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By Clare Mendez, Resident According to The Essential Rose Garden book by Peter McHoy, you should have rose bushes in our area trimmed back for winter by now (unless you are keeping the rose hips for the birds or to make tea). There are several instructions online how to do this properly if you are doing the work yourself. If, on the other hand, you've hired a gardener, I hope they have some knowledge in this area. Did you know that if your roses are floribundas (the type that cluster on one stem and are usually grouped as a hedge) they can be cut with a hedge clipper? Take a look at the white iceberg roses that flank the entrances to the Paseo. It is so much quicker and easier than getting down to ground level to pick and choose which branches to remove. However, there could be drawbacks: the bushes may become too congested and diseases may become a problem due to the congested growth. For general garden display, this method is well worth considering if you are looking for a shortcut or to lessen your work load. According to McHoy, roses are remarkably tough and adaptable, and will go on growing with minimal attention for many years, but they will deteriorate and flower less prolifically, with small blooms, on bushes that become poorly shaped. Climbing roses will also benefit from a trim now and then, removing branches that are badly positioned. You'll need to cut out any dead or diseased wood. Lastly, my friends, do not fertilize your rose bushes in the winter. Wait until they start to show new growth in the spring. In 2018, a group of SDV friends (myself included) went to the California Science Center in Los Angeles. We boarded a Metro train in Perris and transferred to another in Riverside. When we arrived in LA and exited at our designated stop, we walked through the Exposition Park Rose Garden (above). It is called "one of the city's best-kept secrets." They grow several masses of stunning roses in sunken garden beds. And, they are labeled so you can take note on which ones are your favorites. Roses can be seen in several front yards in SDV, but not all will thrive in our summer heat, so do a little research before purchasing one that will not perform as you hope. A good place to shop locally for roses is Cagliero Ranch Nursery on W. Devonshire. I look forward to seeing your front yard roses again when the weather warms up. They are a welcome sight after a dormant winter. I love to stick my nose right in the blossom to get a good dose of their fragrance. Give Your Roses Some Love 6 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2021