Grandmother's Flower Garden

Our History

The area where the garden is now was once the Cozy Theatre, a popular spot to take in the latest motion picture until March 2000, when a fire destroyed it. Seeded over with grass, the property lay vacant until the two buildings next door were acquired and restored to become the home of the Museum in 2011. To have access to the outer wall of the Museum building to strengthen it, this property was also acquired.

​The Garden

Many quiltmakers and lovers are also gardeners, and many quilt patterns were inspired by flowers, plants, trees, and nature in general. So we decided to create a period garden adjacent to the Museum that would be typical of “city gardens” in Fayette County and Central Texas around the time of our buildings, about 1890, through the 1930s. We named the garden for a beloved Depression-era quilt pattern, “Grandmother’s Flower Garden.”

Garden Components

Our garden is set out in a simple parterre style of four central beds with perimeter beds on three sides. There are three major components of the garden: the mural, the sundial, and the pergola. Educational signs in the garden give lots of information about the mural and sundial and our pergola will shade you as you enjoy garden views.

In the adjoining column, you’ll find a list of our garden plants by their common name, and in the garden itself you’ll find plant markers with both the common and botanical name. We hope you’ll enjoy your time walking the garden pathways or sitting awhile and enjoying the flowers. . .and that you return to see what’s blooming next season!

Roses in the Museum Garden

In the Museum garden, we feature “vintage” roses, mostly antique, but some just “seniors.”  And most of them are “own root” roses, which means they grow on their own roots, rather than being a rose grafted onto another’s rootstock. Old, own root roses are more appropriate for our Texas heritage garden than modern hybrid teas and other modern rose types because they are likely what gardeners around the turn of the 20th century would have been growing.

You may have a mix of old roses and newer varieties. Keep in mind that pruning methods are different for old roses and modern roses.

Pruning old roses takes a lighter touch than pruning modern hybrids.

And while your old roses will benefit from a light pruning, even if you miss a year for one reason or another, your bushes will be very forgiving, especially if you feed them well, mulch them, and guard against problems.

Why Prune Roses at all?

We’ve all seen roses that get no care whatsoever, yet still grow and bloom. While it’s true that old roses can often take care of themselves, pruning will encourage healthy growth, promote air circulation (which cuts down on incidence of mildew), and stimulate more flowers.

Two notes of caution:

• Know your rose’s blooming habits. If you prune just before a once-blooming variety, you will get no blooms that year.

• If your rose bushes are three years old or younger, you may want to postpone pruning this year to allow them to establish themselves well.

How to Prune Old Roses

The most important rule is: don’t be afraid! We’ll give you some basic advice, but keep this in mind:

Pruning a rose bush is not unlike giving a home haircut to a small child: you do the best you can, secure in the knowledge that if it turns out odd-looking, new growth will quickly hide your mistakes.

     --Liz Druitt, The Organic Rose Garden

How to Prune Other Types of Roses

Climbers—we have vigorous climbing roses growing over our Museum’s pergola. We will prune them after spring flowering, unless canes are sprawling into pathways so much they cannot be tied down, in which case we will trim them. We tie our climbers loosely to their supports with fishing monofilament, which becomes virtually invisible among the rose leaves.

Modern Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas--These types can be pruned more severely, but the same general rules apply: remove dead, damaged, diseased, weak, or crossing canes, and prune to an outward facing “eye,” making an angled cut.

Caring for Your Roses

Here are the basic needs of every rose type:

• 6 or more hours of sunshine daily. 6 is the minimum, and all roses benefit from lots of sunlight, rewarding you with more flowers and healthy foliage.

• Regular, deep watering.

• Somewhat acid soil, or amendments to achieve it.

• Frequent feeding during the growing season.

• Prompt action to deal with problems, such as insect infestations, blackspot, mildew, and the like. (FYI, old roses are generally not as susceptible to problems, and if they occur, are likely to survive, although not at their best.)

• Mulching to a depth of at least 2 inches, keeping the mulch away from the base of the bush, and refreshing mulch when needed.

• Annual pruning, with possibly a light pruning in late summer for some varieties.

Good to Know

• Water in the morning so leaves dry quickly, as wet leaves can encourage
  fungal problems.

• Watering deeply less often is better than watering lightly more frequently.

• If you want roses that pretty much take care of themselves, grow old roses.

• Unless you have only a few plants, label your roses so you remember which ones grow best for you.

HAPPY GARDENING...  AND COME SEE OUR ROSES IN FULL BLOOM THIS SPRING IN GRANDMOTHER’S FLOWER GARDEN AT THE MUSEUM!