In the garden centre, we associate King’s Birthday weekend with the arrival of the first of the new season’s roses.
And every year I marvel that in winter you can buy a rose bush from the garden centre that is a few dormant sticks, and by mid-November the same plant will be 60-80cm tall with multiple stems and blooming furiously.
Roses are also such good plants for picking and bringing indoors.
The colour of picked rose blooms offers vibrancy and life, while the scent can bring feelings of tranquillity and long-forgotten happy memories from childhood.
Roses can be used to gain formality from a row of the ever-popular iceberg standards, providing a grand entrance to a home or business and offering direction along a pathway.
Bush roses included in a mixed garden planting can be used to bring colour in a more informal way as different plant combinations offer a springboard effect throughout the year to create continuous beauty and interest.
There are several types of roses available in stores now or during the coming month.
Climbing or rambling roses can be trained along a fence, veranda or pergola. Provide strong support and these roses will create a stunning look.
Standard and bush roses are perfect to create a formal look and focal point for any garden.
Plant bulbs and herbs below these roses for year-round colour.
Patio roses are typically compact and durable so grow well in pots and containers for the patio and are also great for picking.
Flower Carpet and low-growing varieties have real flower power.
Flower Carpet roses are a popular choice to add height and form to rose and garden beds.
Planting tips
When a rose is being planted, it is generally expected that it will remain in existence for many years.
The preparation of the soil is therefore 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 Tui Rose and Shrub Mix, Ican Premium Planting Mix or Tui Sheep Pellets.
The digging will open the soil, improving the general structure.
In a light soil, the water-holding capacity will be greatly increased as the additional organic material can hold greater moisture.
The addition of a can of 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 plant will establish.
A hole should be dug significantly large and deep to accommodate the roots when they are spread out.
Be careful that no damage is done to the plants when the soil is firmed round the roots.
The bud union of bush and climbing roses is left above the ground surface – the same level as it was planted in the pot it was purchased in.
If planting a group of standard roses, it is preferable before planting standard roses to put in the stakes that will support them.
This avoids damage to the roots which may 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 a strong wind.
Plants from a garden centre or nursery have usually been cut back for the ease of handling and packing, and in some cases may require extra pruning.
Early planting (now) is recommended and any additional pruning should be done during mid to late July.
The challenge with many areas having milder winters is that roses and other plants that benefit from a period of dormancy struggle to know what season they are in.
Cold weather is beneficial for the garden as it kills off many warm season insects and allows plants that require it a rest.
It is now more beneficial than ever before to spray your roses in June with lime sulphur.
This will hasten the dropping of leaves as well as kill fungus spores and overwintering scale and other insects that may be lingering.
Sprays of the organic combo En Spray 99 (oil) and Free-Flo Copper should be made following pruning in July.
If there is an obvious presence of overwintering scale, other insects or black spot is bad then an additional earlier spray in late June will help to further control pest and disease incidence for the coming season.
Have a rosy long weekend.
Gareth Carter is general manager of Springvale Garden Centre.
