Our Love for Roses
My husband Wiley and I love Roses! In fact most folks would say we are passionate about growing roses. How did that start? The roots of this passion started in childhood and continue to this day. After retirement we had the opportunity to indulge our passion. We looked for a site ideal for a rose garden, found it, bought it, and built a house on it. Our plan was to limit the number of roses to sixty. But then we would find another rose we had to have. Our solution was to plant in pots: “if it’s not in the ground it doesn’t count.” So now we are up to eighty four rose bushes. Our passion extends to others by giving them away. We carry vase after vase of roses to nursing homes, schools, our church, the doctor’s office and to friends who need a little cheer. Our satisfaction is seeing the smiles and delight on their faces as we hand them a colorful, fragrant vase of roses. Those smiles make it all worthwhile!
Carole Waters Guest Writer
From 2000 to 2010, the Waters were employed by the City of Newport News to care for The Rose Garden at Huntington Park which they renovated and expanded. They now have their own business, Waters Rose Care Service, providing care for rose gardens.
Container Garden Party
Add that welcoming touch to your home with an eye-catching container garden. Our Container Specialists will be available to help you select plants that will work for different locations of your home and add color and interest all summer. With the purchase of plants and a container, we’ll pot your personalized creation for FREE.
Sunday, May 11
Mother’s Day
Our bright annuals, colorful hanging baskets, lasting perennials and fragrant roses are gifts that are sure to delight any Mother. In addition, you will find a huge selection of garden gifts and accessories. If you’re still puzzled about what to get Mom, you can never go wrong with a Ken Matthews Gift Certificate!
Saturday, May 17, Noon – 3 PM
Herb and Veggie Tasting Event
Learn how to add new taste experiences to your meats, veggies, and beverages by using herbs you can easily grow in your own garden or containers and enjoy a tasting of herb infused recipes that are favorites of the staff at Ken Matthews Garden Center.
Monday, May 26
Memorial Day
Memorial Day started as a day of remembrance for the men and women who died while serving in the Armed forces. It has now become a weekend long celebration devoted to shopping, family gatherings, pool openings, and the beginning of summer beach weeks. Please take a few minutes this year to consider the real reason Memorial Day was started – to remember the men and women who lost their lives protecting our freedom.
Check This Out!
BougainFeelYa Rose
BougainFeelYa is one of the new roses found in the Look-A-Likes™ collection of roses. As the name implies, BougainFeelYa has a flower similar in shape to bougainvillea. But, don’t be fooled, this rose is not a climber. The flowers of BougainFeelYa are dark red and will form continuously throughout the season followed by rosehips in the fall.
Dr. Earth Rose & Flower Fertilizer
Healthy plants are the best prevention for pest and disease. Good nutrition is an essential component in keeping roses healthy and happy. By combining beneficial soil microbes of ecto and endo Mycorrihizae, Dr. Earth Rose & Flower Fertilizer allows for enhanced nutrient availability. What that means for your roses is superior buds and blooms, better drought tolerance and improved plant performance overall. And the best part, it’s 100% natural and organic.
JUST IN!
Berry-luscious Blueberries!
Try mouth watering varieties like Raspberry Sunday, Peach Sorbet and Jelly Bean – plus tried and true varieties such as Tifblue, Climax, and Premier. Plant now and enjoy fruit in your cereal this summer! All are perfect for planting in the garden or containers.
Community Service Notice:
The Victory YMCA Annual “National Senior Day”
will be Wednesday, May 28 from 10 AM – 1:30 PM.
Tips for the Garden:
Deadheading Roses: On repeat and continual flowering roses you can increase blooming by removing the spent or dead flowers. This is called dead-heading. If you leave the dead flower on, a rose “hip” will develop and will stop the bloom production on that stem. The general rule-of-thumb is to cut the stem at a slant just above an outward-facing, five or seven-leaflet leaf bud.