21 June 2023
Lucky for those born in June because they get one of the most popular blooms for their birth flower, the rose. However, if they prefer, honeysuckle is also appropriate for them. Both are associated with love!
Rose
Rose bushes are generally at their best during the month of June, although horticulture techniques make them available all year, and a special favorite for Valentine’s Day. Cultivated for at least 5,000 years, in China they were grown for medicinal as well as aesthetic value. The ancient Greeks and Romans used them for decoration, perfume, and medicine.
Spring is the best time to plant new roses. There are a number of choices including bush, tea (and hybrid teas), floribunda, minifloras, grandifloras, shrubs, and climbers. The varieties most highly prized come from Ecuador, Columbia, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
If you buy the plant in advance, be sure to keep them moist and cool. If you are holding them for more than a week, acclimatize them prior to planting to avoid shock.
Choose your spot. To be successful, roses like at least six hours of sun daily during the growing season and an area that is well ventilated. Prepare the soil; they like well drained soil that is enriched with compost. Space appropriately for the variety.
After the plant is established, care is relatively easy. If it is a particularly dry period, be sure they get some water at the base, keeping the leaves as dry as possible. In the Fall, prune the canes back to about 3 or 4 feet high to prevent damage from strong winds and ice. In the Spring, remove any dead materials. Optional:
- Deadhead, which is cutting or pinching off any blooms that are too far gone to be enjoyable. This allows the plant to focus its energy on producing more buds and keeping the plant healthy.
- Fertilize with a product specifically for roses. There is a very good national brand product for use every two months. Sprinkle the granules around the base of the plant and water in. Don’t fertilize past July 1 in order for the plant to prepare for our New York winters.
It is that simple. However, if you want to do more, you certainly can.
The rose is the universal symbol of love and each color has a different inference, so choose wisely. White is for purity and mercy.
Myths and legends abound:
- India – Goddess of beauty, Lakshmi was created from a rose bud.
- Rome – At feasts, an artificial rose was suspended as a tribute to the couple being honored.
The red color is said to come from
- Eve’s kiss in Eden. Or that it is from
- The blood of the nightingale who could not resist the white flower and pressed against it driving the thorn into its heart.
- From the Prophet Mohammed’s sweat when Magomet went to heaven.
Honeysuckle
As an alternative, you may choose to celebrate with Honeysuckle. This is part of the Caprifoliaceae family and forms clusters of reds, pinks, yellows and white. Originally from the Far East (native to Japan, China, and Korea), it was introduced in the States as wildlife food. It is shade tolerant and will spread easily to the point of being invasive. If that happens, they can be dug up, but to be effective, the entire root system must be excavated and it is best to do it before the plant goes to seed. New York native honeysuckle is considered non invasive and can be identified by a solid stem while the invasive version has a hollow stem.
The berries are poisonous and should not be eaten and honeysuckles are a favorite spot for ticks.
On the positive side, the intertwined stems of honeysuckle represents love. It can also be a symbol of true happiness, first love, good fortune, and nostalgia. The scent may induce dreams of passion and love. It is thought that if you bring honeysuckle in bloom into your home, a wedding will happen within a year. Hang some honeysuckle outside your barn to protect cattle from becoming bewitched.
In our area bush honeysuckles can take full sun, and are often found in the forest, abandoned fields, and other open areas. Some varieties will show up in wetlands.
The origin myth is that Aphrodite, the godess of love, allowed Daphnis and Chloe to meet only while the flower bloomed.
