Freedom Gardens
World-Class Rose Collection
Hard-to-find Roses for Sale in Pots
Open by Appointment
On Sundays in June, Susan and Peter Schneider open their garden and everyone is invited ("It doesn't cost anything and you don't have to buy anything.") For the rest of the summer, our garden is open by appointment only for people who do want to buy something. While you are here you'll be free to explore the garden at your leisure (and may even have it all to yourself). To make an appointment, please use the contact form on this website or phone Peter on 330.296.2618 [please don't be shy about leaving a message--I'll get back to you promptly.]
Our collection of over 1200 different roses features newer and hard-to-find hybrid teas, floribundas, climbers and shrubs from the European nurseries, and heritage roses imported from Andre Eve in France, Peter Beales in England, and Martin Weingart, the nurseryman near the Sangerhausen Rosarium in Germany. Many of these roses cannot be seen anywhere else between Europe and California.
All of our roses are grown without winter protection, which provides an excellent opportunity to see exactly which varieties are winter hardy in northern Ohio.
We grow nearly complete collections of Paul Jerabek's Ohio-bred creations, the Canadian Explorer roses, and David Austin's English roses. We've rescued dozens of heirloom roses from the much lamented and now destroyed Gardens of Roses of Legend and Romance at Secrest Arboretum in Wooster, Ohio. Freedom Gardens now has what may be America's largest collection of hybrid perpetuals, the voluptuous, fragrant roses which defined the Victorian era. Our rose garden has been featured in Horticulture and Ohio magazines and its story is told in Peter Schneider's most recent book, Right Rose, Right Place which Peter will of course be happy to sign during your visit.
We also have a growing collection of noteworthy trees, an orchard, lily ponds, many other plants and a multitude of song birds and frogs situated on a bucolic eight-acre setting.
The map below is more helpful than these things used to be, but still not perfect. Main thing: from State Route 88 take King Road south until it ends at Vair Road. Turn left, and we are 1000' (and fourth driveway) on your left. [Last year one of our neighbors paved their driveway and now Google thinks it is a road. It is not a road and will not lead you to our garden. After turning on to Vair count the driveways to your left, paved or otherwise. We are the 4th one.]
[There is indeed a "Ravenna Arsenal Street" but we as civilians have no access to it.]
Important note: We are not open "by chance" and are unable to accommodate unexpected visitors. Please make an appointment! It's easy!
Hard-to-Find Roses For Sale
Own-root roses propagated at Freedom Gardens. 1-gallon pots. $25 each.
Choose from these roses and many others during your visit or reserve your choices for later pickup or possible shipment. To purchase any of these plants please call Peter on 330.296.2618 or use the contact form on this website to confirm availability. We accept cash, checks, PayPal, all major credit cards and Euros.
ANNA DE DIESBACH (Lacharme 1858) in color, fragrance and form the perfect pink HP
ANNE HARKNESS (Harkness 1980) tall floribunda, huge sprays of caramel blooms
ANTIKE (Kordes 1988) crimson and cream with Old Garden form, climber or large shrub
ARDOISEE DE LYON (Damaizin 1858) strawberry sport of Baronne Prevost
ASCOT (Tantau 2008) like a red bomb peony all summer long
BANSHEE (c. 1773?) super tough light pink Old Garden Rose
BELLA DONNA (<1844) pink fragrant damask, very long spring bloom
BELLE ROSINE (Vibert 1829) dark pink gallica, well-formed blooms last when cut
BERLIN (Kordes 1949) single-petaled shocking orange on a sturdy shrub
BLOSSOMTIME (O'Neal 1951) classic pink Ohio-bred climber with HT-like buds, full blooms
BLUSH HIP (1840) tender pink on a tough plant, the alba that acts like a gallica
BUTTERSCOTCH (Warriner 1986) stunning light brown large-flowered climbing rose
CAPTAIN THOMAS (Thomas 1935) spectacular single-petaled yellow climbing hybrid tea
CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU (Parmentier 1840) purple/slate, if you grow only one gallica...
CHARLES DE MILLS (<1746) gallica, what they called red back then, plant and stand back
COMPLICATA (Vibert 1835) gallica hybrid, simply one of the most beautiful single-petaleds
CONSTANCE SPRY (1961) large pink shrub; the original David Austin English rose
COUNTRY BOY (Schneider 2000) our semi-double sport of Austin's The Countryman
COURTNEY MARIE (Schroeck 2017) single-petaled bright red polyantha, always in bloom
DUPUY JAMAIN (Jamain 1868) ultra fragrant hybrid perpetual, crimson with silvery reverse
ELINA (Dickson 1984) best yellow hybrid tea for northern Ohio
EVEREST DOUBLE FRAGRANCE (Beales 1980) tall, free-blooming, cream floribunda
FARA SHIMBO (Barden 2005) well-mannered moss, nearly black with golden stamens
FELICITAS (Kordes 1998) superb single-petaled bright pink landscaping shrub
FRANCE DE BERVILLE (Eve 2001) lovely cherry red nitida hybrid, a plantsman's rose
GALLICANDY (Barden 2003) bubblegum pink, profuse, modern gallica
GESCHWIND'S NORDLANDROSE (1884) very double pink, indestructible setigera hybrid
GOLDEN GATE (Kordes 2005) best yellow climbing rose for Ohio
GRACE ABOUNDING (Harkness 1968) palest wheat, spectacular sprays, floribunda X HMsk
GREETINGS (Zary 1999) magenta/silver compact shrub, healthy and always in bloom
HAPPY WANDERER (1954>) profuse climbing sport of red polyantha Happy
HARISON'S YELLOW (1830) the Yellow Rose of Texas and Pioneer Rose everywhere else
HART CRANE (Schneider 2010) purple single-petaled rugosa, a top exhibition classic shrub
HEINRICH KARSCH (Leenders 1927) cute, prolific mauve polyantha
INDIGO (Laffay 1830) compact constant-blooming purple portland
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE (Harkness 1984) purple patio rose
JAMES MASON (Beales 1982) blood red modern gallica for hedge or back of border
KEAN (1820?) purple pink gallica, recommended to all who dislike complicated OGR names
LA BELLE SULTANE (Dupont c. 1795) golden stamens erupting from silky purple petals
LA FRANCE (Guillot 1867) light pink, the original hybrid tea, still vigorous and fragrant
LEMON BLUSH (Sievers 1988) huge lemon-colored, lemon-scented blooms, thornless
LIME SUBLIME (Dickson 2005) very clean white floribunda, tinged green in some weather
LIONS INTERNATIONAL (Fryer 1998) free-blooming bright yellow hybrid tea
LOUIS VAN TYLE (<1846) opulent lavender pink gallica, wider than tall
LUCY IRENE (Nicholson 2012) soft pink sport of William Baffin; lovely and just as tough
MME HARDY (Hardy 1832) cream damask, the green-eyed bewitcher
MARCHESA BOCCELLA (Desprez 1842) easy-growing, free-blooming light pink HP
MARCHIONESS OF LORNE (Paul 1889) vigorous hybrid perpetual, cerise with hint of silver
MECENE (Vibert 1845) compact gallica, white stripes running out of deep pink petals
MEIN SCHONER GARTEN (Kordes 1997) tall, healthy, pure pink shrub
MIRANDA (deSansal 1869) exuberant candy pink semi-double portland
MISS EDITH CAVELL (deRuiter 1917) historic dark red polyantha
MORGENROT (Kordes 1985) startling bright red single-petaled compact shrub
MORGENSONNE (Kordes 1988) easy-growing winter-hardy yellow climber
OLD PORT (McGredy 1991) very purple, very fragrant, very double floribunda
ORIENTAL CHARM (Duehrsen 1960) lacquered vermilion, 10-petaled HT beauty
PARK WILHELMSHOHE (Kordes 1987) very clean modern gallica, softer pink
PINK PAVEMENT (Baum 1991) rugged deep pink hybrid rugosa, lots of hips
PINK ROADRUNNER (Uhll 2003) vigorous bright pink hybrid rugosa
PINK ROBIN (Lens 1992) rare R. helenae hybrid, tall and profuse
PINK SURPRISE (Lens 1987) saucer-size single-petaled light pink blooms
PRAIRIE JOY (Collicutt 1990) very healthy clear pink upright shrub
R. ARKANSANA 'PEPPERMINT' pink dapples and stripes, top exhibition species
R. EGLANTERIA the Sweetbriar Rose, foliage scented of green apples
R. RUGOSA grown from seed, colors range from medium to deepest pink
R. VIRGINIANA robust single-petaled pink, native to Ohio as well as Virginia
ROSALINA (Kordes 1992) refined mauve/pink 5-petaled hybrid rugosa
ROSE DE RESCHT (re-int 1940s) intensely fragrant deep pink, always in bloom
ROSENSTADT ZWEIBRUCKEN (Kordes 1989) cheerful pink/coral/yellow shrub
SANDY (USDA 2000) improved selection of R. rugosa, thanks to the government
SEBASTIAN KNEIPP (Kordes 1997) cream, very full blooms, shrub-style HT
SCHLOSS SEUSSITZ (Dechant 1936) large yellow blooms on 9' arching shrub
SHOGUN (Tantau 2000) climber with elegant cherry red/pale gold blooms
SILVER QUEEN (Paul 1887) very rare silvery pink hybrid perpetual
SOUVENIR DE LA REINE DE ANGLETERRE (Cochet 1855) warm pink HP
SOUVENIR DE McKINLEY (Godard 1902) powder pink, super rare HP X HT
SUZANNE (Skinner 1949) the super-hardy coral-salmon rose of the prairies
SWEET BOUQUET (Lens 1984) palest pink double hybrid musk, profuse
THE BISHOP (ancient) tall, deep pink/purple, centifolia/gallica
THERESE BUGNET (Bugnet 1950) fragrant, very double indestructible rugosa
TRADESCANT (Austin 1993) elegantly formed pure crimson, compact shrub
TURBO (Meilland 1994) lustrous coral pink rugosa hybrid, fully double and tall
VEGESACKER CHARME (Kordes 2003) vigorous silver/coral 5-petaled shrub
WALFERDANGE (Lens 1992) superior pink and cream double hybrid musk
WHITE ROADRUNNER (Uhl 2003) vigorous pure white hybrid rugosa
WICHMOSS (Barbier 1911) the iconic mossed rambler, light pink, now quite rare
WILLIAM BAFFIN (Svejda 1983) pink; most winter hardy repeating climber
WILLIAM LOBB (Laffay 1855) velvety crimson-mauve moss rose
WINDRUSH (Austin 1984) glowing pale yellow, semi-double, vigorous
Paul Jerabek Introductions For Sale
Own-root roses propagated at Freedom Gardens. 1-gallon pots. $20 each.
AUNT RUTH strawberry/cream semi-double climber, trophies at national shows SOLD OUT
BROWN STUDY novelty brown-orange floribunda SOLD OUT
CHATEAU DE VAIR 93 exuberant cerise/white polyantha, trophies at district shows
CONNIE pure yellow semi-double miniature, almost always in bloom SOLD OUT
JERRY white/pink/red grandiflora in sprays SOLD OUT
OUR PEARL vigorous climber, white with pink edge
PAUL JERABEK superb white/pink, Paul's last and best climber SOLD OUT
PAULSPRIDE pastel large-flowered climber: pink, yellow and white SOLD OUT
PAW MAW mauve grandiflora, individually and in sprays SOLD OUT
PEGGY M many-petaled yellow and pink hand-painted shrub SOLD OUT
PETER JOHN apricot-pink large-flowered hybrid musk SOLD OUT
PHOTOGENIC stunning semi-double white with lipstick edge, climber/shrub
RAY'S JOY bright orange floribunda, most popular with people named Ray SOLD OUT
SNOWBELT polyantha, like having a white azalea blooming all summer long SOLD OUT
SUSAN SCHNEIDER shrub, brillant yellow-changing-to-red in sprays, many trophies SOLD OUT
SUSAN'S SISTER more intense colors on a shorter floribunda plant, sprays are smaller SOLD OUT
THE CLERK multi-petaled bright red, large blooms on stalwart shrub SOLD OUT
WOMEN IN MILITARY very free blooming red shrub, one of Paul's best
ZENAITTA superb orange-red polyantha for exhibition and garden SOLD OUT
We're gratified by the interest in and demand for Paul's roses and are propagating a much bigger crop this year. As the summer progresses we will be able to accept advance orders for many of the varieties noted as "SOLD OUT" above. These plants will be ready in June 2020. Please contact Peter if you are interested.
We feature Paul Jerabek's roses but also have an excellent selection of modern hybrid teas, floribundas and shrubs from other rose breeders--all proven winter hardy in this climate--on our $20 sale tables.
Custom Propagation
We offer custom propagation of hard-to-find roses for patient rosarians. Most roses are propagated on their own roots; a few that resist striking on their own are budded onto R. multiflora understock. In most cases this takes 12-18 months but sometimes it can take longer. We can propagate any rose that is not under current patent or trademark. Many people make a visit to our garden to choose what they would like to have propagated from our vast collection of hard-to-find roses. We note roses unique to our nursery in the Combined Rose List. And gardeners often want us to propagate an unknown but loved family heirloom rose. In all cases custom propagation is $25 per plant, payable when the order is placed. We can only propagate a finite number of roses each year, and early ordering is always recommended.
Rare and Choice Lilacs For Sale
Own-root lilacs propagated at Freedom Gardens. 1-, 3- and 5-gallon pots. $25 each.
ALBERT HOLDEN purple/white, best bicolor lilac, Fiala introduction
AMI SCHOTT heirloom double blue
ANABEL pink, tall, earliest to bloom
AVALANCHE white, tall, Fiala introduction
BETSY ROSS white, bushy habit, early to bloom
BLUE EYES prolific single-petaled sky blue, raised by Susan Schneider
CROIX DE BRAHY heirloom pink, wide habit
FERNAND PEGOT magenta, rarely in commerce
FRANK'S FANCY striking modern dark purple
IVORY SILK shapely tree, blooms late and long
KINGSVILLE blue, free-blooming
KOSMOS stunning purple, Communist lilac
LOIS UTLEY pink/lavender, Fiala introduction
MAIDEN'S BLUSH pink, healthy, early to bloom
MARECHAL FOCH heirloom reddish-pink
McMASTER CENTENNIAL huge white panicles SOLD OUT
MISS MILLIE double bright rose, tall, upright*
NADEZHDA double blue/mauve, Communist lilac
NARRAGANSETT lavender, fast-growing
P P KONCHALOVSKI big blue, Communist lilac SOLD OUT
PAT PESATA pink/blue, compact, extremely rare Fiala introduction
PAUL THIRION heirloom double magenta/purple
REDWINE magenta, bushy, late-blooming prestonia
ST JOAN double white, elegant, compact, one of the rare Rowancroft lilacs SOLD OUT
VICTOR LEMOINE heirloom double lavender
YANKEE DOODLE soft violet, free-blooming, Fiala
ZNAMYA LENINA (Banner of Lenin) breath-taking red-violet, Communist lilac SOLD OUT
COMMUNIST LILAC = the stunning introductions of the Soviet Union's Leonid Kolesnikov. Many have names such as Banner of Lenin or Communist Youth League, or honor heroes of the Revolution.
FIALA INTRODUCTION = the creations of Father John L. Fiala, the renowned lilac-hybridizing priest of Medina, Ohio.
* - we are pleased to re-introduce this excellent cultivar created by Wayne Hughes, proprietor of The Lilac Farm in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania for about fifteen years until his retirement in 2005.
...and one rescued lilac
"BILTZ"
Vigorous, healthy growth to 9'. Blooms top to bottom for a long time, bright purple fading to violet. Large florets in impressive panicles. Some flowers have 5 or 6 petals instead of the usual 4; petals twist at final stage of opening. Fragrance is pure but not as overwhelming as from some vulgaris hybrids. One of the most impressive lilacs in our collection, and despite visits to the Holden Arboretum, Royal Botanical Gardens (Burlington, Ontario) and Highland Park (Rochester, New York) we have not been able to discover its original name. Rescued from the Biltz homestead on Lynn Road in Rootstown, Ohio.
Rose/lilac availability list updated 13 July 2019.
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