Since this is a new rose bed that I started last year, do you think I should focus on only purchasing the bigger bushes that will go in the back (I want a full lush David Austin, English garden look) unless I see something I can’t resist, or just buy what I love and place smaller in front and hope I’ve left space accordingly? I hate to have to move them around. Also, regarding companion planting, do I wait till I get most of my roses in place? Although those can be easily moved in winter

@Ann Marie, I have a few climbers and ramblers on a trellis and my best advice is to make sure your rose is hardy for your climate by choosing ones that are atleast one or two hardiness zones below yours. That’s the best way to ensure cane survival through winter (right plant, right place). If the rose is near a wall that retains and reflect heat, then I do zone push and have had success with climbers my zone or one zone above. For example, I’m in zone 4b and I have no problems with New Dawn and James Galway surviving winter without protection on a northwest and southwest wall, respectively. As for training the rose, my approach is to tie the canes tight against the support so that it is secure and doesn’t whip around or rub. I do this in the late winter / early spring when the rose is dormant along with pruning so that I can see the rose’s framework. It also means that I’m working with only hardened canes (I never tie soft or semi-hard canes). I use simple garden twine and tie tight double knots. I don’t skimp and make sure the final rose frame work absolutely does not move. I tie the largest, most established canes to the support first, then the rest. I may even tie smaller canes to the bigger ones. Yes, it’s “crossing branches” but so long as they are tied tight and not rubbing, I find it’s totally fine. Key is no movement of any of those framework canes. I intentionally use twine because it blends in, is cheap, and will eventually degrade (since I do this all over again every winter/spring). If the rose cane is really old and has a tough bark and I know it’s not going to expand, then I tie into the support with black zip ties (gasp!). I’ll also mention that optimal blooms form on canes that are positioned between horizontal and 45 degrees. Here’s a pic of my William Baffin climber last year on a wooden trellis.

Geez. . .so many! I'm overwhelmed now, lol. Looking at Palantine. ANyone have any suggestions to narrow it down a bit? haha! Wow. This will take me forever to choose. I definitely have one dead one to replace so I can stick a smallish shrub rose there (it's in amongst an Alexander Mackenzie and 2 Martin Frobishers, so . .they will get quite large.) And I have a small spot at the front that I was thinking maybe just a tea rose .. And another one I think is dead . .again probably small shrub there. Need to go out this morning and check a few others that I think are being taken over by rootstock. What on earth happened in my garden this year???!!! Geez.

In the past, I've paid way more than that for plants but not roses lol.. I wouldn't pay it nowdays. With Covid and the shut downs etc came a huge movement to become more self sustainable. The housing market has gone berzerk and more people are moving out of crowded city apartments and into homes. Many are starting their first gardens. There is also a HUGE homesteading movement in this coutry. Back to basics and farming on a small scale. So many people while exploring vegetable gardening, have also discovered a new love for flowers and America's best known and probably favorite flowers are roses! This is why seed companies and other plant companies can't keep up with the demand. We've been doing some building projects around the farm and have noticed the prices of lumber have gone crazy. Every few weeks 2x4x8's and plywood increase. I used to find cheaper plywood here (pre covid) for about $13..that same plywood today is $28. Houses are being built like crazy in our area and across the US causing wood prices to soar.