Roses are a wonderful addition to every garden. What type of Rose are you interested in? Is it colour or fragrance you’re after? A low shrub or a tall climber? An indoor or an outdoor plant? Whatever it is, there is a type and style of Rose to suit every garden, and every gardener. In this post our Garden Expert, Paraic Horkan, share everything you need to know about growing roses.

What Rose Should I Choose?

• Climbing Rose: A climbing or rambling rose is the perfect choice if you want roses that will create a barrier or that you can train up a screen. Paraic recommends the Arthur Bell Rose. It is a rapid growing climber, that grows to about 5m and is a repeat bloomer. It has wonderful red and orange buds which open to reveal stunning golden flowers that have the most wonderful fragrance!
• Rose Bush: The Rosa Irish Eyes is a splendid Rose Bush variety. It grows to a similar height as the Flower Carpet Rose but only has a spread of up to a half meter making it much smaller in width. It produces large orange and yellow flowers that carry a wonderful fragrance.
• Rose Shrub: Paraic recommends the Flower Carpet Rose as a Shrub Rose. It produces beautiful, bright flowers in shades of pink, gold and white. Its flowers have a slight fragrance. It grows to approx. 1m and spreads about 1 – 1.5m.
• Miniature Rose: If space is a premium or if you want to grow indoors then a Miniature Rose is probably right for you. A great variety is the Anna Ford Rose. This Rose is perfect for container growing, growing to a height of around 45cm. It has stunning orange-red flowers, which fade to orange with maturity.

At Horkans, we carry a wide range of roses in all of our stores and online. Our team members will be happy to offer personal advice and help you choose the right Rose. No matter what type of Rose it is you want, there is a Rose for you!

When Can I Plant Roses?

Roses that are bought in a pot can be planted at any time of the year.

Where Should I Plant Roses?

Roses should be planted in:

• good soil
• a sunny location
• a sheltered location

How Do I Plant Roses?

• Soak the root ball in a bucket of water for at least 15 minutes before planting.
• Dig a deep hole (approximately twice as wide as the current root system), as Roses need root space.
• Add a quality compost to the soil.
• Position the plant so that the leaf  is at soil level.
• Replace the soil, firming it down gently and then water the soil.
• Apply a good fertiliser multi purpose compost to the surrounding soil as a top dressing.

What Aftercare Is Required?

You will need to water your roses regularly in the first 2 years. However, once the roses are established they won’t need much watering. In late spring, add mulch around the plant. This will help to conserve moisture, providing nutrients to the plant. Take care to avoid direct contact of the mulch with the stems. As your rose plant begins to bloom give it a fortnightly feed of rose feed, this will help to keep your roses in bloom.

Secrets To Success?

Once your roses are planted correctly and receiving lots of nutrients, they should produce lots of beautiful and scented flowers. The one key piece of advice that Paraic gives is to “regularly deadhead your plant throughout the entire summer”. Deadheading is the removal of old or faded blooms. It encourages lots of new growth and ensures your plant produces flowers all summer long!

Do I Need To Worry About Pests Or Diseases?

Roses reach full bloom in June. This is also a time for pests and diseases in the Rose bed, due to the increase in temperature and frequent rain showers. Some of the diseases Roses suffer from include black spot, rust or powdery mildew, fungal diseases which thrive in damp, warm weather. The flowers also attract greenfly, whitefly and blackfly.

How Do I Treat For Pests Or Diseases?

• Spray with a combined fungicide/pesticide, such as Rose Rescue or Rose Clear Ultra.
• Remove leaves that are showing signs of disease.
• Collect any leaf drop from the soil underneath the plant to impede the spread of infection.
• Apply Westland Rose Feed with Enriched Horse Manure to ensure good flowering and a healthy immune system for fighting pests and diseases.

How Do I Prune Roses?

1. Clean the pruning shears before use and ensure they are sharp.
2. Remove the dead, diseased or damaged branches.
3. Remove older stems, to avoid overcrowding at the centre.
4. Cut back new growth by at least 25%.
5. Prune the side shoots to within three buds of the main stem.
6. Feed with fertiliser immediately afterwards and again after 6 weeks.

Pruning Tips:

1. Do not prune your plant when it is in flower.
2. If your plant is starting to bud, trim right back to where you see new growth.
3. Don’t forget to feed your freshly pruned plant.

Do you have questions about growing roses? If so, just contact your local store where one of our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be happy to help and answer any questions you may have.