Rose Gardening for the Home

Roses are beautiful fragrant flowers. Its beauty has made is so famous that it has been the subject of poems and songs. No other flower enjoys the same popularity of the rose, worldwide. Many famous gardens like the Mottisfont Abbey Garden in New Romsey, Hampshire, UK; the Amstelpark Rosarium in Holland; the Rose Garden of the Montreal Botanical Garden, Quebec and the Cranford Rose Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens have varieties of roses in their gardens that bring joy and inspiration to those who view them. The rose has held humankind’s imagination for millenniums. It is one of the most popular flowers in the world that receiving a single stem or bouquet of rose is every woman’s pleasure and growing a rose garden, every gardener’s dream. A rose bed could well be a stunning and beautiful spot in a garden.

On its own, a rose garden is a site to feel the senses. The wide range of colours and sweet scent of roses bring an essence of romance and serenity to any garden. The Ancient Romans and Greeks placed so much value on the rose that it was called the “Queen of Flowers” by the poet Sappho. Since the rose is a very popular flower in the western world, it is quite hard to believe that the first roses were first cultivated in China.

There are plenty of weekend gardeners who have always wanted a spot of rose patch in their gardens but have always held back because of the misconception that roses are difficult to grow. On the contrary. There are several varieties of roses that are perfect for “beginners”. In a nutshell there are three major types of rose: wild roses; old garden roses and the modern garden roses. It is true that roses are special flowers but taking care of them to thrive is not difficult. Roses need plenty of sunlight, nutrients and water. The needs are quite simple.

Choose a good spot for the rose garden. For them to bloom, roses need at the minimum, 4 hours of direct sunlight daily. The soil is crucial that it is important to prepare it for a healthy bed for the roses. The ideal soil for a rose bed should have a pH level between 6.0 to 6.5. Its depth should be a minimum of 2 feet of light and well-drained soil. Till the soil is best but if the intended rose bed is on an incline, prepare the hole individually. Check that the soil is light and crumbles apart when you grasp it. A muddy or sandy soil will not do. You can adjust the consistency of the soil by adding humus, peat moss or mushroom compost. Amend the soil as needed.

Buy the roses from a reputable nursery. The quality of your blooms will depend on the quality of the roses. Choose healthy roses you can purchase as bare root roses or packaged ones. Planting roses around a center fountain would accent this piece of water structure.

Bare-root Roses

If you prefer bare root roses, purchase them when you are ready to plant as their roots should be protected to keep the soil moist. Make sure they are planted while still in dormant period. The best time to plant bare root roses is between late winter and early spring, when the ground has thawed. The roots need to be soaked in a bucket of water before planting. The hole dug should be cone-shaped for the roots to sit. The hole should be big enough for the roots not to be squished. Fill in the hole and make sure you make a ring of dirt around the edge of the hole a few inches higher than the ground level to hold water.

Packaged or Container-grown Roses

Roses from nurseries are mostly pruned. If not, prune them to about 6 inches. Plant them three feet apart so dig the holes appropriately. Make sure the holes are at least two times the rootball’s width to avoid crowding the roots. Sit the rose in the hole taking into consideration that the graft union below the limb is above ground level. Add or remove soil around the rose plant to adjust. Fill each hole alternately with natural soil and amendments (mulch, humus, etc) as needed.

When new leaves start to appear spray the roses with insecticide and fungicide through early fall. Roses require maintenance so prune them constantly. Cut blooms just above the five-leaflet group and do not ever leave a spent bloom on the rose plant.

Today, there are a lot of options for a rose garden. Some DIY gardeners prefer to add arbours and trellises in their garden for the rose to climb on. Others prefer to arrange raised beds for rose groupings while there are those who go to the extent of building conservatories or greenhouses to cultivate varieties of roses. For most gardeners, potted roses around the deck will do.

The addition of a waterscape in a rose garden is essential to complete its ambiance. The sound of trickling water adds tranquillity and calmness to the general essence of a rose garden. There are plenty of carved and cast stone in the form of centre pools, wall fountains, wells and centre fountains that could be incorporated in a rose garden. Synthetic waterfalls and ponds are also great options. Decide which part of the garden the water feature will sit before choosing the appropriate carved fountain or cast pool.

Cast or carved pools and fountains are beautiful additions to rose gardens. These pieces can add balance, symmetry, unity and positive contrast if utilized correctly. A wall fountain surrounded by rose climbers would be dramatic. A centre pool surrounded by roses set in the midst of a lawn is stunning. A stone well off a pathway bordered with roses is a delight to view.

It is easier to plan a rose garden on an existing water feature than place a water feature on an existing rose bed or garden. That is why planning a garden is essential. It does not take a landscape architect to design a residential lawn. Simply reading up on the basics and important aspects of landscaping is enough for a DIY gardener to “design” a small residential garden. Consultation with local nursery owners could prove useful too. In some localities, skilled gardeners can be subcontracted to put together a pleasing rose garden and the water feature (s) of your choice.

In tight areas where sitting a centre fountain or pool is not possible, an option is to go for wall fountains and vasques. If there are trellises, arbours and gazebos in the rose garden the addition of stone benches or stone fireplace would add more “personality” to the garden. Most of these carved and cast fountains, pools, benches and fireplaces are made of limestone. It has a timeless beauty that exudes quality and class. It is eco-friendly as it is close to the earth’s surface and extraction does not necessitate a lot of energy and power.

Finding the perfect cast or carved stone centre pool or fountain for the rose garden is not hard. There are plenty of stores that offer different water features to suit any rose garden, or any garden for that matter.