Whether used as a focal point or a border, roses add beauty and grace to the garden. Choose a style that suits your needs and space.
Plant fragrant roses near a patio or seating area to enjoy their lovely fragrance. Choose thornless varieties for paths and walkways so children or visitors won’t get snagged.
Pathways
Creating pathways in your rose garden adds interest and focuses the attention on the blooms. The paths also make it easy to move through the garden when weeding or pruning, and can help to keep the soil from washing away after a rainstorm. When planning a path, choose plants that offer both beauty and a season of interest, such as black-eyed Susans, daylilies, and coneflowers (Nepeta spp). These low-maintenance flowers are often less prone to fungal diseases than roses. Avoid aphid-attracting plants, such as sunflowers and cosmos.
If you have the space, train roses to climb or ramble along fences for dramatic, showy curb appeal. Bourbon roses, for example, are a classic option that can be trained to run up and adorn a picket fence, creating a gorgeous display that will attract the eye of everyone who visits your home.
If you don’t have the space to incorporate a walkway, consider using groundcover roses that grow like a flowery blanket. These low-maintenance plants fill in gaps, suppress weeds, and stop the soil from washing out after rainstorms. They can also be planted in groups to add color and texture to the front yard landscape. For an especially beautiful look, pair the groundcover roses with a fragrant herb such as agastache (also known as anise hyssop) and its tall spikes of tubular flowers that bloom from summer to fall.
Sitting Areas
Few garden ideas rival the allure of a well-curated rose garden. With a wide variety of rose varieties available as climbers, ramblers, bushes and ground cover, you can create the perfect garden setting for any style. Incorporate the classic look of a formal rose garden by creating symmetrical beds with neatly pruned plants or a more natural appearance with mixed borders that complement other flowers and shrubs.
Cultivating climbing roses over arches, pergolas and trellises adds drama to the garden. Frame doorways and seating areas with these fragrant beauties, or use them to enhance a structure with their graceful beauty. If you prefer a less structured look, try growing roses in containers to bring fragrance and color to patios, porches and decks. Choose varieties that are low-thorn and tolerant of sun to reduce maintenance.
Ground cover roses like procumbent and spreading varieties suppress weeds, conceal bare soil and provide a colorful canvas for the garden. Many also attract pollinators and are suitable for low-maintenance wildlife gardens.
For the best results when growing roses in your backyard, select a sunny location that receives at least six hours of sunlight daily. Incorporate a layer of organic mulch like shredded bark or pine needles to keep the soil healthy and prevent rot. If your soil is sandy, amend it with compost, aged manure or peat moss to improve drainage and nutrient availability. If your soil is clay, mix in coarse sand, perlite or gypsum to loosen it for better root growth and prevent waterlogging.
Birdbaths
The song of birds is soothing and the sight of colorful feathered friends can take your mind off everyday stresses. Attracting them to your garden by providing water is a way to enjoy them all year round. Birds drink water to stay hydrated and also bathe to remove parasites, help them shed old feathers, and add a coating of oil when they preen after drinking or eating.
Birdbaths come in a wide variety of materials and designs, and are available at many garden, home, and pet stores. If you have a small budget, you can make a simple bird bath out of a large plant saucer or an inverted plastic soda bottle and some rope or chains. For added attraction, put a dripping water feature in the birdbath (they even sell solar-powered ones). A dripping fountain or mister causes movement and will keep mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water.
If you plant your roses in a location where they will be admired from the street or sidewalk, consider lining the edge of the garden with low-growing ground cover rose varieties that act as a flowery blanket. This will fill in spaces, suppress weeds, and add a pop of color to the front yard garden. You can find a wide selection of ground cover roses at most nurseries and many online retailers.
Clematis
Clematis transform fences and trellises into dazzling green murals, and their twining stems add depth and color to any garden. To encourage blooming, plant clematis in early spring. This allows the roots to become established as the soil warms, and ensures that they’ll be ready for a full season of blossoming.
The location for a clematis vine should provide at least 6 hours of sunlight each day, although some plants tolerate shade better than others. To help the vines grow faster, they need to be planted in rich, well-draining soil. To improve drainage and increase the amount of nutrients in the soil, amend it with compost or a low-nitrogen fertilizer.
Consider mixing clematis with other perennial flowers and shrubs for contrast in form, size and color. Some good companions include allium, catmint, lavender, salvia and phlox. Clematis also work well with many types of trees and shrubs, including rhododendrons, lilacs, dogwoods and hollyhocks.
The large-flowered hybrids, known as Group 3, are the most versatile clematis cultivars, with 6-inch flowers that vary in shape and color from white to purple to deep blue. These are some of the best clematis for cooler climates. Prune these clematis in February or March, lightly trimming them to just above the strongest and highest pair of buds. If you prune too hard, you’ll lose a year of flowers.
