Cutwork parterres are a traditional pattern for rose gardens. The idea is similar to the garden described above, with shrub roses or climbers planted along the perimeter of the garden. Instead of a simple path, there would be a pattern composed of geometric beds which are separated by narrow paths. Because roses are thorny, it might be best to have a broad path down the center of the garden, with cutwork parterres on either side of the path. The advantage of a cutwork parterre is that you can give each kind of rose a bed which suits their mature size. A rose with a mature spread of six feet (two meters) can be given a six foot wide bed, while miniature roses can be grown in much smaller beds.
Many people plant roses along the edges of a broad lawn, while this is attractive during the summer, an enclosed rose garden is more attractive during the winter. Lattice is better for enclosing a rose garden than a clipped hedge or a solid wall. Air circulation is very important in rose gardens, this helps to avoid fungus infections. During the winter, the lattice will be attractive and the low winter sun will cast interesting shadows. This will draw attention away from the bare rose bushes.
While some climbing roses do very well when trained up mature trees, especially old apple trees, it is best to place a rose garden away from the competition of tree roots. In a rose garden it is best that climbers be trained onto structures, such as arbors, pillars and treillage. If the garden is a simple walk edged by rose beds, the surrounding lattice fence will provide all of the height that is necessary, a broad rose garden may look best with an arbor in the center, or pillar roses to break up the monotony.
