the trial period is over, the bed will remain in place at Hamilton Park, with only the climbing roses being removed, as they just take up too much space. The bed is located past the tennis courts near the pavilion. Name tags with descriptions of the roses are located on the first row, closest to the road. A second trial bed is being discussed, to be placed in the same area, using a 6 different rose varieties.
