Which is right for your garden? Tamsin has the answer
Now’s the time to plant roses, but which is the right one for you? Tamsin Westhorpe highlights all the factors you need to consider before taking your pick
CAST your mind back to the garden at the height of summer. Which flowers spring to mind? For me, it is the roses. Cupping a rose in your hand and sinking your nose into the bloom must be one of life’s greatest pleasures. In the winter garden some roses offer attractive hips, but others sink into the background until they sparkle again in summer.
So, why am I turning your attention to roses now? The reason is that the best time to plant roses is in winter, as this allows plants time to put down roots before the spring. Avoid planting when the soil is frozen and choose a mild winter’s day. Bare-root plants are available in the dormant season between November and March, and these ‘light-to-post’ plants are perfect for mail-order shoppers. The one proviso is that you plant them as soon as they arrive. Garden centres tend to have their best selection of roses in winter, so if you like to have plenty to choose go shopping sooner rather than later.
Picking the right rose
With hundreds of roses available, making the right choice for your plot can be daunting. In an ideal world you should start your search the summer before you plan to plant. Visit shows such as RHS Hampton Court (2-7 July) to view the rose displays, or visit rose gardens such as Mottisfont, near Romsey in Hampshire, or the David Austin Rose Garden in Albrighton, Wolverhampton.
You will need to decide the position of the rose before you get wooed by flower colour and scent. Are you looking for a ground-cover rose to carpet a steep bank, a rose for a container, a climber for around the door or a rose to form part of a mixed hedge? Although most roses enjoy a sunny spot, don’t assume that all roses require the same conditions. The shrub rose ‘Ballerina’ is perfect for a position of part shade and ‘A Shropshire Lad’ will cope on a north-facing wall.
You won’t do better than seeking advice from a specialist rose nursery. An expert grower will guide you through the maze of hybrid teas, floribundas, shrub roses, ramblers, climbers, miniatures and ground-cover roses.
If that’s not enough to flummox you, there is then the decision about when you want the rose to flower, whether you desire single or double blooms, and if you fancy a new or old variety. It’s also worth looking at disease resistance.
In truth, most of us simply fall for a rose at first sight and will find the right spot in the garden to accommodate it. Others are won over by the name. The English shrub rose ‘Darcey Bussell’ is an obvious choice for dancing fans, whereas ‘Golden Celebration’ is perfect for those celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary.
Scentsational
When I’m shopping for roses the priorities are scent and whether the rose is a repeat flowerer. This is important if you have a small garden, as there is little point filling your garden with a large rose that only flowers for a short period. Some roses flower for months and a few, such as Rosa x
odorata ‘Mutabilis’, can be in flower on Christmas day. For scent and vase life I haven’t found much to beat the English shrub rose ‘Gertrude Jekyll’, and for covering an ugly shed I am indebted to the vigorous rambler ‘Blushing Lucy’.
My advice is to go with the rose that pulls on your heart strings the most, as all being well it will be with you for many years to come.