Bring long-lasting colour to your garden this summer by choosing from a rich array of colourful roses, says Sue Bradley.
Whether you lean towards rich reds, sunshine yellows or intriguing oranges, there are vibrant roses of almost every colour from which to choose. And with winter upon us, there’s no better time to be ordering and planting bare-rooted cultivars ready for the year ahead. Visit a website or open a catalogue, however, and it’s easy to be bamboozled by the huge choice of plants available, each offering specific combinations of colour, perfume, flower shape and growing habit. Then there are other considerations to bear in mind such as resistance to disease which many modern breeders have sought to build into the new cultivars they release.
With so much to think about, it’s handy to be able to seek an independent view on a rose’s performance based on years of trials. One such indication is the Award of Garden Merit given by the Royal Horticultural Society (AGM), through which panels of experts assess various plants over a long period. Another is the Rose of the Year accolade from Roses UK, the body that promotes rose breeders and British rose growers, which subjects new introductions to rigorous trials.
“Gorgeous scented blooms are often what first draws us to a particular rose variety, but just as important are healthy foliage and ease of growing,” explains Marilyn Stevens from Roses UK.
“During the two-year Rose of the Year trials, a winning variety will have demonstrated excellent resistance to disease, as well as ticking all the boxes for pleasing flowers, scent and colour.”
Important things to consider when choosing roses
Where your plant will be growing, climbing cultivars are best suited to scaling the wall of a house, for example, while ramblers look great scrambling over a fence or making their presence felt within a strong tree. There are roses for every part of a border, from tall shrub to short groundcovering varieties that are wider than they’re tall, and many can be successfully grown in large tubs. Some, such as ‘Golden Beauty’ and ‘Sweet Haze’ lend themselves well for use as hedging too.
Generally, roses like a sunny spot, with warmth especially important when it comes to releasing fragrance, but there are cultivars that will do well in partial shade. Some, such as ‘Zéphirine Drouhin’, can even be grown against a north-facing wall.
While the roses we grow in our gardens are pretty much down to individual choice, buying from reputable growers and planting them properly will ensure much pleasure from beautiful blooms and, in many instances, delicious perfumes for years to come.
Six roses for a spectrum of colour
A prolific flowerer that’s at home in borders or containers, Lovestruck® brightens the garden with masses of cherry red double blooms and dark green foliage. T
