5 Tips for Growing Beautiful Roses in Your Garden

Roses grow well in most soil types, but they need good drainage. Fall is the best time to prepare a bed for planting.

Adding compost, well-rotted manure or other organic material before tilling is beneficial. Improved drainage reduces the need for irrigation, too.

Complement roses with plants that add texture and interest. For example, the tall spikes of delphinium contrast with the rounded forms of rose blooms for an elegant garden design.

Climbing Roses

Climbing roses are the ideal solution for embellishing walls, pillars and fences in your garden. They bloom profusely on flexible canes which are easily secured to grow upwards, draping trellises, pergolas and arbors in stunning floral ceilings. They also add depth and definition to gardens by screening unwanted views or separating different areas in the landscape.

While a rambler will happily climb a wall or other solid surface on its own, most climbers require some additional support to get them going. A trellis or other support system should be attached a few inches away from the wall to allow for proper airflow and prevent waterlogged soil. Ideally, the trellis should be made from soft material such as natural jute twine which can easily be tied to the thorny stems of the rose.

As the year progresses, the rose should be regularly fed with a good quality rose fertilizer. This is especially important during the summer as the plant will be in full flower. As the plants mature they will need to be trimmed once a year to keep them in check and prevent them from becoming overgrown.

These graceful climbers symbolize love and elegance, perfect for romantic and pure garden themes. Their delicate flowers are a delight to behold and offer more than just visual appeal, they support local ecosystems and provide a restful retreat for bees and butterflies.

Shrub Roses

From the tiny miniature roses that make an excellent border or specimen planting to low-growing groundcover varieties that provide property division and a living mulch, there’s a shrub rose for just about any landscape need. These plants offer the added benefit of disease resistance and often have long-lasting flower displays that keep color going until the first frost. They can also pair well with a wide range of perennial flowers and grasses. Try pairing a gold-colored Oso Easy Lemon Zest(r) with a bright pink-flowered Rapido Blue Carpathian bellflower or ‘Violet Profusion’ salvia, for example.

Many of these plants can be used as hedging in a mixed garden or even along the house foundation for privacy and a more formal look. They’re also suitable for massing as a low-maintenance erosion control for slopes. Medium-sized shrub roses can be planted in a row as a colorful divider between garden rooms and larger varieties like rugosas are great for creating a rambling, free-standing hedge.

When sited in a full sun location, most rose bushes thrive and bloom their best. They need six to eight hours of sunlight a day, and they prefer well-draining soil rich in organic matter with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Avoid sites that stay wet, have poor air circulation or get flooded and waterlogged too often, which can cause root rot and other plant diseases.

Groundcover Roses

Ground cover roses (also known as “carpet” roses) provide an attractive, low-maintenance option for smothering bank sides and garden beds. They typically grow much wider than they are tall, with some extending up to 3 feet wide. Their dense and spreading growth habit helps to control soil erosion and stabilize slopes, while enhancing flower color.

While they won’t produce long-stemmed flowers for cutting, most will bloom profusely throughout the summer and into fall. They are also resistant to many of the diseases that plague other rose types and, in some cases, do not need pruning.

Because they are relatively slow-growing, these roses are ideal for planting en masse to fill in bare spots. They can also look stunning trailing from a planter or hung over a wall.

When planting bare-root ground cover roses, soaking the roots in warm water for a few hours is recommended. Dig a hole that is twice as large as the root ball and slightly deeper, then backfill with well-draining, amended soil. Using balanced fertilizers in spring and mid-summer will support healthy, productive plants.

‘Rainbow Happy Trails’ is as cheerful as it sounds, with golden yellow centers and vibrant pink to red edges. This semi-double ground cover rose is disease-resistant and self-cleaning. Pair it along a pathway with ‘Baby Faurax’ or other low-growing shrubs to create a classic, cottage-style look.

Formal Roses

While they may be associated with more formal garden designs, roses can be used in a wide variety of garden styles. For instance, climbing varieties can be planted to adorn arches and pergolas, creating an eye-catching focal point that enhances the beauty of any structure. They also pair beautifully with other climbers such as clematis to create a romantic garden space.

Alternatively, they can be planted as part of a classic rose border or mixed in with other perennials and shrubs to create a quintessential cottage garden. Roses are especially well-suited to planting in mixed borders, where their continuous blooms complement other flowers and plants such as foxgloves, phlox and delphiniums.

For a more informal or naturalistic planting design, try using roses in combination with tall, ornamental grasses and perennials such as dahlias. Planting them together helps add height to the garden, allowing the different plants to intermingle and provide texture. It’s also an excellent way to promote biodiversity by providing a host of food and shelter for insects and birds.

The grandiflora rose is considered the perfect hybrid between the floribunda and the tea rose, offering elegant showy blooms with a constant growth cycle. It also features the strong fragrance of the tea rose and the thornless, disease-resistant shrubs of the floribunda rose. Unlike hybrid tea and floribunda roses, it’s not necessary to deadhead grandiflora blooms, though removing faded flowers will help promote future flowering.