A ROSE COLOURED DAWN
The most loved plants in the world come in myriad varieties
When Gertrude Stein famously wrote ‘a rose is a rose is a rose,’ it was bosh. Did the American poet and author not realise that roses can be tiny pot plants, vast shrubs or rampant tree-conquering ramblers?
Their blooms come in a head-spinning variety of colours, shapes, sizes and fragrances.
The only hue missing is blue — though some purplish varieties come close.
Many are viciously thorny. Others have awkward growth habits. But most are reliable, versatile and easy to grow.
Last week, we covered climbers and ramblers. now, let’s focus on bush and shrub varieties — the world’s most-loved plants.
hybrid tea roses are the most popular, with large, often-
fragrant blooms. Floribunda or ‘cluster’ varieties carry smaller flowers in larger numbers. Both grow as shrubs, many flowering from June to late autumn.
Regular pruning is essential for both and is best done between October and March. During summer, regular dead-heading and light pruning helps keep new flowers coming.
Both varieties thrive in almost any soil, provided they’re in full light. Though hardy, fungal diseases, especially black spot and mildew, can be trouble-
some. So try to select varieties that have a known resistance.
SHRUBBERY STARS
hyBRiD tea and floribunda roses are the most popular. They’re ideal for rose beds or planting in a formal garden. They must be accessible for pruning, pest and disease control and dead-heading.
Most shrub roses are larger and more robust, blending well with other woody plants.
Some flower once a year,
many giving a secondary show of colourful autumn hips. Tall, sturdy varieties include spring-blooming Canary Bird and dark red, single-flowered R.moyesii.
German-bred Frühlingsmorgen (spring morning) is a chest-high beauty, crowded with large, pink budded, cream- white flowers each May. White nevada and pink Marguerite hilling also produce big, single blooms.
Many historic varieties grow as shrub roses. Most flower once a year, so pruning techniques are different. Some need special care, but most thrive with minimal attention and bear exquisite blooms.
easily grown oldies include magenta- crimson Charles de Mills, strong- scented, pink, ispahan and bicolour, mauve-white honorine de Brabant.
Superb modern shrub roses with old- style flowers abound, too. Breeders David Austin have developed scores.
Old moss roses are the most romantic. The best, William Lobb, has mossed buds opening to crimson-purple blooms with knock-out fragrance.
BARE ROOT ROSES
FOR winter planting, choose
bare-root plants. Unpack on arrival and plant immediately, to ensure speedy recovery.
if you’re not going to plant right away, dig a shallow trench, place the roots into it and cover with damp soil. Keep the roots in the ground until ready.
When you have dug each rose’s planting hole, spread the roots gently before back-filling with soil. Firm the plants into the ground. The soil should be moist enough not to need watering.
Avoid planting new roses where old ones grew. Doing so can cause rose sickness. if you have no choice, reduce that risk by sprin-kling a mycorrhizal feed such as Rootgrow into the hole first.