EarthKind® Rose Project
At Heritage Park
The Somervell County Master Gardeners Association, in cooperation with Somervell County, is excited to begin the installation of a National EarthKind® Rose Field Trial Garden. The garden will be located just inside the entrance to Heritage Park, in historic Glen Rose, Texas.
The National EarthKind® Rose Trial program is an innovative, research based project developed by the extension Horticulture Specialists at Texas A&M University. The roses used in the program are studied to identify the most disease and pest resistant, heat and drought tolerant and lowest maintenance varieties. During the trial, roses receive no fertilizer or pesticides, no pruning or deadheading and only minimal supplemental water in the first year. Once the three year study is complete, roses that have thrived are eligible to receive the prestigious EarthKind® designation from Texas A&M.
Since the program began in May, 2005, test gardens have been planted in over 25 states and four foreign countries. Texas Master Gardeners have installed test gardens in over 50 counties with the goal to have a Trial Garden in all 254 counties throughout the State of Texas.
The Somervell County Master Gardeners Association EarthKind® Rose Trial Garden will contain 6 different varieties, each in triplicate, for a total of 18 shrubs. One of the rose varieties, Carefree Beauty, is standard in all trial gardens. Our gardens will also contain one variety, Kathy’s Find, which will be a first of its kind in an EarthKind®Trial Garden. All of the labor involved in the installation of our EarthKind® Trial Garden is being done by the hardworking efforts of our volunteer Master Gardeners.
You’ve seen the Before (2008)
Now see the After (2009)
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