Roses

Roses offer such an extensive and beautiful colour palette, not to mention, lovely fragrances. So why do new gardeners seem overwhelmed with their planting and maintenance?

Well, to help you new gardeners out there, follow these handy steps to growing your very own roses, with ease!

Preparation and planting

Roses need a minimum of 6 hours sunlight a day, preferably morning light. They also need to be slightly sheltered from strong winds, so find a suitable spot in your garden where you can plant your roses.

Add organic material to the chosen rose beds, so the soil is well drained and loose. Roses require deep holes, preferably 15 to 22cm deeper than the roots. Make sure, when planting your roses, to incorporate a small amount of rose fertilizer into the soil and hydrate well.

Maintenance and care

Roses are heavy feeders, so feed them well with fertilizer, a minimum of 3 times a year: spring; before the buds appear, summer; after the first bloom burst, and early winter to provide them with extra to survive the cold months.

Don't forget to water your roses too. Roses must be watered well if insufficient rain falls. Pruning doesn't need to be difficult either. Remember to thin your roses out to increase air flow and sunlight and head back tips until you reach the good buds.

During the summer

During the summer, deadhead your blooms as they wither and add a few inches of mulch to prevent weeds and control moisture levels.

During the winter

Before the first frost, push back the mulch and clear away dead leaves or fallen blooms. Make sure you remove diseased stalks and add more fertilizer if required. Mound up soil with a top layer of mulch for protection.

Pests

To protect against insects and diseases, make sure you spray your blooms. Check them weekly for black spot, mildew or blight, and remove any damaged or diseased blooms straight away.

For extra, on-going help visit The Royal National Rose Society. It was founded in 1876 and is dedicated to encouraging, improving and extending the science, art and practice of the cultivation and conservation of roses.