Making new rose beds

The new rose beds which we made last year have been a success beyond what we could have imagined, with all the roses bulking up rapidly and many giving us half a bucketful of flowers in their first season. About a third of the roots which we planted were babies which we’d grown ourselves from cuttings, which makes the whole endeavour extra satisfying, although these plants will take two or three years longer to establish than the big bare roots which we bought in.

This week we’ve been planting more roses further down the slope at Downton, in fun little horseshoe beds which we can imagine ourselves enjoying feeling ensconced in once all the plants grow to their full size. Below the rose garden proper we’ve planted rich deep pinks and smoky plum colours, mixed with deep orangey peach and the soft coffee tones of Julia’s Rose, which was a big favourite with our customers last year. Below the perennial beds we’ve planted softer pinks, with whites and cream, including the always lovely and very popular Champagne Moment. It is most exciting to be setting out and planting these brown woody roots and anticipating the abundance of lovely flowers which they’re going to produce. Again we’ve managed to produce a large number of our own plants, including my own favourite rose for cutting, Ispahan, which is a wonderfully strong grower with warm pink flowers, a sweet fragrance and lovely fresh foliage.

To make the new beds, we first lift turves to plant the individual roses, then we lay sheets of cardboard and tip barrow loads of municipal compost down on top. Ta da! Instant beds, and very good weed avoidance. Last year’s roses really seemed to thrive with this treatment; perhaps the layer of cardboard gave them an extra level of protection from drought in the heat of the summer. We are so excited to see how everything comes on this season.