First Rose Garden

Hi was thinking about doing a raised bed for roses, so firstly would it be ok in a south facing garden and next is which type of soil to put in it. Also what roses to start with.

Carl

 

Roses will need a good depth of soil for their roots, so will your raised bed be directly onto soil or will it have a solid base? Roses can cope with pretty much any direction as long as they get some sun, south will be perfect!

Any type of soil is fine as long as it's not all compost. When preparing the bed it's best to dig in some horse manure and compost, roses are hungry and thirsty plants. If horse manure isn't available then I've found chicken manure pellets work well.

There are a number of different types of roses and it's down to individual choice. I live in a windy area with generally high rainfall so I have Floribunda's as they are pretty hardy. They grow multiple flower heads and continue to bloom throughout summer and through to the first frosts. Floribunda's tend not to grow as tall as other rose types.

The picture below was taken last year. A new rose bed and their first year of blooming.


Woo, is the man to speak to, he has a great knowledge of all roses.

 

Thanks Sheal for your reply it will most probably be put on to part of the lawn maybe along the fence it is sheltered and gets the sun to so will do some thinking. I might go for the smaller ones myself.

They look great in your picture.
Thanks again.
Carl

 

Remember to remove the turf and break up the soil underneath. Let us know how it goes please.

 

South facing is ideal for Roses because they love sun

In terms of what to buy, depends on what you want from them but for me there are a couple of criteria: they have to have a long flowering period so I have blooms from May through to September and they have to be as strongly scented as possible.

If you can tell us what sort of colours you like then I'm sure someone can make some recommendations.

My personal favourites are Golden Celebration which is a gorgeous yellow and smells divine; Jude the Obscure, which is a sort of pale apricot colour and again smells gorgeous. The most healthy one I have and which produces most flowers and strongest scent is Gertrude Jekyll, which is pink.

 

Thank you for the compliment on my rose bed Woo.

Woo you are definitely not redundant yet! We all still have a lot to learn from you and your expansive knowledge which is most welcome.

 

Well thanks for all your helpful advice I am at the thinking stage at moment but will definitely let you know as it develops I am slowly running out of space with these raised beds.
Sheal your border is a credit to you and hope to get mine to the same standard, now there is a challenge.....
I will certainly keep your point about being to close to the fence, Woo

Thanks to Merleworld, Sheal and Woo
Watch this space.

 

Roses prefer a soil pH ranging from 6.5 to 6.8.
Soils with good drainage are best for rose growing. When improving the soil through the use of soil amendments, don't forget to promote drainage by incorporating peat moss.

Irrigation (water):

Watering requirements depend greatly on conditions. As an estimate, you can water rose bushes twice weekly. Monitor the health and vigor of your plants and adjust that recommendation accordingly as demanded by the conditions in your own region. It is better to irrigate less frequently -- but to water deeply when you do -- than to administer shallower, more frequent waterings.
Avoid late-evening watering, which could foster powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a very common disease among roses.

Spacing (air)

Rose growing in conditions where adequate spacing is not provided can foster powdery mildew, as well. Let your roses breathe: don't plant them too closely together. Follow spacing requirements for each particular variety when purchasing rose bushes, as indicated on the plant label.

Sun (fire):

Give your roses at least six hours of sunlight each day
If possible, let the morning provide the bulk of those six hours, since the afternoon sun can sometimes be a bit intense for these plants.
Garden Services Coventry

 

I trying to grow new roses from cuttings I made from my rose bush.

 

It's really rewarding to see those new shoots coming when taking your own Rose cuttings,I'm sure they'll do well Husseycopper