GROWING ROSES IN BORDERS

Growing roses in borders is a very traditional and very effective method of growing different types of roses. A border is basically a planted area that can not be viewed or entered from one side. This side is usually a wall or a fence. Growing roses this way means planting the tallest roses at the back and shortest at the front.

Floribunda type roses are the rose type usually used in such bedding schemes. Of course you are not limited to this type because usually it is a wall or fence or hedge at the back you can also use climbers and rambling roses. You could also use these by training them over arches etc. in the middle of the bed. As you can see growing roses in borders presents a world of ideas.

Generally these are considered informal beds. Many people just like to grow a selection of different types of roses and colors along the bed. My preference is to use a group of 5 rises of a particular type and color; I would start with the paler colors and work up to the vivid color rose types. This of course is all backed up by matching climbers and ramblers. This gives a great drift effect of color and foliage. As with island beds work it out so that the eventual growth of the front rose bushes is about 20 inches room the border edge.

Very often roses will be grown in what is called a mixed shrub border. This can also be very pleasing to the eye. Other shrubs included are often forsythia, Hydrangea, etc. Shrubs with grey leaves are an excellent foil to pastel colored rose types. Evergreen plants with a distinct shape such as conifers are great for providing a structure or skeleton the border.

A selection of winter and spring flowering plants, especially bulbs that do not have to be lifted will provide color in barer times. Don’t get too caught up in what is meant to be right and what is meant to be wrong. Growing roses is about you and your roses. If you don’t like the way something turned out, you can learn from it, change it and move on. It’s not the end of the world. Growing roses should be fun.

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