Rose awareness week 2023
It’s time to celebrate the world’s most popular and oldest flower! Over the centuries, roses have provided inspiration for artists, poets, and storytellers alike, creating a rich history in symbolism myth. Their heady fragrance often taking centre stage for use in ancient recipes such as Turkish delight, rose tea or to create rose oils.
Dan’s top tips for growing Roses
1) Choosing your rose.
From shrubs to climbers and miniatures, as a standard or in a container, roses come in a stunning array of shapes, sizes and colours.This can be confusing when out shopping! Its important to decide which type of rose you want and where you want to plant it.
Ask us in store if you have any questions about type, species and position!
2) Planting your rose
• Most roses thrive on direct sunlight. Plant in a sunny spot, which gets at least four hours of sunlight a day. Speak to us for alternative options if you want to plant your rose in a shadier area.
• Avoid highly exposed, windy areas for planting.
• Roses need rich, moist but well-drained soil.
• Plant your roses in a well-prepared hole with added planting compost to improve soil structure and aid water retention. Back-fill with soil and firm in well, then water thoroughly.
3) Maintaining your rose
• Deadhead your roses regularly to promote more flowers.
• Established roses do not need a lot of watering, however its important to water during extremely hot spells. Newly planted roses need more regular watering and care. Water at the base of the plant and not over the leaves and flowers, as this can lead to mildew and some diseases.
• Roses are hungry plants, mulch with compost annually and use a rose feed in the spring and again in mid-summer after the first flowers have bloomed.
• Prune roses annually (Usually around January/February) to promote healthy growth, control the shape and encourage flowering.
• Roses are prone to various diseases, aphids and fungal problems. With rose maintenance, prevention is always better than cure. Speak to us about solutions and maintaining your roses!
Our favourite Roses
For fragrance, we suggest the Gertrude Jekyl, an English shrub rose bred by David Austin with the quintessential old rose fragrance we love so much!
For colour, we love the Lady of Shallot for its gorgeous rich orange-red buds which open to beautiful golden orange blooms.
For Easy care, we suggest the Elizabeth, a large bush rose which has clusters of large, crisp apple blossom pink rosettes, paling to the gentlest blush white with a strong, sweet, fresh fragrance.
Our most popular rose with customers is the Golden Celebration, one of the largest-flowered English Roses, with luscious yellow blooms and a beautiful tea scent.
For the Wow Factor in your garden, look no further than this climbing rose, called Oh Wow. Its abundant purple and white stripy single flowers are great for bees and create a show stopping display of vibrant colour in your garden.
Our rose specialist, Daniel Welch has his own special favourite called Abracadabra. The blooms are stunning with their rich striped blends of light and strong yellows with red stripes and patterns. As the name implies, you never know what you are going to get, every bloom is different.
Recommended care products
• Compost: In pots, we suggest John Innes No. 3. For planting in the garden, New Horizon all plant compost is what we would recommend in store.
• Rose Food: Westland’s Rose plant food is a great product
• Pest and disease control: Rose Clear Ultra is our suggestion to prevent and control pest and disease.
