| Heritage Rosarium Growers of Own-root Heritage Roses |
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 211 Haviland Mill Road Brookeville, Maryland 20833 Phone: 301-774-2806, e-mail: heritagero@aol.com I became infatuated with old garden roses about 1975 after reading an Earthman column by Henry Mitchell in the Washington Post. Many of his unparalleled essays are found in three of his gardening books. He explained how he liked some of the old roses because of their beauty, their toughness, and hardiness. He never sprayed anything. There's more information about him at: Henry Mitchell. I had started growing a few Hybrid Tea roses, and had enjoyed them, but soon learned that they needed a bit more care than I sometimes provided. I believe that Henry mentioned The Heritage Roses Group to me and I got in contact with them and have received their newsletter ever since. My interest and wonderment in the width and breadth of the genus Rosa grew exponentially over the years, and I found myself purchasing and “rustling” roses all over the countryside as well as on invited forays to special gardens. I even visited and subsequently propagated some plants at an abandoned plot at USDA’s Beltsville grounds at the invitation of one of its lead scientists working on black spot resistance. Having by the early 80’s a couple of hundred varieties, I began to yearn for a larger piece of property to indulge my habit of wanting to experience old garden roses to the maximum extent possible and still stay gainfully employed. After searching for almost a year, we bought a 5.5 acre parcel in 1985 with an old house and old trees. It had some nice out buildings, and a couple of areas that in my minds eye I could build display gardens as well as some space for growing potted plants for sale. Yes, I thought I could help pay for the passion turned obsession with propagation and sale of my cherished accumulations – hence the Heritage Rosarium was born in 1986 or there about. Over the years, I have enjoyed developing the gardens surrounding the house. There are now two main display gardens, each with a lily pond, one of which has an elevated pavilion to view its half acre of old and new roses. There are other smaller specialty gardens such as the kitchen garden, the herb garden, the children’s garden, the climber garden, and the bride’s garden. Of course, they all have roses associated with them, and are in response to a desire to find an outlet for special designs and plants for garden areas both large and small. I do not know exactly how many varieties we currently have, but the number is probably on the order of 600 to 700. I have had very little formal education in garden design and plant selection. I am a biochemist by training. However, the desire to add beauty to my surroundings and our lives has been the driving force for at least one set of eyes. The gardens are at peak bloom usually during the last week in May and first week in June. At that time we have open garden on the weekends to share the beauty of the rose in its many forms from giant tree climbers to miniature ground covers and everything in between. At other times we share the garden by appointment - call or e-mail. Please stop by to smell and see the roses. Nick Weber, proprietor
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