You can grow roses in containers, and quite well, I might add. Back when I was first bitten by the Rose Bug, I found myself rattling around an old established nursery center where a woman of indeterminant and magnificent age was employed.
Chainsmoking her way down endless rows of roses, I could see her silver head bobbing up and down as she snipped, deadheaded, watered and shuffled the beauties around to show them to their best advantage and I figured this was no one to coddle any flower, let alone a rose.
"How long," I began one afternoon after approaching her somewhat timidly, "may I let this rose remain in the pot? I am still working on my garden and I don't want to wait and run the risk this one won't be here when the garden is ready."
She straightened, and squinted a bit at the rose I held on my hip like a baby, and cocked her head a bit and spoke as if to it.."Oh... five years or so."
She turned back to her work and I stood in stunned silence a moment, thinking I had misheard.. "Five YEARS?" She unbent herself once more and nodded, a slight smile on her face. "Neophyte," I'm sure she was thinking.
Turns out, she was right. The rose I bought is still in a pot, and is likely to remain there for five more, as I find it like moving it around from this patio to that, from less sun to more, and sometimes I just move it to be nearer a window where I can look out and admire it. It's been close to eight now and though I know it would find its full promise out in the garden with its sisters, it does well enough in the pot that I find I like the look of it there.
So you *can* grow roses in container, or pots, or whatever, as long as you follow a few rules:
Soil: You will want a good soil that is capable of holding water and nutrients, even in hot, dry weather. Never use soil from your garden in pots, as it is far too heavy a texture to use for potting roses. It will tend to pack down, may carry diseases and pests and if you plan to keep your roses for a number of years, then begin with a good quality potting soil.
