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How close do I plant my baby roses?

15 years ago

I have propagated with mist for the first time this year and have had grand success. I want to plant my best ones in a bed that mirrors my perennial bed. I wonder about spacing. I have researched the varieties I have as to height and spread but how much space to leave between them? I am afraid I'll have a crowded mess in a few yrs. Any suggestions?

Jen

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Comments (7)

jerijen
15 years ago
I should have asked that question years ago, before I planted Tea Roses 3 ft apart.
Or even four feet.

I suspect people may differ on this, but if I had it to do over, I think
I would want three feet or so, between the outer diameter of one rose,
and the outer dia of the next one.

Jeri
len511
15 years ago
My rule of thumb, though not always practiced, would be whatever allowed for access to any part of the rose. A stiff thorny caned rose would need more room than say a thornless flexible wichurana. also naturally a micro mini wouldn't need much unless of course you had large fingers. These are slight exaggerations, but i think access would be the key word, at least for me. If you follow that rule it would probably look less crowded and more balanced naturally. 3' between tea roses would look a lot better than say 3' between micro mini roses.
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The cherry tree, sadly, I have no idea what variety it is. I'm really bummed about that actually. I asked the nursery specifically for a double pink sakura and what they planted was an UNLABLED white single sakura. It's very lovely, but not what I ordered. So I have no idea exactly what variety it is. I'm guessing it'll get about the size of most of the similar prunus varieties, but I just have NO idea. Supposedly they're going to give me a smaller pink sakura as a consolation... so I may have to leave room for that, too. (they still haven't called me back and it's been like a month. :( ) If it helps at all, this is what it looks like when it's blooming: The sun comes up over the hill you see behind the railed fence so shadows would fall (in the morning) from the tree forward and slightly to the left in that photo. At about 2 pm (in the spring) the stone wall to the right shades into my yard a bit shading those foxgloves in the far right of the photo. Does that make sense? It might be an option to put the second pink sakura they are supposedly going to give me in the front yard, where the sun comes up over the house in the morning and the house shades that bit of the front yard most of the day. That might give it more protection from the wind and sun. I'm not sure that the roses I was planning to plant closer to the house will do well even though I chose more shade tolerant ones. The roses don't plant in the back (ie if I can't because there's not enough room with the cherry tree,) I'll plant in the front in a sunny spot (where they wont be shaded by the house)... or I'll save them for a future arbor. My options for planting slightly closer to the cherry tree are: Mary Rose Carding Mill Grandmother's Hat (probably very large, would plant in the back, but not against the wall/fence) Baronne Prevost (train as short climber against fence or wall?) Alchymist (train on back or side fence??) Mme. Berard - (train on back or side fence??)
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Hi MacThayer: The growth you discovered is called a Proliferation and is not uncommon on daylilies. This is another way in which they multiply. I have picked about 50 of them off my plants this year. You can plant it directly in the ground and keep it moist, or you can place it in water just up to the root or crown of the Prolifeation and let the roots continue to grow until they are around 1 inch long and then plant it in the ground. It is a bit late to plant prolifs. out at this time of they year as they may not mature enough to make it through the winter. I will be keeping mine indoors for the winter and planting them out next spring after last frost. Proliferations are identical to the mother plant. For more information look in the daylily dictionary under Proliferation. Hope this is helpful and have fun with your new baby. Here are two pictures of some of my Prolifs.
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catsrose
15 years ago
I'm with Jeri--plan for the future. I have spent the last two weeks wildly transplanting. The single arch I thought would do for a couple of years for my two-year old Cl Cecile Brunner was a joke by July; I had to buy two more arobors and make a covered walkway. Will Alderman suddenly exploded out of the tidy little bed along the driveway. Go to countrysideroses.com and look at Lisa's tour showing her under-estimates. Check helpmefind.com for dimensions and plan for the worst.
paparoseman
15 years ago
If the roses you have are on the Vintage Gardens web site check their size comparisons. If it shows a wide growing type of growth, say six feet tall and wide plant the roses as if they are that large now. It looks funny for the first year or so but planting a 1.5 foot rose in the right spot is so much easier than digging up a 7 foot rose to make room.

For the most part my roses are widely spaced but they were not always planted far enough apart. I used to cram them together, I mean this stick is only just a foot tall. Jude The Obscure was a little Heirloom band size bush when planted, now it it is seven feet tall and wide. Most of my gallica's have not been suckering monsters and even they are taking up three or four feet each way now.

Lance
cottagegirl_tn
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks y'all. You kinda told me what I secretly knew but was in denial about. I hate for things to look skimpy in the beginning but alas I know it will save me overcrowding headaches down the road. I did research mature sizes so that at least gives me a guide.
coconutty
15 years ago
I wish I'd asked this too! I got Phyllis Bide in a tiny band (3x3), planted her a few feet from borderer, and had to replant Borderer 4 months later! Phyllis is a giant- I had no idea!
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
15 years ago
Jen, one way to avoid that bare look for the first few years is to plant annuals or perennials in between. It gives a pretty cottage garden effect with not much labor. Even when mature I think roses look more interesting with other shapes, colors and sizes of plants to offset them. Of course, that's just my opinion, but I think it also helps to control diseases and bugs if the roses are further apart with other plants between them. Good luck!

Ingrid

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