Roses in the Landscape
A few words about design
Roses have been grown in gardens and landscapes for all
kinds of reasons throughout history. They have been found
in herb gardens, medicinal gardens, monasteries, estate gar-
dens, public gardens, dooryards, courtyards, cutting gardens,
in both formal and landscape designs…wherever their color,
form and fragrance is needed. They fit well in all design styles,
from traditional to contemporary. Roses are like an all-round
utility player. They can play nearly any role in the garden,
with the possible exception of foundation plantings.
Hybrid Tea roses have been the most recognized rose type for
much of the past century. The form of the shrub and the flow-
ers has made this the ideal rose for formal garden design. On
the other hand, floribunda, polyantha, and shrub roses, with
their continuous cycles of heavy flowering, are well suited for
mass color display. These come in numerous colors, forms
and sizes, from large shrubs to minifloras and groundcovers.
Many of the newest cultivars are great for beds at the base of
hedges and shrubbery borders, and they are now used in
commercial plantings at shopping centers and gas stations.
The best selections are sufficiently disease-resistant to be
grown without regular spraying.
Old garden roses are making a real comeback in popularity.
Many gardeners are enchanted with the old rose forms, the
fragrance and the elegant growth habits of the best selections.
These play well next to traditional architecture and warm
brick facades. Besides, in the right place, the old roses can
thrive with little effort and little or no spraying. Many of the
climbing cultivars are suitable for vertical or horizontal train-
ing on supports such as posts, trellises, fences, or walls. The
old garden roses have a softness that the modern roses have
lost. On the other hand, the clear colors and bold forms of
modern shrubs and climbers may provide bright accents that
stand up to contemporary architecture.
Location, location, location
Some cultural tips are in order when planning where to place
roses. A few old roses will tolerate a little shade, but all roses
really prefer full sun to grow and flower their best. Roses re-
quire at least 6 hours of sun daily but prefer 8 to 10 hours.
Morning sun is best if there will be some daily shade from
trees or buildings. Light shade during early afternoon is cer-
tainly not required, but if you have such a location, it can pro-
vide a little relief from summer heat.
Healthy plants need plenty of air circulation, but they should
be sheltered from blasts of cold winter wind, especially if they
are tender. A nearby hedge or fence is useful, but it should not
be close enough to shade the shrubs or reduce root space.
Roses have historically been grown in protected sites, such as
walled gardens and courtyards. But they need adequate space
to develop without being crowded by structures or other
plants. Low-lying parts of the garden, where frost collects dur-
ing the winter, are not good locations for roses. Such sites can
also be wet if not well-drained, and most roses prefer good
quality, well-drained soils.
Roses grown primarily for cutting should be generously
spaced out in an open location with plenty of sun and air cir-
culation to keep disease pressure down. Easy access is espe-
cially important if the roses will need regular spraying and
pruning. Design the garden or beds so that water is easily
available. Dedicated water lines or faucets allow for the flex-
ibility of drip lines on timers to reduce the work of watering.
Careful selection of highly disease resistant, low maintenance
roses is critical if they will be located out in the larger land-
scape where regular grooming is impractical. Consider the
time and effort to keep your roses looking great. A few great-
looking roses in a manageable landscape will be much more
rewarding than a field of roses that wear out the gardener try-
ing to keep them alive.
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