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Whatever size or aspect of your plot, plant now and you’ll f ind...
FEW plants are as versatile as roses. There are climbers for sunny walls and ramblers tolerant of light shade; miniature roses for small gardens and large shrub types suitable for borders; patio roses ideal for containers and groundcovering species that will make pretty, weed-suppressing mats.
As for their looks, they lend themselves to all sorts of garden styles. Many associate roses with traditional cottage gardens but they work equally well in modern, urban plots.
There are varieties perfect for mixed borders, cutting gardens, exotic displays, wildlife-friendly plots and prairie-style plantings.
Whatever the aspect, situation or style of garden, now is the time to start planting bare-root specimens. These are available only when plants are dormant, from late autumn to early spring, and can be planted at any point during this period, as long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged.
If you’re new to gardening, don’t be put off by bare-root roses. They might look like sticks with a few roots on the end but they’ll establish readily in moist soil, which is still warm from summer.
Best of all, they’re cheaper than their container- grown counterparts and there’s also a greater choice of varieties available.
Vertical surfaces are ideal for brightening up with climbing and rambling roses.
Dark red ‘Dublin Bay’ is a compact climber that’s perfect for arches, while ‘Kiftsgate’ will easily scale a tall tree.
Growing to 16ft, ‘Paul’s Lemon Pillar’ has white flowers and will thrive against a boundary wall in partial shade.
In sunny borders, try ‘Rhapsody In Blue’, ‘ Margaret Merril’ and ‘Arthur Bell’, a yellow floribunda type from 1965 that was named after the Scotch whisky magnate.
‘Buff Beauty’ is happy in light shade – the shrub rose has double, apricot-yellow blooms that appear in flushes, from mid-summer to early winter.
To my mind, all of those mentioned above are too sizeable for small gardens. Instead, choose varieties that grow to about 2ft. Among the best are ‘Miss Edith Cavell’ and ‘ Chanelle’. Making its debut in 2011, ‘Joie de Vivre’ produces clusters of pale pink, double flowers on plants that are 2ft tall by 1½ft across.
Most roses need a bit of leg space for their roots to spread out but a group known as patio roses are happy in containers. Unveiled in 1991, ‘Queen Mother’ grows to just 1 ½ ft and has clusters of semidouble, soft pink flowers.
Calf- high ‘ Flower Power’ produces peach-orange, double blooms all summer long.
Ground-cover roses have a spreading habit and are ideal for filling bare patches of ground.
The ‘ county series’ of roses, named after English counties (‘ Kent’, ‘ Lancashire’ and so on), have been popular since the late 1980s. Flower Carpet roses come in many colours and are renowned for their non-stop floral display.
Prior to planting, give bare-root roses some attention. Dunk roots in a bucket of water for an hour to ensure they are fully hydrated and prune back any broken roots and shoots.
If planting is delayed, prevent roots from drying out by temporarily setting into pots of compost. Place out of direct sunlight.
Plant roses in holes that are wide enough for the roots to be spread out comfortably and deep enough so that the graft union (the bulging bit where the stem meets the roots) is just above ground level. Prick the base and the sides of the hole to enable roots to penetrate easily.
Place the plant in the centre of the hole and slowly fill with soil, gently bouncing it up and down to fill gaps between the roots.
When full, firm down with your foot. Water well and mulch with a 3in layer of garden compost, leaf mould or composted bark – leave a 4in gap around stems to prevent bark rotting.
Blooms look great in cottage gardens and in urban settings too