The Joy Of Roses

You may think you know all about Britain’s Favourite Flower but they have more qualities than you may think.  There was a time when in the pursuit of the perfect looking bloom plant selectors rather disregarded the beautiful scents. The “Old Fashioned Shrub” varieties which were often large and untidy in habit were abandoned for neat bushes with perfectly shaped flowers.

 Many Heritage Rose Varieties are still available but modern techniques have allowed specialist rose growers to “tweak” various aspects of their growth to create the “best of all worlds”.

The new variants retain the basic qualities of the original rose but are more suited to grow in our smaller gardens. The gorgeous flowers and fabulous scents are retained, the habit of growth is much neater, there is good disease resistance and many are suitable as cut flowers.

Good examples of these are English Garden, soft yellow, William Shakespeare, deep crimson and Mary Rose, pink. 

Bush roses are the most popular garden shrub for the border or pots. Birthday Girl, cream and crimson, stunning Eye of the Tiger, yellow and carmine and Golden Wedding, golden yellow are all good recommendations.

Here’s how to grow a great Rose Bush with a few anecdotes.

Roses like deep, fertile and preferably clay based soils with plenty of farmyard manure added.  A sunny position is best but some varieties can be grown in semi shade like Rosa Mundi, Fairy, and on shady house walls the climbers Albertine, Handel, or American Pillar.

Plant them deeply with the graft point 2 inches below the soil level. Roses need firm planting to prevent wind rocking as the bush gets taller which can damage the roots. 

Roses and Hybrid Clematis are the only plant groups to which this applies. All other trees, shrubs, conifers and climbing plants should be planted at the existing soil level to avoid Stem Rot which causes ring barking and the subsequent plant demise. 

Many roses can be grown in pots or containers particularly Patio Roses which are about 60cm tall. Plant in a pot using John Innes No.3 compost.

Roses are hungry feeders so to produce healthy free flowering plants add “Slow Release” food at planting time and then rose food in March and again regularly from June to August each year for more flowers.

Roses need severe pruning.  Cut back the flowering stems of Bush, Patio and Modern Shrub Roses by half the current seasons growth in November and then to a strong set of buds in March to encourage sturdy regrowth.  Flowering stems of Ramblers should be completely removed. Depending on their vigour, Climbing Roses can be trained on walls, fences, pergolas, obelisks and garden arches.

We know that Roses are grown for their scent and colour but what about taste?  The Sweet, Turkish Delight, has been flavoured with Damask Roses since the time of the Ottoman Empire.  Other varieties like the yellow citrus scented Nadia Zerouali can be used as a substitute for lemon grass in cake making.  Other taste sensations include Rosa ‘Very Berry’ reminiscent of ripe redcurrants, ‘Unique Aroma’ that tastes of aniseed and lemon, Audrey Bella’ is double with peach colour and perfume and ‘Zara Bella’ double soft yellow flowers with a fruity tea fragrance with honey undertones.

 Some roses make great groundcover suppressing unwelcomed weeds.  Flower Carpet has almost evergreen foliage, is blackspot and mildew resistant only 2 feet high but 1 meter wide.  All varieties produce masses of single or semi double flowers and have easily accessible pollen rich centres for bees and butterflies.  Their colours range from Coral to Cherry, Gold, White and Ruby. They are very easy to grow only requiring a quick chop with shears to 30 cm from the ground in late winter.

Roses aren’t just scented, beautiful or tasty. With pollen rich single flowers and bird friendly hips they are great for wildlife.  Rosa Mundi is eye catching, semi double pink with darker stripes, that bees and butterflies love R. Ruby Mellor is a vibrant red with fine white stripes and prominent yellow pollen rich anthers, great for pots. R. Barbie Mella has vivid single pink blooms, a neat bushy habit and is 40cm tall.

All Roses can be used as cut flowers but some are better for display in the house. Those with strong stems and thick petals like ‘Peace’ with large yellow pink flowers and the upright and fragrant yellow ‘Korresia’ are great choices.

If you thought a rose was just a rose then you may have changed your mind.  Let’s enjoy them not just for their flowers and scent but for the taste, ground covering habits, the ability to flower for 6 months and for attracting wildlife so an important addition to any Garden.