Roses

Throughout history, roses have been welcoming us with a great display of their fragrant, delicate, and beautiful flowers in every color imaginable.  

Botanically speaking, they belong to the genus Rosa, a member of the Rosaceae family. They are close relatives to most of the fruits we consume every day, like apples, pears, plums, almonds, peaches, strawberries, brambles, and several others.  

There are many different types of roses, starting with miniatures, grandifloras, floribundas, polyanthas, climbing, and teas. Among them, the most popular is a hybrid tea rose, probably because of its gigantic single flowers on long stems.  

Historically, roses have been highly regarded in society. In 17th-century Europe, roses and rose water were used as currency. Two centuries earlier, they were a symbol for the15th-century English War of the Roses. 

In the past, roses adorned only formal landscapes. Now, we can see roses in every type of landscape, from simple to very elaborate.  

Roses require a bit of attention to grow, but they are certainly worth it. For best performance, they require full sun all day, or at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. They should be planted away from large shrubs and trees that would compete for the sun, water, and nutrients. 

One of the crucial factors in site selection is drainage since they do not tolerate “wet feet,” or else the roots will start to rot. Air movement through the shrub to dry up the leaves faster is critical in minimizing potential for disease development.  

Roses could be successfully grown in containers and in the garden. They could be grown on their own root (self-rooted) or grafted on a certain rootstock. Container-grown roses must have at least 18 inches in diameter and 24 inches of depth. Place gravel at the bottom of the container for good drainage, then use a growth medium that offers excellent drainage without becoming waterlogged, while providing the necessary nutrients for vibrant growth. The best growth mediums contain three parts of loam-based medium and one part of organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure. 

Garden-grown roses need the same attention to detail when it comes to soil preparation, drainage, sun exposure, and other ambient considerations.