Colourful Roses

MAKE sure you make the most of these colourful and fragrant plants say the experts at Ardcarne Garden Centre.

Sumptuous blooms, delicious fragrance, immensely versatile and steeped in history and nostalgia - the rose is without doubt the supreme summer flower. For those of us who like cottage-style gardens, roses are simply invaluable and capture all the glorious extravagance of the summer garden. Where to grow roses

There really is a rose for every garden, from small patio types that are ideal for containers, to lofty ramblers sending cascades of flowers from high walls and supports. Floribunda and Hybrid Tea roses were traditionally planted on their own in beds, but roses are easy to blend into mixed borders, especially the David Austin shrub roses which have the old-fashioned rose look and fragrance, combined with long flowering.

Newer developments in the rose family include the Flower Carpet Roses, which are invaluable for their easy-care nature and months of colour, often from June until November. These roses look great when planted in large groups and suit modern and traditional garden styles.

If you fancy the idea of planting some roses in your garden now is an ideal time as you can usually select them in flower – so you can see exactly what the flowers are like and check out their irresistible perfume. And roses are such great value – providing years, or even generations of flowers!