roses for embankments - ideas?

20 years ago

We are moving soon and I am going to have to start from scratch on the garden. I thought I would ask firstinput on what roses to plant on an embankment. I could plant the usual groundcovers but thought I would investigate the possibility of roses first. The embankment slopes down to the house from a driveway and is basically stone and gravel. It is only an hour's drive to Bundaberg and I will be visiting the local nurseries there of course and asking for advice as well. I would love to do something with the old roses but these may be in short supply there. I am not particularly fond of miniatures except in pots either. Would appreciate advice - any!

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Comments (6)

User
20 years ago
Ground covers but Roses I have my rosy carpet, seafoam. pink bassino and red bassino and they all grow very well here south of brissie. I do find they they tend to grow wider than the 1mtx1mt. Ramblers may be ok too, I have Lavender Dream, have a look at the link below for the colours....Cheers..MM.

Here is a link that might be useful: Magic Garden Roses
frannyfrip
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks MM. Was not familiar with that nursery - looks fabulous and I bookmarked it. Had a look at the carpet roses and found a couple I liked such as Golden Touch.

What I really want to know though is if I can use the older roses on the embankment somehow. I was thinking of a mounding effect but thought somebody might come up with a better idea. I would like to add things like lavender or salvia or even sage and whatever else will tone in and go with the roses, so it is not just a sheet of roses but I have no idea really.

It will be a monster of a job I would imagine because it is all gravelly soil on top of rock.

Perhaps I should search the landscaping sites but really want experts with knowledge of rose form to tell me what I can do with them in this situation. I don't even know if it is possible. I'm exploring possibilities shall we say.

Thanks again, Fran
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tom_pariz
20 years ago
Fran, I'm not here to lure you against groundcover roses, but lavender will be helluva easier to care about and also gorgeous looking solution.

{{gwi:2112635}}
frannyfrip
Original Author
20 years ago
If you say so Tom but I am not very good at lavender. Too hot where I have been living. Grew it once in a raised bed and it was a picture for about 18months until the summer wet. I dug it up and transferred to a pot but it was to no avail. This situation might be better but I don't want all my eggs in one basket. I am after a pretty effect and hoped I might be able to let some roses scramble down and put herbs like sage and oregano amongst them. I have grown herbs like rosemary, oregano and sage in gravel before and had great success. Also roses but not on an embankment like this.

I am being impractical I know. The rest of the yard is going to be hard although flat also and I will have to come up with a design so my husband knows where to plonk the soil for the beds.

It is all a bit daunting but I am determined to give it a go.
User
20 years ago
Fran The only Lavender you can grow here in Humid Qld is "French Lavender" and they don't like wet feet so a raised bed is needed..I see you had it in a raised bed sorry so maybe just the wrong type...I only have one plant but it flowers for about six months of the year could be longer and is budding like crazy now as I pruned it all over when it did finally stop flowering and a beautiful bush now... That is a Victorian Nursery I ordered my last seasons 19 roses from there as I was down in Vic in May so I got to have a look at them while they were still flowering there are plenty of on line ones. Lozza has his own nursery Reliable Roses He has lots of OGR in his Catalogue also Perrotts here in Brisbane.. I think old roses are the best for this climate, just have a go I am always trying different plants and moving them around till I get success....Cheers...MM.
frannyfrip
Original Author
20 years ago
Have had a quick look at Perrotts but they are updating. I agree with you that the old roses do much better up here and I bought dozens of noisettes, bourbons, teas and so on from Victoria years ago - had no trouble with any except the Chinas for some reason. They grew but didn't flower but perhaps, as I was on a sharp learning curve, missed giving them the right conditions. I love the bourbons and didn't expect them to grow very well in the sub-tropics but they did. Another favourite of mine is Lady Hillingdon.

I did a bit of research this morning and found that fortuniana stock can grow in gravelly conditions because the roots spread out rather than down. I am aware that roses are grafted onto different rootstock but not the technicalities of it. I shall have to do a fair bit more research I think.

None of the roses I have ever grown would be suitable I don't think for an embankment and perhaps there are none that would do well. I am hoping someone out there might have a suggestion though.

Will certainly check out Lozzas later today when I get a minute. Thanks for your input MM

Fran

roses for embankments - ideas?

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