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Member since:11.12.2005
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As part of my review into roses, I plan to review the main areas of rose growing in detail. The areas that I will cover are, how to design gardens to incorporate roses, the preparation of the soil and the physical planting of roses and the routine care required for rose growing. Unfortunately, I think this may be quite a long review, as I have so much to say about them!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- DESIGNING WITH ROSES -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The beauty of the rose family is that it doesn't matter whether you choose old garden roses, for their gracious growing habit, foliage and scent, or whether you choose to grow modern roses for their very long flowering season or their fantastic blooms, the massive diversity of the rose family means that you will never be short of a plant. You will be able to find a species of rose that will be suitable for any part of the garden. With this in mind, you will be able to create areas of peaceful tranquilism, and other areas boasting massive informality. Roses are one of the few species of plant that are extremely adaptable. They are capable of growing in almost any part of the world. The best roses are always to be found in warm, temperate areas, although there are a few that have adapted to grow well in very cold or subtropical areas. If you live in an area with a generally hot climate, they will flower all year round.
----------------------------- Choosing Roses ----------------------------- I think the amazing thing about roses is the shear number of varieties available. Each year, more and more different cultivars are being added to the list. The incredible number of these varieties is just bewildering. If you are planning on growing some roses in your garden, I would recommend that before you make your final choice, that you visit some established gardens, and observe for yourself the different range of roses all growing in different conditions. If you are going to do this, I would recommend that you do this over a period of time, so that you can observe the plants growing habits, height, speed of growth, flowering, scent, health, vigour and how long the flowers last so that when you do make your final decision you will not be disappointed. If you are looking for some more unusual rose plants, most national rose associations will publish lists that give details of the member nurseries and garden centres that stock the plants.
FRAGRANCE If you are looking for frangrance, look no further. Roses are one of the preier plants for providing sweet scents. Nearly all old garden roses and modern roses provide a beutiful enchanting scent, which may carry characteristics of clove, musk, honey, lemon, spice and even tea. You will find that it is impossible to be precise when describing the scent of a rose, as it's character will vary dependent on the time of day, the age of the bloom and the humidity. Also, everybodies sense of smell is different and so this will play a part in not being able to specifically define the scent of a particular rose. Some people will think that a rose smells nice, while other people will not be able to smell it at all. With all types of rose, you will have to be fairly close to them to appreciate the beauty of their smell. Positioning them close to patios, windows or doors is ideal, as you may then find that the scent drifts in through open windows. However, some roses, in particular, those that have a tendency for climbing up trees will have a very strong scent which will perfume the whole garden.
FLOWER COLOUR The colour of the flowers of modern roses can vary enormously. There are roses available in almost every colour under the sun, from pale pastels to bold, bright reds and yellows. Gardeners have been trying to develop a blue rose for years, and this can become misleading now, for example the rose "blue moon" is actually not blue, but a pale lilac colour. Old fashioned garden roses vary in colour from white, through the palest of blush pinks, deep pink, crimson and violet, to purple. There are many varieties that are striped pink and white, or purple and white. Most roses will go well with other plants but be aware of trying to combine too many plants with brilliant colours. For example, bright vermillion
with cerise pink, may create a discordant effect. In my opinion, the best way to plant roses is by planting white, or paler coloured roses in amongst those with brighter colours to tone them down a bit and prevent the colours from clashing.
FLOWER SHAPES The massive amount of diversity within the rose family, means that there is also a great variety in the forms of flower. These range from simple, single flowers like those found on species roses, elegant furled blooms which are to be found on the modern roses, all the way up to the cabbage-like complexity of many old rose flowers. All rose flowers may be single (4 - 7 petals), semi-double (8 - 14 petals), double (15 - 20 petals or fully double (over 30 petals. There are eight main types of flower shape which have been specifically classified for roses and these are as follows:
Flat Open, usually single or semi-double, with petals that are almost flat
Cupped Open, single to fully double, with petals curving outwards from the centre
Pointed Semi-double to fully double "hybrid tea" type, with high, tight centres
Urn-shaped Classic, curved, and flat-topped, semi- to fully double, "hybrid tea" type
Rounded Double or fully double, with even-sized, overlapping petals forming a bowl shaped outline
Rosette Flattish, double or fully double, with many confused, slightly overlapping petals of uneven size
Quartered-rosette Flattish, double of fully double, with confused, uneven petals in a quartered pattern
Pompon Small, rounded, double or fully double, with masses of small petals; blooms are usually borne in clusters.
FOLIAGE COLOUR Roses are not just beautiful in terms of their flowers. As well as producing a unique flowering display, some roses provide colour in other ways, not just by flowering. The Alba roses and many of the species have amazing foliage which can range from a soft grey-green to a deep, glossy blue-green. This feature of the roses means that they can be attractive to the eye, even when they are not in flower. The Rugosa roses have foliage that is bright green, with a wrinkled texture, and I find that this rose is perfect as hedging, making a fine backdrop for a display of flowers. Some other varieties of rose also produce rich sunset-like colours in the autumn.
ORNAMENTAL ROSEHIPS OR THORNS The thing with Rugosa roses, is that those that develop single or semi-double flowers, will also develop bright red hips at the end of the growing season. Some of the species also produce ornamental hips in autumn that can range from yellow, to orange, through all the shades of red up to a blackish purple. Some roses can also be praised for the bright red colour of their thorns, which glow vividly when the sun is behind them.
----------------------------- The Garden Setting ----------------------------- In my experience, one of the best settings for planting roses is to plant them in beds by the side of a smooth green lawn. However, I also like roses when they are contrasting against the grey of paving slabs. Equally nice would be to plant rose alongside a brick path, thereby getting similarites with the red of the bricks, and the red of the roses (assuming that you plant red roses!) However you decide to plant, try to avoid multicoloured pathways or patios, as this may contrast negatively with the colours of the roses. Some people like to put gravel around their roses. This is ok, but I tend to find that weeds will come through it and make it muddy, and over time, the stones will tend to disappear into the soil. Another of my favourites, is to edge a rose bed with formal or informal plantings. I prefer formal hedges, such as a low box or hebe, although for a more informal look, you could edge with lavender or catmint. Only use catmint though if there is room for it to sprawl over the pathway or patio. For more ideas, you could also edge with geraniums, or even miniature roses, either in contrasting or complimentary colours. These shoud be grown on a sunny side of the bed though.
----------------------------- Formal Rose Gardens ----------------------------- I think by far the most common way to grow roses, is by planting in a formal rose garden, shaped to compliment the magnificent shape of the flowers and pattern of growth. Generally you would grow large bush types, or standards in a formal rose garden, grouped by colour to provide a bold display. The rather tall growing trend of these roses can often mean that they do not blend well with other plants, although you can always underplant with some smaller bedding plants. You could design your rosebed in any shape, square, oblong, round, star-shaped, and if you are going along the edge of a lawn or path, it may become narrow and ribbon-like. Before you start digging your rosebed, draw it out on a piece of paper, and experiment with shapes to decide which one would compliment your garden best. Be careful though, not to make the beds too wide, as this may result in it being difficult to reach all the roses for mulching, weeding and spraying. If you want to plant lots of different varieties of rose within the same bed, I would advise that you grow no less than five bushes of each variety, and clump them together, so that you receive large displays of colour. The advantage of growing many different varieties within the same bed, is that they will not all flower at the same time, and you will get a continuous display throughout the summer. Also to consider if you are planting this type of rosebed, is the colour. Try to fill the rosebed with similar colours, such as pale to dark pink, dark pink to red, white to pale pink, for example. This will lead to it looking much more harmonious than if you plant a complete mixture of colours in the same bed. Also bear in mind the height of the different varieties. If you are planting an open rosebed, try to go for cultivars that are all of a similar height. If you are planting against a wall, try to ensure that you have taller plants at the back, and shorter ones near the front. Standards are always a good way to add height to the bed. If you are planting a round bed, place one standard at the centre, to provide symmentry. If you are planting a long oblong bed, try to place a standard each 1.5 metres or so. This will help to break up the plants whilst still providing height.
----------------------------- Informal Plantings ----------------------------- Roses are so versatile, that you may exploit their beauty by planting in an informal manner amongst shrubs or perennials. Roses are available in so many different types, that I am sure you will find one for the purpose that you require. You can now obtain roses in shrub, miniature, climbing, rambling and ground-cover form. Roses are very adaptable to different types of planting. For example, miniature roses are an ideal addition to the rockery, and ground cover roses are ideal for planting on a bank, to provide a mat of fragrant flowers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOIL PREPARATION AND PLANTING -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roses need only basic requirements before you will successfully be able to grow them in your garden. Because they live for a relatively long time, I would recommend that you spend some time choosing a plot, preparing the soil, and selecting a suitable variety for the area which you are planting.
----------------------------- Site and Aspect ----------------------------- You will find, especially with experience that all roses require a site that is going to get full sun, and be relatively sheltered from the wind. They are also best grown on a fertile soil in an area with plenty of good air circulation. Whatever you do, do not grow your roses under the shade of a tree, nor grow them crowded in with other plants. Whatever site you choose, it is always possible to alter the area to make it more suitable for roses, for example by erecting a windbreak or adding grit to drain a heavy soil. If this is too much effort or expense, you could also plant roses in raised beds filled with a suitable compost. Before choosing the varieties you wish to plant, you should spend some time choosing one that is suitable for the area you have chose. Most modern roses do not flourish on chalk, but most old roses will grow well, provided you give them large quantities of organic material when they are being planted and mulched.
----------------------------- Soil Quality ----------------------------- In my opinion, roses will grow on almost any type of soil, but nearly all prefer a slightly acid condition, typically pH6.5 will be ideal. If you are not sure of the acidity of your soil, get yourself a soil-testing kit to guage this for yourself. The ideal soil is water retentive, but must also be free draining. When you are preparing the area for planting, ensure you remove all weeds, so that your young roses do not have to compete for nutrients, light and water.
IMPROVING THE SOIL You may improve the drainage of clay soils, the water retentiveness of sandy soils, and the pH level of alkaline soils by digging in lots of organic matter. If you are planting in a chalky area and the topsoil is very shallow, replace some of the chalk with extra organic material. If possible, I recommend that you prepare your soil at least three months before you intend to plant you roses in order to give it time to settle.
----------------------------- Choosing Roses ----------------------------- There are many ways of buying your rose plants, however, where you get them is likely to depend upon the varieties you have chosen. Most of the old type roses are only available from specialised nurseries. You may be able to get these by mail order if the nurseries are not nearby. Bear in mind though, that the pictures you see in catalogues, may not always bear a true resemblence to the actual colour of the flowers. Nor is it possible to judge the healthiness of a plant when bought mail order, as you are unable to choose a specific plant. However, I find that if you go to a reputable nursery, these issues should not be a problem.
Be aware though of falling for the "special offers" that you might see in the papers. Although these are genuine, the plants that are supplied are usually not of a very high quality.
----------------------------- Preparing to Plant ----------------------------- If you take some time when you are planting your roses, and observe correct spacings between plants and depths, and you handle the roots carefully, you will save yourself a lot more time when it comes to the latter routine care of your plants. If your soil is too frozen, wet or dry, delay planting for a few days so that you are planting in an environment where the roots will be able to easily adjust to the soil.
WHEN TO PLANT BARE-ROOT ROSES I would advise that you plant your bare-root roses in late autumn or early winter. This is when roses are in their "dormant" period and will lessen the shock of being transplanted. If you live in an area that frequently suffers bad winters, then I would recommend that you delay planting your roses until the spring. If you buy bare-root roses, you should plant them as soon after buying them as possible. If this is not possible, perhaps due to unsuitable weather conditions, then I suggest that you heel them gently into the ground for a few days until you are ready to plant them properly. Alternatively, you could store them in a cool, frost free place and keep the roots moist until you are ready to plant out properly.
WHEN TO PLANT CONTAINER GROWN ROSES The beauty of container grown roses is that you can plant them out at any time of the year. If you are not going to get round to planting them for a while, never fear, you can leave container grown roses outside in their pots for three weeks or more as long as you keep them properly watered. Bear in mind that plants in pots will always dry out much quicker than those in the ground. Even though roses are frost hardy, try not to leave them exposed to frost whilst they are in their containers as the frost may damage the roots.
SPACING BEDDING ROSES The growth habit of your roses will determine the correct spacing for you. If you plant your roses close together, this makes mulching, spraying and pruning much more difficult. It also may create stagnant air, speeding up the spread of mildew and blackspot. Narrow upright cultivars require less space than a lax sprawling one, and so they may be planted close together. Plant the bushes 45-60cm apart and about 30cm from the edge of the rosebed. If you are underplanting modern roses, or are growing very large species roses, allow a much bigger spacing, perhaps as much as 75-120cm, but this will depend on their ultimate size and growth habit. Miniature roses should be spaced about 30cm apart,again though, this depends on the spread of the plants which varies with the different cultivars.
SPACING ROSES FOR A HEDGE The spacings you would use to plant your hedge would depend on the varieties of rose that you have chosen. If you want to acquire uniform, dense growth, you should plant tall roses which reach 1.2m or more across in a straight line, modern bush roses should be staggered in two rows to fill out the hedge properly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUTINE CARE -------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you want you plants to grow strong and healthy, they will require a great deal of routine care. Taking care of your roses will help them become resistant to bugs and diseases. Provided you pay regular attention to fertilizing, watering, mulching and general maintenence you will be rewarded with a fantastic display the whole season long.
----------------------------- Fertilizing ----------------------------- You will find that roses feed massively. They will quickly use up all the nutrients that even a well prepared bed will have. If your roses are to flourish, they will require regular feeding with a well balanced fertilizer. The fertilizer should contain nitrogen, phosphates and potassium as well as trace elements. There are many specific rose fertilizers available, which you can usually get in either powdered or granule form. After pruning in the spring, and when the soil is moist, sprinkle a small handful of fertilizer around each rose. Hoe or rake it in lightly and evenly, keeping it clear of the stems. Repeat the application about a month after mid summer, when the roses are developing a second flush of bloom. Do not apply a general feed later in the year, because this encourages soft autumn growth that may suffer frost damage. A dressing of sulphate of potash, however, applied liberally in early autumn, protects late shoots by helping them to ripen. Foliar feeding (spraying a liquid feed on the leaves and bypassing the roots) is usually only needed to obtain extra-large blooms and leaves on exhibition roses. It may help, however, in a prolonged drought, or on chalky soils: in both instances roses may have difficulty in taking in nourishment through the roots.
----------------------------- Watering ----------------------------- Roses need plenty of water for healthy growth, especially if they are newly planted. Watering too little and too often can be counter-productive since it encourages the roots to grow towards the surface and compete for water and light, give your roses a good bucketful of water to soak the soil thoroughly around their roots instead. Roses are deep rooted plants and can flourish even in long, dry summers and near-drought conditions, particularly if they are well established. In such conditions, the flowers may be smaller than usual and may open very quickly. The petals may also be vulnerable to scorching by the sun. During the flowering season, do not water roses in strong light as the blooms may spoil. Water roses in containers every other day, or even daily if the weather is exceptionally hot and dry.
----------------------------- Bugs and Diseases ----------------------------- Roses are susceptible to a range of bugs and diseases, such as:
Aphids Black Spot Rose Dieback Powdery Mildew Rusts
These are all common problems and you should look out for them and spray if necessary.
I hope you have found this review helpful, and I wish you the best of luck in your rose growing journey.
Thanks for reading.
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errrr, ive actualy bought the dorling kindsley encyclopedia of plants and theres a page on descriptions of roses, mmm, a bit too similar to yours for my liking. :(
Jan 11th, 2006
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