Article by Keith Berwick

Containers can add a totally new dimension to your garden. The reasons for growing plants in containers are many. A lack of space is a strong motivation. If you happen to live in an apartment or flat with no garden to call your own, a shrub in a container can offer you an opportunity to flex those green fingers. And if you’re intent on growing a shrub, why not grow a rose?

There are many reasons why growing roses in containers may be an attractive option. Lack of space can be a strong motivation. If you have a dull area that could stand brightening up with some color added but you have a problem – no soil! A container might be the answer.

Containers can also bring the garden to your patio, your deck or even a balcony or terrace and if they’re combined with some trellis, they can offer an element of height too. Mobility can also be an issue. Here, I’m thinking of the disabled and those confined to wheelchairs. Containers offer them an opportunity to get up close and personal with a plant, and what better plant than a fragrant rose? Therapists have demonstrated how gardeners who find it difficult to work at ground level can continue to garden with containerized plants if they are positioned at tabletop height.

Of course, not all roses are suitable for growing in containers simply because many of them are just too vigorous. Can you imagine trying to confine a rampant Paul’s Himalayan musk rose to a pot, no matter how large the container. It wouldn’t work, and it’s certainly not practical.

Realizing that not all roses are suitable candidates for containers, it’s for us to choose wisely. Patio roses are an obvious choice, as they’ve been bred with containers in mind. Miniature roses are also an obvious choice, as are the climbing miniatures. Miniature roses are best in large pots where compost to a depth of 9 inches is available, whereas patio roses require a depth of 12 inches of compost.

If you really do want a climbing or rambling rose, you can consider one of the less vigorous ones such as David Austin’s ‘A Shropshire lad’, grown as a pillar because this will be content in a pot that offers a depth of between 14 to 18 inches.

The best compost to use, consists of a mixture comprising a third John Innes type loam to a third well rotted garden compost and the final third, well rotted cow manure. Add to this a handful of blood fish and bone supplement, remembering that container grown roses will deplete their compost of its nutrients very quickly.

Using a container with a diameter of no less than 18 inches, fill the bottom one inch with pebbles to aid drainage, and then fill the container two thirds full with the compost mixture. Place the roots of the rose on a small pyramid of compost in the center of the pot, and making sure the roots are well spread, continue to fill the pot to the top. The final depth of the rose should be such that the grafted union is two inches below the surface. Raise the pot off the ground to help drainage and water well.

Position the rose where it will get at least six hours of sunlight, but try to shade the pot itself, maybe with other plants. An area where there will be a slight breeze is best as this will discourage powdery mildew. Feed the rose with a granular fertilizer each spring and then several times during the summer but no later than July as this will encourage soft growth that will be prone to frost damage.

About the Author

Keith Berwick is a rose growing enthusiast who has been growing roses both professionally and for pleasure for over 40 years and enjoys helping others to get started in this rewarding hobby. For more great information on growing roses in containers, visit http://www.rosecaretoptips.com

Gardening and lifestyle expert P. Allen Smith talks with Steve Hutton about the Knock Out Roses in the Herbaceous Border at the Garden Home Retreat

Article by MJ Blake

Learning to grow roses is not as complicated as it seems. With a few basic considerations and advance planning you will be gardening like a pro. No magic required!

Let’s start with a little planning before you buy any plants. Think about where you want to plant the roses; is there a specific place for the rose, or a color that will work best with existing plants?

Think about what kind of plant; a climbing rose needs something to climb on. Also remember, roses need a good amount of sunlight and the proper soil conditions.

Additional planning for the garden should include the basic types of roses, how much space they need, and your preferences of color, scent, or size. Remember – not all roses are equally scented.

If you want a climbing rose, there are a couple of varieties to choose from. Your garden will need to have a fence, wall, lattice, or similar structure to climb. A more sedate, structured rose is the climbing rose with its large, single rose feature. The rambling rose does just that, it rambles with roses in small clusters. It will bloom once each year.

The most well known rose, the tea rose, is the one preferred by most florists. This plant has one flower per long stem. It’s is lovely, but not very resistant to diseases. For a showier flower, the grandiflora is nice. The grandiflora has large flowers in clusters on a stem. It will grow to about 5 feet, so plan accordingly. The grandiflora, unlike the tea rose, is resistant to most diseases.

A rose gardener can extend bloom life by planting varied roses with different growing schedules. For a hardy rose plant which will provide blooms all summer, consider the shrub rose. It is a hardy plant and frequently used for landscaping.

Roses can be planted in pots as well as in beds. The miniature roses are perfect for container growing and can be placed in pots around the patio or even in a smaller yard. This smaller variety grows to about two feet in height.

Now, you’ve done the planning and have an idea of what to buy. It’s time to go out and purchase your roses. There are numerous places to make your purchase; you can buy mail order seeds or plants from catalogues or on the internet. If there is a garden supply shop nearby, go visit them. Their staff can offer expert advice and will know local climate and soil conditions.

Think about these things as you look at what to purchase:

* Confirm the rose’s color, either by the tag, or blooms if possible.

* Look at the condition of the leaves – are they green and firm, or dry and wilted? Brown edges mean it hasn’t been watered well. Does the plant have black spots or other signs of mildew?

* Look at the plant tag for sunlight and water conditions. Make sure it’s a good match for your garden site.

* Think about whether you want a potted rose, or a bare root packaging. They have different planting requirements.

The next step is to prepare your garden for the new plants. The plant needs a hole dug, wider and deeper than the actual plant.

A basic rule of thumb is to space plants 2-3 feet apart; check the tag for specifics. Some roses, like the shrub rose, may need more growing space. After digging the hole, mix in manure or a good organic fertilizer with the soil at the base of the hole.

Once the rose has been planted, be sure to water it well. Keep leaves from getting wet as it leads to mildew. Water at the base of the plant and give it a good thick mulching, about two inches. The first couple of weeks are crucial, so watch the plant carefully and water as needed.

You’ll want to water newly planted roses every other day to promote root growth. Decrease watering gradually as the rose gets established; roses like a well- drained environment. When planted in containers, they tend to dry out more quickly and need more attention.

Once everything is planted, you’re ready to enjoy the fruits of your labors. For a successful, flowering garden give your plants some attention. Schedule feedings during the growing season, water as needed, and deadhead plants after they bloom.

And be sure to reward yourself for a job well done.

About the Author

MJ Blake has been growing roses for years and has recently decided to share that knowledge with the world at http://www.RoseGardenSolutions.com/. For tons more rose related information, please visit http://www.rosegardensolutions.com/growing-roses-for-beginners/.

Want to Know What Makes an English Rose Garden so Special?

Article by Catherine Martin

An English rose garden is special for many reasons, perhaps the first of which is the beauty it brings to an otherwise plain-looking home. Not everybody has a good green thumb to grow a lovely garden filled with big bushes of vibrant blooms. And not everybody has the capability to keep these fragrant blooms lush and healthy all year round. In this article, we present to you the reasons why so many people are dying to plant a garden of English roses and we hope we can convince you to create your own, too.Aside from what meets the eye, English roses have caused a stir around the world the moment the English hybridizer David Austin-the father of all English roses-introduced the first English rose in 1961. David Austin crossed the Belle Isis, an old Gallica variety, with the Dainty Maid, a type of modern Floribunda, and he came up with the Constance Spry, a rose that produced large, pink flowers that combined the characteristics of both old and modern roses.

Since then, David Austin went on to cross other roses and produced hundreds of English rose varieties that have captivated many gardeners the world over because of the following characteristics:

1. Repeat bloom. Most old garden varieties only bloom once a year-such a pity for plants that produce the most beautiful of all flowers. An English rose garden, however, will see most rose varieties blooming more than once every year so you can enjoy your lovely roses more often than you would if you had old rose varieties.2. Classic flower form. Modern roses, such as the long-stemmed hybrid teas, have high centers, which is a total deviation from the rosette-shaped form of classic old roses. Almost all English roses, on the other hand, have either lightly or deeply-cupped rosette shapes.3. Variety of colors. English roses come in the old-fashioned red and white hues, but there are also many cultivars that have more novel colors, such as purple, pastel pinks, apricots, different shades of yellow, and even blue.4. Scent. An English rose garden is popularly known around the neighborhood because of its fragrance. Most modern roses lack this characteristic, but crosses with the old varieties will produce a variety of rose scents, such as tea, citrus, damask, or myrrh.5. Flexibility. English roses can be planted for a variety of purposes. You can grow them in pots, on flower beds, and hedges. They can be trained to cover trellises, climb over fences, and surround pillars and arches.

In 2009, the World Federation of Rose Societies voted an English rose as the World’s Favorite Rose. This is the Graham Thomas, a winter-hardy variety that produced large, golden roses that faded to light amber later on. It pays to don your English rose garden with Graham Thomas flowers, even when you are located in areas of hot climates, because it blooms more than once each year. They can be planted in tight groups of bushes or trained to become spectacular climbing roses. Graham Thomas roses perform well in full sunlight, but you can also grow them in partial shade.

What more can you ask for from an English rose? It is classically beautiful and fragrant, yet it has a modern hardiness to it. Now you know why English rose gardens are special. Would you like to have one yourself?

About the Author

Catherine Martin comes from a long line of passionate rose lovers, growers and enthusiasts. As an author, she is committed to demystifying the common rose, so that all who wish to can grow them easily. For more great information on the best english roses, visit www.rosegardeningexpert.com

Article by Ron King

Pruning and deadheading are essential to proper rose care. Alas, there are nearly as many opinions about how and when to prune as there are roses in need of pruning.While seasoned rosarians have their favorite tried-and-true methods, this article is geared toward new-comers who are unsure where to start. As time goes by, you may feel the urge to modify these techniques or even develop new ones of your own. Great! If it doesn’t kill your roses, go right ahead.

Rose pruning isn’t as complicated as some people make it out to be. In fact, there are only 7 basic rules. If you keep these in mind whenever you pick up your pruning shears, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful bushes that reflect the care that you put into them.

Basic Pruning Rules

1. Always remove any dead or decayed growth. This keeps your bushes looking good and denies disease and insects a place to call home.

2. Always keep the center of the bush free of growth. This denies insects a place to live, and allows good air circulation to avoid fungus infection.

3. Remove crossing branches to promote stronger growth.

4. Shape your rose bushes as they grow. This will change them from wild and wooly to prim and proper, as all good roses should be.

5. Always using sharp pruning shears.

6. Clean the shears after each use to remove any disease or fungus spores.

7. Seal the cuts you’ve made on canes to keep out disease. Regular Elmer’s glue works fine and it is cheap.

Pruning Terms And Techniques

Hard (or “Low”) Pruning — Cut canes back to 3 or 4 buds from the base or the bud unions. The end result will be strong canes about 4 to 5 inches in length. This pruning technique works best with new hybrid tea, grandiflora, and floribunda varieties. You should not do hard pruning with established bushes because they may not recycle. The only exception is as a last-ditch effort to revive sick or neglected bushes.Moderate (or Medium) Pruning — Cut strong stems back to approximately half of their length. Weaker stems may be cut back even more, if needed. This technique works well with established gardens of floribundas, hybrid teas, grandifloras, and tree roses.Light (High or Long) Pruning — Cut the canes back to around 2/3 of their length. After all the unwanted “wood” is removed, any remaining stems are “tipped”. Light pruning is not usually recommended for most bushes, because it tends to produce early blooms and poorly developed flowers. Use this technique only if others are not working and the bush is an eyesore.

Proper pruning is easy, and it is the key to a happy, healthy rose garden.

About the Author

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit Grow-Roses-Now to learn more about this fascinating hobby.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

Robert Pim Butchart moved his cement production business from Ontario to Tod Inlet near Victoria BC in 1904. The limestone deposits became worked out of the quarry near their home within a few years. One tall chimney from the old kiln can still be seen, remaining from the business which closed in 1916. His wife Jennie saw the potential to create a garden in the abandonned quarry so had top soil brought in by horse and cart; an enormous undertaking not completed until 1921. The family archives even has a photograph of her suspended in a bosun’s chair planting into the high rockface. This, the spectacular Sunken Garden, was followed by the Japanese Garden in 1906 designed by Isaburo Kishida, an Italian Garden, and in 1929 the Rose Garden with over 100 varieties of hybrid tea rose plants alongside 400 grandiflora roses and climbing roses.

www.brighterblooms.com Learn how to get the most out of your Knock Out Roses with the proper planting techniques. Brighter Blooms Nursery offers huge Knock Out Rose varieties that bloom quickly, and up to 9 months a year. Learn more at Brighter Blooms Nursery (www.brighterblooms.com)
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Article by Candy

You can find many types of roses which you can grow within your garden. With an extremely selection to choose from, it could be very difficult to choose the rose perfect for you. To make this a little easier, We’ve outlined a couple of key elements consider, and explained many of the kinds of roses to aid in your own.Thoughts on Choosing Roses1. Color might sound trivial at first glance, but it’s usually heavily weighed to those people looking for to grow roses. Usually it’s just a matter of personal preference, but the truth is probably want to try making a complimentary color scheme for your rose garden.2. The end growth height associated with a rose should be thought about the way it could well be unattractive to build roses that happen to be more than the region with the garden going without shoes grows in. Some roses can come to be up to 20 feet.3. The local surf forecast inside an area that may be at risk of cold winters, you might certainly desire a rose that could survive within the off season.4. If certain fragrances invoke a hypersensitive reaction, you should plant roses which happen to have a softer fragrance than the others.5. It’s smart gardening to know just what disadvantages and advantages can be if you choose certain roses over others.6. You’ll want to think about the dimensions of your garden space, so that you can ensure proper experience the environment along with elements also.7. Should you be hopeful of making your roses into bouquets, you’ll want to determine if they are often cut. Hybrid teas can. Some roses will disintegrate within the petals when they are cut.8. System what other styles of flowers or plants you’re planning on adding to the rose’s environment. You wish to add flowers and plants that will not come up with a damaging environment to your rose’s ecosystem.Some Common Sorts of RosesAs soon as you get a sense of the species of roses that you would like to plant, you’ll naturally need to know which forms of roses best fit with your planting ideas. There are actually just too many various roses to deliniate here, but this list covers everyday materials popular. You must confer with your nearest nursery for suggestions about whether your selection is fitting on your garden’s abilities.Landscape roses – Landscape roses are good for the newbie gardener. They’re just disease resistant, and demand small bit less maintenance. Hybrid teas will not be beneficial to the novice.Climbing Roses – These roses differ from the totally normal roses which are planted because they’re taught to grow upward like vines. Most people like to put these to work for trellises, or buildings. Several people are hybrid teas, wichuraine, and enormous flowered climbers. These are a gorgeous addition towards the look within your house.Shrub Roses – Shrub roses for instance the beautiful rugosa are generally long blooming, and disease resistant. These types perfect for the newbie planter. They’re gorgeous regardless of whether doesn’t meam they are flowering since the foliage is really so pretty.Old Garden Roses – These roses are not very good for everyone with severe allergies to strong fragrances simply because they use a strong fragrant odor. However, they’re disease resistant and carry on and bloom for months at this time.The Modern Rose – They are very special roses since they’re the effect of cross breeding the hybrid tea when using the polyanthus. Luckily they are called Floribunda. They may be a gorgeous combination of the top those two flowers have to give you. These are long blooming, fragrant, and they are beneficial to cutting.Miniature Roses – Miniature roses are everything that they be understood as. They have most of the fragrance and wonder to a regular rose, nevertheless they have smaller blooms. Those roses are good for indoor planting.While note all inclusive, this text should really be a tremendous help to get you commenced on how to using your very own, gorgeous rose garden.Taiwan Flower Shop offering Taiwan Island Delivery,Such as Taipei,Keelung etc., Check out TaiwanFlowers.com.tw now.Feel free to publish this article on your website, or send it to your friends, as long as you keep the resource box and the content of the article intact.

About the Author

Candy,Many years veteran in the retail floral industry, shares his experience on the different aspects of fresh cut flowers, green and flowering plants for all occasions. Whenever in need to for a top notch florist at reasonable prices you might want to pay a short-online-visit http://www.taiwanflowers.com.tw

Lady Banks Rose, Azaleas and Water Lillies … and the dog.
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