Question On Flower Beds From Yester Year

[Bridge End Farm]

I am searching for where maybe some rose bush or flower beds might of been back in early 1800s.

Did they plant them far from the house, next to house, etc. I am asking for anyone that might have knowledge on them. I am assuming that they would be close to a water source like a well so they didn't have to tote the water to far for them.

Any Ideas

Thanks

[Monty]

Most of the old homestead homes I have seen had flowers planted along front porches and the front of the house. Flags or Irisis are ones that come back every year as do candas (cantas?), morning glories, four o'clocks and snap dragons were common flowers. Look for perennials that don't take much care. They were too busy working farms to take care of flower gardens much. Old pear trees are pretty common too I have found. Look for windbreaks on the south side of old abandoned sites. Monty

[Unicorn]

There are many different variety's of roses. Some are climbing roses that can be planted around the doors of your house, or along a trellis fence, or to climb up the side walls of your house. Then you have the bush type rose, this is usually planted in a rose bed alongside many more variety's. We plant our roses as near to the house as we can to catch the lovely scent of them, although this isnt really necessary it's just personal taste. the do like a clay type soil, and will go without watering for a few days.

[Shortstack]

If you're specifically interested in ROSE bushes / beds; their locations would vary. Some running / climbing roses would be along fencelines for ready made support. Bushes were sometimes planted under window to have the thorns for natural burglar barriers. Any plants put along fences would have been out from the sides of the house and along the front, close to the road. The old rose plants were mostly single-bloomers that set flowers once during the growing season. I could be wrong, but I think Florabundas (ever bloomers) are pretty much recent hybrids......about the last 40 years.
Over all conclusion is that roses were planted both AT the house and out to no more than 20-30 yards. Roses require fairly close attention to be healthy and productive. So, with the daily needs of family and other farm work, any rose plants the lady of the house might have had would be within easy "reach".

[Bridge End Farm]

Thanks I am looking for a stash that was planted in a rose flower bed mid 1800s I have the home located and now branching out in my search so all your info has been productive to me.

[Monty]

Of course rose bushes! I plum forgot. Lots of times they would plant them on arbors at the entryway to a sidewalk or main entrance. Hope you find it! Monty

[Shortstack]

Thanks I am looking for a stash that was planted in a rose flower bed mid 1800s I have the home located and now branching out in my search so all your info has been productive to me.

Hey, Bridge, here's a couple of more tips. Those older rose bushes were tough. I see you live in Florida; well, here in south central Mississippi, I found a rose bush in the back yard of an Aunt's house that had not been "taken care of" very well and that thing had main canes that were as thick as my forearms--at least 4" in diameter. It was the dangest thing I'd seen. I cut some new growth from it and stuck them in the ground at my house and got excellent growth of new plants. My point in this is, don't just look for skinny little bushes or briar patch growth. Also, watch for real treelike rose growth. In Florida, that could easily happen.

If running / climbing roses were involved, watch for just the opposite. There could be rose canes running up into other trees and low bushes and have the appearance of wisteria vines. In this case, you'd have to trace those runs back to their rootstock. WEAR GOOD GLOVES. And here's wishing you LOTSA LUCK.

[Bridge End Farm]

some more great info thanks for it, I strike it I'll remember ya all