Hi,
I have grown miniatures in pots for years and love them because they provide flowers most of the year and cheer up the patio area. They will suit your balcony if it catches the wind. I go looking for the more unusual ones or the old fashioned varieties such as Dresdon Doll.

Otherwise,the best roses are the ones grown on their own roots as grafted stock can have roots that fill an entire pot once mature. Depends on the size of the pots but they need to be very large. Compact floribundas, patio roses and polyanthas are okay though. Having said that I have friends and neighbours who grow ht's in pots quite successfully. I just don't like the look of long stems. One is growing the David Austin rose, Christopher Marlowe in a pot and another grows Mutablis.

They need constant care to do well - regular water and regular feeds as they use up any nourishment in the potting mix quickly.

I use a good potting mix and add compost. I also add a cup of dolomite now after reading that potting mixes can be quite acidic.

I don't fertilize until they are established because of the compost and then I use a slow-release type. I also feed them some liquid fertilizer but I dilute it well. I use whatever I have. If fish emulsion than I might add some potash or a little seasol. I always water them with liquid seasol when they first go in the pot and I flush the pot out before fertilizing to prevent a buildup of salts like the experts tell you.

You can be a bit offhand with garden roses but pots need more tlc. You will find if you observe them carefully every day or so you will get to know when they need a water or feed.

They will need good drainage and consider using anti-rot. I find this product very useful.

I use diluted milk when there is a fungal problem and pull any caterpillars off by hand.

Protect the pots if it gets very hot because the roots can become heat stressed. You can insulate them by lining the pot with newspaper or simply group them together or move into the shade.

I repot every second year and trim the roots a little.

I hope this helps and I haven't put you off. It sounds like a lot of bother but it works for me.

Hi jeniwren11

Glad to see you made on to the forum!
Welcome :))

With the roses in large containers ,I have no trouble.
The advice from from frannyfrip is excellent.
The only thing I would add that if the heat gets too intense and there is a shortage of shade, a big market umbrella is great.
On my patio,which is very exposed to the weather, I push the roses under the umbrella if the heat is too intense or, too windy.You will have to anchor the umbrella down.
Maybe a shade sail, where you could put it up for summer and down for winter.
A rose breeder told me that roses love being up against walls...they love the reflected heat.If you have a large terrace ,I would imagine that you would have wall space.
How about setting up a frame and espelier them across the walls?Then wind would not be a problem.And shade could be arranged accordingly.
You could start the rose in a large container and train it up the wall.
Anyway...a few ideas.
Cheers
Michelle

Thankyou frannyfrip!! And thankyou Rosesforme for the welcome:))

I already have 4 roses...a Portmeirion, a Bonica, a beautiful Dioressence and a standard Just Joey.

My preference is old fashioned roses...We're on the 21st floor & the main wall is in shade for most of the day...it's to the south-west & has the lift-room directly above it shading it. The other walls are to the north-west, dark khaki brown colourbond. It doesn't get much direct sun except for high summer & to the south-east we have part dark-brown rendered concrete & part toughened glass panels. The sitting room windows are to the south-west. The flooring is terracotta tiling. We also have a gate in the north-east wall for accesss to the roof-top. I hope all that makes sense.

So far I've found it is scorching for any plants in the middle of summer...(I'm hoping to grow something else that will provide a little shade for next summer.) I'm using crushed quartz or marble as mulch as anything lighter gets blown away. Umbrellas would blow away in the gales that spring up here around 2.30pm...we have to make sure that nothing is loose or it's lost.

I was going to purchase some bare-rooted roses this year...any suggestions considering the conditions they'd have to live in???

Thank you
Jen

How tall are surrounding walls?
I'd play with some opulent and gentle climbers/sprawlers/weeping roses, because they look awesome on balconies, especially when their blooms intermingle and fall over the balcony. You can tie them as you wish, twist and interweave, create decorations of your own.
- Tom

Thanks Tom...the Body Corporate has stipulated there be no growth overhanging any balconies or terrace walls....Grrr!!

The easterly walls are 112 cm (toughened glass) with the rendered parts being 130cm. The back wall which basically faces west & part is northerly is well over 6 metres high but I have to be careful about planting anything permanently there as it will be full shade in winter.

I think I'm going to try & find some other shrubbery to mix in with my roses and see how it goes.

Jen