Roses
It’s no surprise that roses are one of the world’s favourite flowers. Their beautiful fragrance and stunning blooms are sure to bring delight to any gardener.
Whether planted in pots, billowing over fences, climbing over arches or lined along the driveway – there is a rose to suit any spot in your garden. They are a symbol of love, compassion, peace and beauty. Hardy and adaptable, they are a timeless garden favourite and gorgeous gift to treasure.
Planting in the garden
Roses need a little TLC to keep them looking their best. The best planting time is from winter through to spring.
Roses love lots of sun, good ventilation, shelter and ample room to grow.
vercrowding makes them more susceptible to disease. Guide for spacing/multi-planting of roses is 90cm-1m between bush roses, 1.2m-1.5m between Standards and Mini-Standard roses.
Step one
Start by digging a hole that is large enough so the roots are not squashed or bent.
Step two
Add rose and shrub mix to the hole and work it through the existing soil. This is the best time to add food underneath the plant by sprinkling a handful of slow-release fertiliser. Loosen the rose from the pot and place it in the hole. Make sure the stem sits level with the top of the hole. Then backfill with soil and more rose and shrub mix. Gently pat down around the trunk.
Step three
Stake and tie the rose if needed (e.g. a standard rose) or erect a frame/trellis for a climbing rose.
Your new roses need plenty of water. We like to apply a full 10L bucket of water after planting and again every day for the next week. Avoid getting leaves wet as this can encourage fungal diseases.
Planting in a pot
Choose a pot that will suit the size of your rose and has good drainage holes. Bush and shrub roses will require pots at least 450mm wide and deep. Position the pot in a sunny location, and raised on pot feet if required. A lot of newer lightweight pots have the pot feet built-in.
Use only the best quality potting mix- we recommend California Premium Potting Mix. Fill the pot, leaving a hole to accommodate the rose’s roots. Sprinkle in a handful of slow-relase food/fertiliser, which will provide nutrients for up to two year years.
Prepare the rose as you would when planting in the ground - soak in water, trim roots if necessary, and position at the correct depth in the hole.
Backfill the hole, working the potting mix around the roots and firm in, ensuring the crown is at soil level. Water in well.
Be attentive to water, especially when the rose is actively growing through summer. Daily, sometimes twice daily watering may be needed
Liquid feed every 4-6 weeks during summer for healthy growth and blooms.
Deadhead, trim and prune as you would any rose in the garden.
Repot your roses every two to three years. The same pot can be reused or use a larger pot. At pruning time, remove the rose from the pot, shake off the old potting mix, trim the roots, then repot with fresh potting mix.
Grow great roses
Coaxing roses to produce a spectacular floral display is easy if you follow a few simple rules
Feed
The base fertilised used at planting time will provide your roses with the food necessary for a healthy start and prolonged growth. At your roses grow and bloom, supplement this with a granular rose food after the first flush of flowers and again late-summer. Liquid food can be applied every 4- 6 weeks for even netter blooms and plant health.Water
Regular deep watering is essential for happy healthy roses. A good soak with the hose once or twice a wek is more beneficial than sprinkling everyday. Deep watering encourages roots to search for moisture down away from the surface, where they can dry and burn. Watering with a fertiliser is doubly beneficial.Weed
Weeds will compete with your roses for water and food, and if left to get out of hand, may end up competing for light as well. Hand weeding is best as roses are sensitive to herbicides which may cause deformed growth and death.Mulch
Mulching is the process of adding a layer of organic matter to the soil and when applied to the correct depth (3-5cm), assist with retaining moisture in the soil and suppressing weeds. Pea straw is perfect but now always to procure. Compost and bark mixtures make good much and area readily available. Bark can deplete the soil of nitrogen as it breaks down. Remedy this with a good dressing of blood and bone twice during the growing season. Keep any mulch 10cm clear of your roses’ stems to prevent rottingSupport
Bush roses - if planted correctly, need little or no support. Climbing, rambling, and pillar roses will need to be tied to a supporting structure.Standard roses - will need a stake or two to prevent them rocking and potentially snapping in the Wellington wind, even when mature. Decorative rose supports are available to make your tall roses even more appealing.
Deadhead
Dead-heading is the process of trimming off spent flowers and when done regularly will keep the bush tidy and promote more blooms. If old flowers are left, hips (seed pods) will form which discourages the rose from producing more blooms. (that said, some once-flowering roses are best left for the hips to form which are enjoyed in the summer and autumn.)Where a rose flower in clusters, trim off each flower in clusters as its petals begin to fall. This will the display looking good while the rest of the buds open. When all the flowers in a cluster have finished, remove the whole flowerhead and about 15cm of the stem, cutting just above a strong outward-facing leaf node. Your next flower shoot will grow from that leaf joint.
Roses that have just one flower per stem should also be pruned down to a strong outward-facing bud after flower.
Stop deadheading in late autumn so your rose knows the season of blooming is over and it can decline into dormancy for winter.Spray
In spring and summer, spray with an insecticide/fungicide. During winter, spray monthly with liquid copper and conqueror oil to prevent scale and red mite. Regularly check the underside of leaves for these. Use Yates Rose Gun for mites, aphids, thrips, and whiteflies. You can also use this for diseases like blackspot, powdery mildew and leaf rust. If unsure of what is happening with your roses, bring a sample to us for advice.
Types of Roses
There are many types of roses, each having different growth habits and heritage benefits. To help you choose the right rose for your garden, the following is a list of each rose type and its main characteristics.
Hybrid Tea: Most popular rose available in bush or standard form. Has large well formed flowers on a single stem. Makes a good garden display and beautiful cut flower eg Loving Memory, Blackberry Nip, Love Me Do. Grows 1.5-2m tall.
Floribunda: produces a cluster of flowers in abundance. Less suited for picking as flowers are on short stems and often not fragrant. Forms a dome shape, making attractive borders, hedges, in pots or on mass eg Margaret Merril, Freisa, Absolutely Fabulous. Average height 1.2m.
David Austin/English Rose: Combines delicate charm and wonderful fragrances of the Old Roses with a wider colour range. They are renowned for outstanding health, reliability and repeat flowering. Ideal for mixed borders and pots eg Graham Thomas, Mary Rose, Summer Song. Grows 1-3m tall.
Climbers/Ramblers: Climbers make strong stems and more height whereas ramblers have long pliable stems with large trusses of small flowers. They are used to cover walls, archways, fences and pergolas. Flowers mostly from spring to late autumn eg Dublin Bay, Compassion, Westerland.
Standard Roses: Roses grafted at a height of 800mm. Creates a formal appearance in a row in garden beds or tubs. Saves space and is good height to enjoy the fragrance eg Iceberg, Dark Secret, Lemon’n Lime. Mini Standards also available at 450mm high.
Pillar Roses: produce long climbing canes around a frame or post. Eg Iceberg
Carpet Roses: Fantastic easy care ground cover rose highly valued for their disease resistance, repeat flowering and hardy. Great planted on mass, for lasting display or for erosion control on banks eg apple blossom, scarlet, amber. Height 80cm.