Roses: Crowning Touch of Gardens
Whether you're the Miss or Mister America of gardening or take a hands-off approach, roses can be a winning addition to your landscape
Amy Renea
April 23, 2012
It's hard to deny the beauty of a classic rose. Add the fragrance of old English roses and you have a combination that almost no one can deny is alluring. The problem? Roses can be hard to grow. Some are susceptible to many pests and diseases, while others require exact methods of pruning to produce an abundance of blooms.
The good news: All roses are not created alike. If you need a low-hassle rose, try rugosas. Do you want a rose that grows on long, straight stems? Try a hybrid tea. Want fragrance? Try a David Austin rose climbing overhead in your outdoor room.
The good news: All roses are not created alike. If you need a low-hassle rose, try rugosas. Do you want a rose that grows on long, straight stems? Try a hybrid tea. Want fragrance? Try a David Austin rose climbing overhead in your outdoor room.
My perfect rose is a new English rose called Evelyn. It has a sweet, citrusy fragrance, soft-as-air petals and a color to die for. This particular rose grows on a sturdy bush that does not succumb to many pests and diseases.
Here is a rose emerging from its dormant period in spring. The growth is lush, green and low to the ground — this plant is off to a good start. April is the time of year to look closely at the leaves for black spot. Remove the leaves quickly and you can keep the disease from spreading.
There are different theories of how to grow roses. Some are grown in beds like this, spaced evenly and heavily mulched and fed. This method is good for fussy roses like hybrid teas.
This setup works well in a formal rose garden, the structure of the beds echoed in the hardscaping surrounding the garden.
A variety of surrounding plants lighten up the look of a formal rose plot. The roses are still separate and easy to feed, prune and spray, but the look is far from dull.
For a cottage garden, closely spaced shrub roses might be the answer. A hedge full of luscious blooms is a sight to behold in summer!
Smaller bush roses are another option for the gardener who doesn't want to put up with the hassle of spraying, feeding and pruning. Hardy roses like rugosas can stand up to neglect and even saltwater without throwing a fit. Old-time rosebushes also produce large edible rose hips, which are great for tea.
Climbing roses are a beautiful addition to any garden. Train them on a trellis, around a fence post or up wire guides. Climbing roses should be pruned to create plants covered in blooms.
Here is a closer look at the wire guides used to train these roses up and over the stone wall.
If you have an architectural feature to show off, a climbing rose can be your best friend. Fertilize roses grown in pots or small plots of soil, as they will not bloom without additional feeding.
Whether you choose easy-to-care for shrubs or fussy long-stemmed reds, a rose is a rewarding plant to grow. The colors range from saturated to translucent, the scents range from peach to musk and the petals are as fine as a baby's locks. Give in today and try growing one of these classic beauties.
More:
Roses and Rosettes in Your Home Design
Great Design Plant: Sally Holmes Rose
More:
Roses and Rosettes in Your Home Design
Great Design Plant: Sally Holmes Rose
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Photography by Kritsada
Country Gardens Magazine 2012 Summer Issue
David Austin Roses Kim Sea Shells vase
Alimom, what a great way to "contribute" to the healthy psyche of your neighbors ;) Your little one is a doll!