For instance, they dislike cold boggy soils. Also they are not to keen on being planted under trees or beside hedges. Searing draughts caused by tunnelled wind between buildings or terrain can seriously affect growth, but then few plants will enjoy such positions.

The smaller the chosen planting area, the more careful must be the selection of rose to give complete satisfaction. Height of the mature plant will determine the position you plan for it. It is not ideal to plant a tall variety at the edge of a much used path fronting your proposed rose bed. This can cause problems and it can restrict you reaching a smaller growing variety, especially when fragrance is the most important criterion. Plant the chosen rose where you can reach it.

If your chosen site is prepared well your rose plant should give many years of pleasure and satisfaction. Dig the area well, applying a liberal dressing of well-rotted garden compost, or better stil farmyard manure (or equivalent).

Dig you planting hole wide enough to spread the roots. Use a planting mixture of well-soaked peat and a good handful of bone meal. Firm each plant in with your heel to prevent wind rock. The union between stock and rose should be at ground level. Hybrid teas and floribunda varieties should be planted 18inches or 24 inches apart. Patio varieties 15 to 18 inches apart. Miniatures varieties 15 inches apart and climbers and shrubs approximately 6 feet apart.

All hybrid tea and floribunda varieties should be pruned the first spring after planting, cutting them back to 3 or 4 eyes from the base, the top eye should be pointing outwards. Climbing roses should not be pruned but simply cut back about 2 to 3 inches to a bud. Pruning consists primarily of cutting out the dead wood and pruning to prevent over-crowding, which can be done after the plants have flowered in the summer.

Planting Bare Root Roses

These can be planted from September through to March, provided there is no frost in the ground. The best time is September/October while there is still some heat in the ground, which will allow the rose bushes to make new roots and get them of to a flying start in the springtime.

If a new bed is being made, dig over the whole area before planting rather than dig individual holes, which can act as a sump collecting water from the undug parts of the bed. Roses appreciate copious amounts of water during the summer months but do not like sitting with their roots in poorly drained soil, which can lead to bushes dying off.

On light free draining soil a piece of turf placed upside down just below the roots can hold moisture and any excess fertilizer which has filtered down from the surface. On heavy clay ground it pays dividends to apply quantities of course grit, old manure, peat or garden compost when digging the bed.

The only fertilizer, which should be applied at planting time, is slow acting bone meal, which supplies phosphate to help make roots and a small amount of nitrogen for new growth. Bone meal won't burn the roots as some other fertilizers do.

Container Grown Roses

Rose bushes, which have been grown in containers, can be planted during the summer months but care must be taken that they do not dry out, watering well two or three times a week all summer. Make the planting hole deeper and wider than the container so that extra peat and light soil can be added around and under the roots. Most containerised bushes have been grown in peat compost and sometimes do not push roots into the soil, especially heavy clay soil. Make a mixture of half peat and half fine soil to go around and under the roots when planting, empty the bushes from the container taking care not to break any new stems or buds. When the bush is out of the container tease some of the roots out of the rootball, which will grow into the peat and soil mixture. Give the peat and soil mixture a good soaking and firm in. Some liquid fertilizer such as Chempak No3 can be added to the water when watering throughout the summer.

Diseases

The main ones to affect roses are mildew, black spot and rust. For mildew and blackspot the fungicide Nimrod "T" is an effective control over both diseases but must be applied as soon as the leaves unfold. A heavy infestation of rust can kill rose bushes but the fungicide Systhane or Plantvax can keep it at bay. Again the spraying programme must start when the leaves unfold, so if the bushes had disease problems the previous year then spray early and continuously. To help control blackspot all leaves should be removed from the soil surface at the end of the year as the spores overwinter on the debris.

Feeding

Growmore is a cheap and easily available fertilizer supplying the three main elements of nitrogen, phosphate and potash, which should be applied at least twice a year and hoed in around the bushes. Growmore does not supply trace elements like more expensive complete rose fertilizers but these elements can be applied using a liquid seaweed fertilizer. Do not feed after the middle of August, as this would encourage soft growth that would be easily damaged by frost during the winter.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Roses

Q What is the best time to plant roses?
A When the plant is dormant. i.e. not growing usually between November and March.

Q What is the difference between a hybrid tea and a floribunda?
A Usually the hybrid tea bears large shapely blooms singly, whereas a floribunda carries its blooms in clusters

Q Is it really necessary to replace the soil when re-planting in existing rose beds?
A Yes. Injurious organisms cause what is often termed `rose sickness' (specific transplant disease). Resting the soil for around 18 to 24 months and giving it a good soaking with armilatox or replacing the soil will reduce the risk.

Q How do I control disease?
A First and foremost a strong well fed plant will be able to withstand infection. Use a well balanced rose food. Outbreaks of black spot and mildew can be controlled by spraying with a proprietary fungicide.

Q Can I plant roses in the shade?
A The plant may grow under those conditions, but lack of sunlight may result in inferior blooms.

Cutting Roses from your Garden

Cutting roses should be done with care as improper cutting can injure the plant and decrease its vigour. Use sharp tools - breaking or twisting off flowers injures the remaining wood. Use a good pair of pruners or sharp knife for a clean cut.

The best time to cut roses is just as the two outer petals unfold - they will remain in good condition longer than if you cut them when they are fully open. To keep roses fresh longer, cut them in late afternoon and place them immediately in water.

After cutting blossoms, remove any lower leaves that will be in water as these will encourage bacterial growth and shorten the lifespan of your display. Once all lower leaves are removed it is advisable to recut the stems under water, removing about 1 inch. This removes the air bubble that formed when the stem was cut in air. Place the stem in warm water to which you've added a proprietary floral preservative. The preservative will add carbohydrates and reduce water pH to an acid condition which retards bacterial growth and prolong the life of your arrangement.

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