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Still dedicated to the family business after more than 50 years, Joseph still puts in his hours, taking his turn on the tractor.

"Of course, you are always at the mercy of the weather," Mr. Schraven says matter-of-factly. "A certain percentage of the understock will die if, for example, there is too much rain in the spring. The young and new graft can break off in a high wind. Two years ago, when we had that really severe cold, we lost most of our crop. That’s the downside of growing roses in a field."

He adds that, in spite of weather-related setbacks, there aren’t too many problems maintaining the crop.

"We are on top of the field all the time, with hoeing and pulling weeds and monitoring for insects and disease."

In October, once blooms are spent, plants from the second-year crop are lifted from the ground and placed in a cold storage facility. Here, they are graded and made ready for spring shipping. Pickering Nurseries ships roses all over North America and as far afield as Japan and Norway. "The physical work never really ends," Mr. Schraven says.

"There is another crop in the process while all this is going on so that, while you are shipping them, you are also in the field."

Joseph Schraven, at 82, is still active in the business.

"He is trying to retire," Joel Schraven laughs, "to a degree."

He still comes in most days, still drives the tractor and still helps with planting. Though they work together in the fields, the task of managing the business and their full-time staff of five now falls to Joel. He also keeps the website up to date and prepares the annual rose catalogue -

"We specialize in old-fashioned antique roses," Joel Schraven says. "They are perfect for older homes."

The catalogue lists hundreds of shrub roses, ramblers, climbers, fragrant Noisettes and Damasks, delicate Hybrid Teas (known for their long stems and large blooms), low-growers and miniatures and the famous David Austin English roses, to name a few. There is a colour, shape and size to suit any gardener’s fancy.

Many gardeners shy away from roses in the belief they are hard to grow, but Mr. Schraven explains it’s really about choosing the right rose for the right location. He recommends choosing newer varieties: "They have been hybridized to become disease resistant. They make better garden plants."

Mr. Schraven’s wealth of knowledge makes him a popular speaker at local horticultural societies and garden clubs where he introduces audiences to varieties that have success in this area -- roses "with attributes that are sympathetic to climate and soil types."

Ask him to name his favorite, he laughs and says, "There are just so many."

He does often recommend The Fairy.

"It deserves space in every garden. It is disease-free, deer won’t eat it and it’s impervious to bugs."

During the busy summer season he can spend "10 or 12 or more" hours a day working. Among all the tasks he has he still prefers to be in the field.

"It's a vigorous line of work. There are lots of different things that you need to do every day."

And yes; he does get to stop and smell some of those fragrant blooms - once in a while.

everything coming up roses