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Rose Notebook

Still our favourite flower, the rose is found in almost every garden. These pages are for Rose Lovers, for those looking for a rose for their planting scheme, and because they are quite simply gorgeous to look at! Our Rose Pages are to be enjoyed.

Summer and roses. Whether you are a fan of heritage roses or their modern cousins, summer is your time.

Good care will give you healthy roses and more enjoyment of your roses, still our favourite flower.


Water and Routine Care
Regular watering is key in summer. Dry and stressed plants are far more vulnerable to disease, and they won't flower at all well.

Deadheading will encourage repeat flowering; weeding removes plants competing for moisture, food and light.

A Summer Feed
A mulch with compost, foliar feed or solid fertiliser to give hard-working roses a boost. (If using chemical fertiliser, follow the directions.)

Disease
Wet Weather
Roses can turn into mushy lumps in wet, miserable weather. When the outer layer of petals is soaked, and then dry hard, they preventing the flower from opening. Remove them!


Planting
Choosing a site for a new rose is crucial to success, as are your planting techniques.

Winter is the prime planting time for bare-root roses. These are available from May- October.

Plant container grown roses.

Pruning
Pruning should be left until late winter. In cold areas, wait until the last frosts have passed as pruning early encourages new growth that is vulnerable to frost.

Confused and, well, flummoxed by the prospect of pruning your roses? See our pruning advice and gear up now.

More Rose care
Rose care through the seasons, or to tackle now.



Rose of the Month
Sally Holmes

R. 'Scarbrosa'

A lovely perfume and large, creamy blooms open wide from pink flushed buds make this a very desirable shrub rose. A wonderful rose in the border or as a specimen.

Cultivation: Plant in a sunny position, add well-rotted compost to provide a good loamy soil. Prune lightly and it will attain 1.8m.
Propagation: Cuttings


R. 'Fru Dagmar Hastrup'

R. 'Fru Dagmar Hastrup'

The rugosas and many species roses are carrying spectacular hips now. 'Fru Dagmar Hastrup' contrast these with colourful foliage while 'Scarbrosa' continues to produce cerise-maenta blloms alongside bright red hips. The double rugosas generally don't bear hips.

Rose Profiles
Photographs and information on lovely roses to choose for your garden

Rose Care
From planting onwards ...

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