Rose 'Julia Child'

Questions about rose 'Julia Child'

Does rose 'Julia Child' need sun or shade?

Rose 'Julia Child' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does rose 'Julia Child' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 9. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does rose 'Julia Child' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid June to early October. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should rose 'Julia Child' be planted?

2½ ft (75 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 3 ft (90 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many rose 'Julia Child' plants do I need?

At 2½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 2 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 5 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 6 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is rose 'Julia Child' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to the ASPCA.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like rose 'Julia Child'?

Rose 'Julia Child' is not native to North America. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Shrubby cinquefoil 'Goldfinger': the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 6 in wider, fine leaves, not medium.
• Kalm's St John's wort: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers early July to early August, fine leaves, not medium.
• Gloriosa daisy 'Indian Summer': the same job in a bed and the same colour; 14 in narrower, flowers early July to early October.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

What flowers after rose 'Julia Child'?

Rose 'Julia Child' is over by early October. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink': from late September to early November, 2½ ft tall.
• Japanese onion 'Ozawa': from early October to early November, 10 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Tatarian aster 'Jindai': from early October to early November, 4 ft tall.

What does rose 'Julia Child' look like in winter?

Rose 'Julia Child' drops its leaves and stands as bare branches. That is when to see its shape, and to prune it if it needs pruning.