Awe, sorry you feel you failed! All is not lost.

you can put the roses in pots until you find a perfect spot for them. Make sure you use good potting soil and pots that drain well. They'll keep fine until you can get them n the ground.

In an acre garden, you definitely have somewhere to put the roses! Just remember, the most important three things for success are:

1) Only get roses which like your climate conditions - VERY important! Different roses like or hate different conditions. You can locate your nearest rose society on line - mine has a list of all different types of roses which do well in our area.

2) SUN - Roses need to be in full sun most of the day (unless you live in the desert).

3) WATER - unless it rains heavily once every week or two, most roses need extra water in the summer. If that is a problem, many can survive with supplemental water for the first year or two only, but they will not bloom as much.

Otherwise, put them where you want to - digging holes in an old garden can be a problem, trust me I know - my garden is 112 years old, and it seem everywhere has tree roots or something. My DH digs all of the holes. If he were not here, I would hire someone to do that, as I am not good at it.

Very large pots on a patio or somewhere can work for many small or medium sized roses.

Don't worry about too much planning, just have fun, and it will work out! Please ask any questions on here - there are so many people who will love to help you.

Jackie

Don't worry, I think a lot of gardeners began as you are doing; I sure did! Plants are very forgiving, and roses in particular accept being moved very graciously. And even though by now I have almost 20 years of experience, my plans are frequently "going sideways"; the most frequent way they do so is I dig in a place where I'd like a rose, only to find that the soil is way too shallow ,with bedrock far too close to the surface.Putting them in pots is a fine idea, but at some point just take the plunge and start putting them out. Remember, you can always support climbers on re-bar tripods, etc,so if for now it seems like your SoFs are a bit "lonely" looking, or "out-of-context"-looking,that can easily be changed; you train them up as pillar roses, and then plant other roses and flowers at their feet,and gradually you start to "see" a possible garden-design emerging. So putting them in pots for starters is good,but don't feel scared off by this your first day of gardening; it wasn't a failure.As I said before, even after 20 years that stuff still happens to me; it's no biggie. You did fine. Jump in!

Youtube has many videos showing you how to plant roses. Here are 3 to get you started:

Planting Bareroot Roses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOmyV8vfG8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFak9vugdrg

Planting Potted Roses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSzcXgSbHqA

Good luck!

Good luck to you ! I remember my early gardening days . I bought plants at lowes without planning and it took me a while to figure out what I was doing . I mean I bought sun plants for the shade and shade for the sun .. plants that got bigger than planned and plants that I had no idea what for! Haha it's all part of the fun !! You will do great ! Just give yourself grace and make sure u take time to enjoy your hard work

Welcome, and good luck. ANY time you need help/advice/commiseration you'll find it here, lol.

John

Romogen, I got a SOF from DA and I hope it does as well as yours in my zone! Beautiful!!

Sounds like you did just fine. Roses really aren't as picking as people say they are. Just give them plenty of sun and enough water and they'll grow pretty much anywhere. Keep us posted on their progress and post some pictures when they bloom!

@romogen, that is one gorgeous rose! I do hope mine eventually look like that. I plan to replant them against the front wall in a few weeks where they will have abundant attention, sun, and love.

Yeah, I've been tempted by SoF,but worry about it balling. Plus, with all those petals, could it ever be happy in my garden???

People often ask me how I know where to put roses, how to prune them, etc. I say, I don't! I just do what seems right and take it from there. Can I ask where you live, what zone? That could make a difference. As far as the septic smell, I think it could be that, if that is where your septic line is, or it could be anaerobic soil. I get that sometimes when I have an area of heavy clay with poor drainage. There is just not enough oxygen in the soil to allow the microbes to do their thing and they rot. So once you determine that it's not your septic, you can amend the soil to get it healthier.

Roots can be a problem. I have cut more roots out than anything. Last year I was doing some planting in front of some established roses and I found a root from a cherry tree about 20 feet away! I was wondering why the roses there did not seem to be doing that well. I cut it back as far as I could.

Good luck with your garden, it is fun to be out there and no matter where you put the roses, I promise when you get those first buds, you will be hooked.

Don't forget food. And bury the graft if you live in a cold zone at least 3- 4 inches (I do 4-6). Happy Rosing!!!

Rebecca

Put them in full sun. I think planting bags like the plastic economical ones, or 5-7 gal size plastic pots would work until you get your bearings. Use rose planting mix like Seil said. This way you could have more time to plan and rearrange them and have more time to dream before they go in the ground. Depending on your climate they could be put in the ground later this summer or Fall, or next Spring. Good luck! You also might need an extra hole digger so start being really nice.