Winter in
the garden is a good time for transplanting or shifting plants as they enter a slower stage of growth or, in the case of deciduous plants (those that lose their leaves), go into a period of dormancy.
Some nursery plants for the home garden are produced in fields rather than containers and winter is the time these are lifted and become available for the home gardener.
New season roses have arrived in the garden centre this week. Every year in May, June and July, roses are removed from nursery field production and despatched to garden centres all over New Zealand.
Roses were originally cultivated by the ancient Greeks and have spread to all continents except Antarctica.
In terms of timing, the winter months are the best time of the year to plant roses. With the new supply of roses in the stores and in their dormant state, planting them now will mean they establish their root systems over the cooler winter months, ready to put on strong growth in spring.
The general popularity of roses has waned in the past few years as many look for easier care plants with the perception that roses need a lot of work.
Roses never cease to amaze me with the growth rate and extent of flowering a good rose will provide. A rose bush purchased now (that looks like a group of sticks in a pot) will, by November, be 60-80cm high, producing a mass of eye-popping colourful blooms that can (depending on the variety) repeat flower throughout summer and well into next autumn.
Rose breeders have responded to the desire of the public and have developed varieties that will thrive with little or no spraying. This response has helped to balance the scales between people wanting to have low-maintenance gardens but also wanting some flamboyant colour and scent in the garden as well. There are some stunning varieties that have been developed that are not only colourful but are highly fragrant and healthy growers.
Roses come in a number of forms including bush roses, standard roses (two main stem heights - 800mm and 450mm - are common, and less commonly 1.8m) and climbing varieties.
Rose planting tips
When a rose is being planted, it is generally expected that it will remain in existence for many years so the preparation of the soil is important.
The ground should be cultivated about two lengths of your spade blade or about 450mm. Most soils will benefit by incorporating material such as Ican Premium Compost or Tui Sheep Pellets. The digging will open up soils, improving the general structure. In a light soil, the water-holding capacity will be greatly increased as the organic material can hold additional moisture. The addition of Ican Slow Food into the hole when planting will help ensure excellent root development and growth.
Roses are never completely dormant and the less the roots are disturbed, the better the plants will establish. A hole should be dug large and deep enough to accommodate the roots when they are spread out. Be careful that no damage is done to the plants when the soil is firmed around the roots. The bud union of bush and climbing roses is left just above the ground surface.
If planting a group of standard roses, they should all be the same height so they can be planted with the heads at a uniform level. It is preferable before planting standard roses to put in the stakes that will support them. This avoids damage to the roots which may otherwise occur if they are added later. Use a soft tie material for tying standard roses. Wire should never be used and padding should be placed under a tie of twine or cord. Ensure that one of the ties is secured to its stake near the head of the rose to prevent damage or the possibility of it snapping off in strong wind.
Plants from a garden centre or nursery have usually been cut back for ease of handling and packing and, in some cases, may require extra pruning. Early planting (now) is recommended and pruning should be done during the normal pruning season which is best done in mid to late July for gardens in Whanganui. If roses are pruned earlier, it will encourage new growth which can get damaged by frost.
David Austin Roses
This collection of roses is named after their breeder. David Austin Roses are known around the world for their old-fashioned, olde world English style of fragrance and vigour, crossed with more modern varieties widening the colour range. As a breeder of more than 60 years, David Austin Roses released more than 200 cultivars.
Some great David Austin rose varieties to check out include:
Brother Cadfael – Pink peony-shaped blooms, strong old rose scent.
Charles Darwin – Large, very full, strong yellow, heavily fragrant blooms.
Charlotte – Lightly fragrant, soft yellow apricot cupped blooms.
Glamis Castle – Large double white fragrant flowers.
Golden Celebration – Large, strongly fragrant, rich golden yellow blooms.
Kathryn Morley – Double soft pink blooms with gentle fragrance.
Leander – Fully quartered, deep apricot pink, highly fragrant blooms.
Mary Rose – Loosely petaled, rose pink, fragrant flowers.
Radio Times – Large fully double mid-pink, strongly fragrant blooms.
Sharifa Asma – Blush pink, rosette-formed, strongly fragrant flowers.
For more gardening information visit www.springvalegardencentre.co.nz.
