Rose Remedies
Roses are without doubt the most widely grown of all garden plants, even by self-professed non-gardeners. However small the garden or strip of land, roses are usually in evidence somewhere. The old country cottage garden with its arbour of sweetly perfumed roses is the picture most of us have in our mind when roses are mentioned. Lazy days of high summer would just not be the same without them, they gladden the heart and inspire the senses.
The rose prefers cool conditions and for this reason is to be seen best in its full glory growing in England, where a long dormant period, which it enjoys, is followed by an equally long flowering season, in short the quintessential English flowering shrub. Roses also have other desirable features apart from the flowers of course. They possess a very wide variety of foliage, fruits and growth habits. There are roses to suit almost every garden situation, from windswept seashore, busy bustling city to that snoozing country cottage. They can be grown in an infinite variety of ways, over arches, in borders, on walls, even up trees.
To grow roses well we need to understand that the key is the soil and aspect. It is no good planting a roses in a sun deprived, poor soil and expect flowers all summer long, although many do. True, some roses will exist in dappled shade, but nearly all like lots of bright sunshine. Equally, a soil which dries out too quickly or lacks nourishment, is not likely to support roses successfully either.
Many of the problems associated with rose growing can be traced back to incorrect cultivation almost without exception. With a little thought given to the variety grown, its chosen spot in the garden and the soil beneath its feet, we all have the opportunity to grow this much-cherished flower to our expectations.
Firstly, the soil itself. Roses need a soil that is moisture retentive, yet well drained. The aim is to encourage lots of fine feeding roots, which are not stopped in their tracks by the first dry spell that comes along. Soils with plenty of organic matter help to open up the soil to air, but retain moisture. Garden compost, or other recycled plant matter which feeds the soil will also go some way to feed our roses too. Get this right and you will have passed the first obstacle to growing good roses.
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