Bringing someone back from the brink of death is a bit of a miracle. When performing CPR for a stopped heart, it is vital that you maintain the ideal rhythm of 100-120 compressions per minute. One way to do this is to keep beat with a certain rock song.
Bringing plants back from the brink of death is one of many garden miracles. When Hurricane Katrina flooded Peggy Martin’s garden under 20 feet of saltwater in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, she thought all was lost. But her beloved rose, now called the Peggy Martin rose, not only survived but thrived.
Since then, the Peggy Martin rose has become a symbol of survival and rebirth. If you are new to growing roses, this is the one for you to start with.
This rose has clusters of fragrant pink flowers with white highlights and golden eyes. As a bonus, it is nearly thornless, so you can plant it along walkways without fear. It blooms almost nonstop from late spring to early fall, and the dark-green leaves are attractive throughout the summer.
Plant this vigorous vine in well-draining, rich soil in full sun. As a tough survivor, this rose is not particular about soil pH. It will live for at least 30 years and is hardy in USDA Zones 5-9.
It’s a vigorous climbing rose that can easily reach 15 feet, so you will need to prune the bushes in late winter, after all danger of extreme cold has passed. Because of its constant bloom and nectar-rich flowers, this is a good choice for attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators to your garden.
The Peggy Martin rose works well for mass plantings, as a screen or hedge, for cut flowers or as a garden accent. Plant it along a fence, or up a trellis or pergola. It can even be trained to run along the top of a retaining wall or drape along a gentle slope.
Like many climbing roses, this bush can get somewhat bare and leggy near its base. Hide the bare spots with under-plantings of ferns or bulbs such as allium, which repels moles, aphids and weevils. Keep any companion plants at least a foot away from the rose bush so they do not compete for water and nutrients.
Plant a garden of hope and include this tough survivor. Your Peggy Martin rose will soon be blanketed with clusters of deep-pink flowers.
Oh, and the life-saving song used to train for CPR and keep the rhythm? Fittingly, it’s called “Stayin’ Alive,” by the band the Bee Gees.
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Paul Barbano writes about gardening from his home in Rehoboth Beach. Contact him by writing to P. O. Box 213, Lewes, DE 19958.
