Make the Most of Rose Planting. Plant Roses this Autumn

Evaluate your roses

Which roses have done well this summer? Are there any that need to be moved away from areas that now receive too much shade? Are there any old or diseased roses which need discarding?

If you are planning changes, bear in mind that autumn is an ideal time to plant new roses. If planted now, the roots of new roses will be established by the time spring arrives and the gardener can look forward to a flush of blooms in spring and summer.

Where to plant your roses

The basics of planting roses is an evergreen topic. Roses grow best in an open and sunny position. They need a minimum of six hours sunshine to thrive, but if shade is unavoidable, make sure that they are shaded in the afternoon rather than the morning.

Avoid siting roses near trees, hedges, or any large plants that may compete with their roots for nutrients and water. If you plant roses next to a wall, make sure there is at least 40cm. between the rose and the wall.

If space permits, always buy three or more roses of a single variety. Landscapers advise that one should avoid the proverbial fruit salad, and remember that groups of colour have more impact than a dotty show.

How to plant your roses

Before planting a new rose, make sure that the soil in the plastic bag is thoroughly moist by soaking the bag in water for half an hour. This also prevents damaging the roots, and the move will be less of a shock to the plant.

The holes for your roses should never be deep and narrow as this will cramp the roots. Instead, plan a hole 60cm. square and 45cm. deep. Remove the top 15cm. of top soil and put it aside. Dig out some of the soil below this and mix the subsoil with manure.

Place the rose into the hole making sure that the bud union is at ground level. Fill in the space around the roots with manure and subsoil, and then replace the top 15cm. of topsoil. Soak the soil with water, and thereafter ensure that the soil is always damp.

Which roses to plant?

Looking for roses to plant? Try these fragrant, colourful and romantic varieties:

• 'Lisa' is a hybrid tea or large bush rose with deep pink flowers. Rose lovers may be interested to know that it is a sport or mutation, developed from the famous 'Ester Geldenhuys' rose. The blooms create magnificent spirals and the bush is a vigorous grower.
• 'Janine Herholdt' has sharply pointed golden blooms. The centre of the rose is a true apricot and slowly blends to creme caramel as it matures and fades. The blooms are especially good as cut flowers for the vase, and have a slight fragrance. 'Janine Herholdt' has glossy, healthy foliage on its large bush (hybrid tea) frame.
• 'Mother's Value' is for lovers of florist quality, long stemmed red roses. It is a large bush rose with clear carmine-red buds which are urn shaped and sharply pointed. The long stemmed blooms respond well to regular cutting and fertilising once a month.
• 'Monica' has medium sized copper-red and yellow blooms with a slight fragrance. The blooms are also borne on long stems emanating from a large hybrid tea bush.
• 'Lady Like' has a strong perfume, and scented roses are always winners. The blooms are light pink with a light silver pink reverse and form 12cm. in diameter with a high pointed centre. The bush will grow 120cm. x 120cm. and has healthy dark green foliage.
• 'Bushveld Dawn' was named after the classic salmon and orange African sunrise. The colour of the blooms ranges from light to dark salmon-orange towards the edges whilst the backs of the petals are light yellow. Although this hybrid tea rose does have large thorns, the fragrance of the blooms is unfurgettable.
• 'Sharifa' is a romantic old world English rose with an overpowering fragrance. The pink rosette blooms fade to white on the outer petals and appear in large clusters on the upright stems of a neat bush. Possibly the most advanced of the English rose hybrids.