Early Season Care Roses, Mulch, and Nourishing the Garden

As the early gardening season begins, now is the ideal time to focus on preparation and smart plant selection. Giving plants a strong start with quality soil, proper nourishment, and protective coverage helps support healthy roots, regulate soil temperature, and retain moisture as gardens wake up from winter. These foundational steps set the stage for long-term success well before the first blooms appear.

This is also when standout varieties like the Peggy Martin Rose and Drift® Roses begin arriving in stores. Known for their resilience, beauty, and ease of care, these roses benefit from being planted early, allowing roots to establish comfortably and encouraging strong, healthy growth in the seasons ahead. Keep reading to learn more about these gorgeous varieties and the essentials to give them a great start!

The Peggy Martin Rose

The Peggy Martin Rose is a climbing Rose celebrated for its soft pink blooms, vigorous growth, and remarkable resilience. Known for surviving extreme conditions, this easy-care Rose is a favorite for fences, arbors, and trellises, bringing beauty and depth to any garden.

The Peggy Martin Rose began as a humble, unnamed climbing rose that gardener Peggy Martin received as a cutting in 1989 from her hairdresser, who had inherited it from a friend’s garden in New Orleans. Peggy, a rose enthusiast and longtime member of the New Orleans Old Garden Rose Society, planted it by a shed on her Louisiana property where it soon grew into a spectacular climber covered in clusters of pink blooms. Despite years of gardening experience and connections with rose experts, she never discovered its original name, though horticulturists admired its beauty and vigor.

In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, Peggy lost nearly everything including her home, her garden, and tragically her parents. Remarkably, this rose was one of only two plants that survived more than twenty feet of saltwater and weeks under flood conditions, eventually bursting back to life with fresh growth and blooms, even amid destruction. Its resilience inspired Dr. William C. Welch and others to introduce it to gardeners across the country, naming it the Peggy Martin Rose. It has since become a cherished symbol of hope and renewal, celebrated for both its beauty and its remarkable endurance.

Drift® Roses

Available in a wide range of bold, eye-catching colors, Drift® Roses offer versatility for almost any landscape style or garden size. Their compact, low-growing habit makes them ideal for borders, containers, mass plantings, or as colorful groundcover.

These Roses are repeat-blooming and easy to care for, delivering continuous color with minimal maintenance. Whether planted on their own, grouped together for impact, or mixed with other shrubs, perennials, and Roses – Drift® Roses create a polished, vibrant display throughout the growing season.

Popcorn Drift®

Popcorn Drift® features soft, buttery yellow blooms that gradually fade to a creamy white, creating a gentle, layered color effect. A continuous bloomer, this variety flowers steadily throughout the season, adding long-lasting interest to the landscape.

Easy to pair with other plants, Popcorn Drift® blends seamlessly into mixed plantings and borders. At times, it may show slight coloration similar to Peach Drift®, adding subtle variation and visual depth.

Red Drift®

The easy-care nature and effortless beauty of Red Drift® is a crowd favorite! Petite, vivid red blooms create a refined look in the landscape while providing a bold pop of color.

With its naturally draping habit, Red Drift® is especially striking when planted along edges, walls, or raised beds, where it can softly spill over for added drama and flare. This versatile Rose brings elegance and reliability to gardens of all sizes.

Peach Drift®

Peach Drift® is a nonstop bloomer, covered in soft peach petals that keep coming all season long. From mid-season all the way to the first hard freeze, this compact Rose brings cheerful color and easy charm to beds, borders, and containers.

With great disease resistance and a naturally tidy shape, Peach Drift® plays well with your favorite perennials and doesn’t ask for much in return. It’s a perfect pick for gardeners who want big impact, long-lasting blooms, and low-maintenance care.

Pink Drift®

Pink Drift® is a cheerful little Rose that stays low and neat while showing off clusters of vibrant pink blooms. The softly faded centers add a playful touch that keeps your garden looking lively all season.

Tough, low-maintenance, Pink Drift® fits right in anywhere—whether you’re lining a path, filling a border, or mixing it into a colorful garden bed. It’s the kind of plant that keeps your space looking happy without any extra fuss.

Planting your Roses and Caring for your Existing Roses

Whether you’re planting brand-new Roses or giving extra care to ones already thriving in your garden, a few thoughtful steps can make all the difference. From preparing the soil to nourishing plants and finishing with mulch, these tips will help your Roses establish strong roots, stay healthy, and look their best season after season.

Soil

Calloway’s Premium Tree & Shrub Garden Soil is a game changer for Roses and flowering shrubs. Rich, ready-to-use, and full of organic matter, it improves drainage while holding the moisture plants need. For new plantings, mixing this soil into the planting hole gives Roses a strong start, while topping off established beds refreshes tired soil and delivers nutrients where plants need them most. It’s an effortless way to build healthier soil and set your garden up for long-term success.

Flowering Shrub Food

Adding Calloway’s Premium Flowering Shrub Plant Food provides the nutrients Roses need to flourish. Carefully balanced to promote healthy roots, vibrant foliage, and abundant blooms, it helps new plants settle in and supports established Roses throughout the growing season. When applied every 30 days, combined with rich soil, this plant food ensures your Roses have the nourishment they need to thrive.

Watering

Proper watering is essential after planting, soil preparation, and fertilizing. Water thoroughly at the base of the plant to help settle the soil around roots and eliminate air pockets, ensuring moisture reaches where plants need it most. Consistent, deep watering during establishment encourages strong root development and helps Roses adjust comfortably to their new environment.

For established Rose bushes, giving them a good drink before adding fresh mulch ensures the soil is evenly moist and ready to lock in that hydration, helping plants thrive in the coming season.

Mulching

Calloway’s Premium Organic Mulches are more than just a finishing touch, they’re an easy way to protect your Roses. For new plantings, a layer of mulch retains moisture, keeps roots comfortable, and reduces weeds, helping young Roses get off to a strong, stress-free start. Existing beds benefit too, as refreshing mulch conserves water, shields roots from temperature swings, and gives your garden a neat, polished look. Healthy Roses not only grow well, they look amazing, too!

Shop with Ease

From new Rose varieties to soil, mulch, and plant food, getting your garden ready now sets the stage for vibrant, healthy blooms all season long. At Calloway’s and Cornelius, we carry everything you need—from resilient Peggy Martin and Drift® Roses to premium garden soil and flowering shrub plant food, we are here to help your garden thrive.

Have questions about which Roses or care products are right for your space? Our Texas Certified Nursery Professionals are here to guide you through planting, feeding, and maintaining a beautiful garden that will bring color and joy for months to come.