Article: How to Plant in a Container

A GUIDE TO PLANTING A ROSE IN A CONTAINER

Make the most out of a bright afternoon by sprucing up a hidden corner of the garden. Start by searching out a longlost pot, or barrel - in fact any unused container will be glad of the job - then with your favourite rose to hand, you’re all set to create something extra special.

So, let’s get planting! If you’ve decided on a rose in bare root form, a little bit of prep work before you plant will go a long way. Soak her roots in a bucket of water for at least two hours; overnight is even better if you can wait that long. For a potted rose, a simple sprinkling with a watering can just before you plant will do the trick.

Your pot or container will need to have drainage holes as well as some packing to stop the soil from compacting at the bottom. Broken pieces of terracotta or polystyrene work well and will help to keep your rose healthy, ensuring that water can drain away easily.

Once prepared, you can start to fill your chosen container. Our Head Gardener, based in Shropshire, suggests using a 50/50 mix of potting compost and multipurpose compost. Fill up to about halfway, lightly pressing down on the compost as you fill to reduce the risk of air pockets.

Before you get your rose settled, sprinkle David Austin Mycorrhizal Fungi over her roots to stimulate root growth and get her off to a fine start. Now you are ready to position your rose centrally in the pot, making sure the ‘union’ - where the stems and roots meet - is a couple of inches below the rim of your container. At this point you may want to wear gloves to hold your rose in position - these plants may be beautiful but can also be deceptively thorny. Now, gently fill the remainder of your container with the rest of the compost mixture.

When the soil level is just below the rim, firm in lightly with your hands to secure your rose into her new home. Finally, give her a good watering so that the moisture penetrates the soil through to the roots. Roses are more than happy in pots that give them space to grow, though they will need more frequent watering than roses in the ground. Like other plants, they will flourish from any care and attention they receive.

Now that the hard work is done, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy watching your newly potted rose settle into its surroundings and begin to bloom come summertime.

SCAN HERE

FEATURED ROSE Princess Anne® (Auskitchen) English Shrub Rose 4ft (125cm) 4ft (125cm) Unusual blooms with rather narrow petals are held in large fragrant clusters and produced with remarkable freedom. Particularly healthy.

BEST FOR FLOWERING BEST FOR HEALTH Bare Root Rose £21.50 Potted Rose £30.00

on our website when choosing a rose for a pot

ROSES BEST FOR POTS

These rose varieties are perfectly happy to be grown in a large pot and are perfect to perk up places where you cannot plant into the ground. Fragrant and flowering with abundance, they are ideal for creating a rooftop idyll, mini patio garden or doorway accent.

English Shrub Roses from left to right on each row: Kew Gardens® (Ausfence), The Ancient Mariner® (Ausoutcry), Lady of Shalott® (Ausnyson), Roald Dahl® (Ausowlish), Emily Brontë® (Ausearnshaw), Princess Anne® (Auskitchen), Eustacia Vye® (Ausegdon), Vanessa Bell® (Auseasel), Desdemona® (Auskindling). Bare Root Rose £21.50 Potted Rose £30.00.

FEATURED ROSE Boscobel® (Auscousin) English Shrub Rose 3½ft (110cm) 3½ft (110cm) Warm and pleasing upward facing blooms of a lovely coral pink. Mediumstrong myrrh fragrance with hints of hawthorn, elderflower, pear and almond.

Bare Root Rose £21.50 Potted Rose £30.00

ALFRESCO STYLE

Bring home a touch of the Mediterranean by placing containers of roses near to your outdoor seating areas. Whether it’s a leisurely latte to start the day, alfresco canapés with friends or dining à deux under the stars, container colour and scent will add pleasure to any occasion.

ROOFTOPS

with ROSES

james l Rooftops and balconies filled with roses are a wonderful sight. Plant in a container which suits your style and enjoy a multitude of colour and fragrance on any size of terrace. For a minimal look plant one colour in long, contemporary containers, or a deep rich pink bloom will really catch the eye.

SPOTLIGHT ON JAMES L. AUSTIN ®

(Auspike)

English Shrub Rose 4ft (125cm) 3½ft (110cm)

A splendid variety bearing many petalled, ruffled rosettes of deep pink

BLOOM A buoyant personality and great all-rounder, he bears large, neatly filled many petalled rosettes, each with a smart button eye. Their velvety deep pink is luxurious yet playful and is accentuated magnificently by his maroon buds, dark green foliage and hints of red and purple on his smart stems.

BEHIND HIS NAME Named for the son of David Austin Senior and brother of David Austin Junior.

FRAGRANCE His fragrance is light-medium in strength with fruity tones.

HOW TO USE HIM He forms a neat and tidy shrub with a bushy upright habit making him ideal for a statement pot on a patio or rooftop. Alternatively he will stand his ground within a rose bed or mixed border. Combine with other jewel tones for a grand combination or plant as a single variety hedge for a glorious deep-pinked hued rose hedge which will make its presence felt in any front garden.

SPOTLIGHT ON DESDEMONA ® (Auskindling)

English Shrub Rose 3½ft (110cm) 3½ft (110cm) BEST FOR FLOWERING BEST FOR FRAGRANCE

A magnificent rose of timeless beauty with classic white, softly in-curved blooms

BLOOM A real beauty, her white blooms are slightly flushed, almost as if caught blushing. Her in-curved petals form a chalice shaped bloom which isn’t too tightly packed. This creates a soft rounded shape where the petals have room to add depth to their white colouring using the interplay of light and shadow.

BEHIND HER NAME She is aptly named after the classic Venetian beauty from Shakespeare’s timeless play, Othello. Faithful, full of innocence and passionately in love, she is often portrayed dressed in romantic white.

FRAGRANCE Her fragrance is as sweet and fresh as her blooms. Strong and Old Rose in nature, it has delicate hints of almond blossom, cucumber and lemon zest. There is something simply refreshing about her.

HOW TO USE HER Plant in large swathes for a major statement or combine with purple and grey tones for a calming bed. Alternatively, plant her in a blue glazed pot or a container to really set off her beauty. You can’t go wrong with this rose, she will be a great addition to any bed or border, or even as a hedge. Don’t forget to cut a few blooms to enjoy in a vase.