Roses as Gifts

AUTUMN

As the leaves fall from the trees, gardens start to wind down for the winter months ahead. Repeat-flowering roses will still be offering up blooms of colour, but with less frequency than during the summer. As November starts, so does the bare root season and with it the opportunity to plant freshly harvested bare rooted roses. Whilst you may not think of autumn as a key time in the garden, a little time and effort put in to planning your garden for the following year will pay dividends by next summer. Just like bulbs or broad beans, a little autumn planting of bare root roses will go a long way.

WINTER

The quiet winter months see the bare branches of roses as they go into dormancy. Roses are winter hardy and do not need any particular protection from frost or snow. Bare root roses can still be planted during the winter months, but we recommend avoiding planting them in waterlogged or freezing conditions. As the new year arrives, January and February bring with them the chance to prune your roses. Pruning is arguably the most important thing you can do for you rose, giving it good structure and encouraging new growth. Contrary to popular belief, pruning roses is not difficult. As a general rule, don’t worry too much about where you cut along a stem and you probably need to cut off more than you think. Your rose afterwards should look significantly smaller than it did before you started. For a shrub rose we recommend starting by cutting back any disproportionately long stems in line with the rest of the plant. Once done, you can cut all the stems back by half of their length. For roses that have only been planted for a year, cut back even further so they are just 12-14” (30-35cm) from ground level. This may seem a lot but the last thing you want is a long leggy rose bush with no flowers close to the ground. Pruning will encourage new flowering stems to form, which will mature to make a nice rounded shrub.

Once you have cut back all your stems by the right amount, it is a good idea to cut out any dead, diseased or damaged stems from their point of origin. When finished, remove any remaining foliage and then be sure to dispose of the cuttings in your garden waste. For climbing and rambling roses, pruning is less severe. For climbers and ramblers a year old, we suggest only cutting back stems by a few inches, just enough to encourage new shoots. Older ramblers only need thinning out if necessary, while older climbing roses simply need their last season’s growth cutting back to about 2-3” (5-10cm) from the main stem. The most important part for climbers and ramblers is tying in any loose stems that have appeared over the year, fixing them securely onto their supporting structure using Flexi-Tie or twine. This is also the time to train your rose, looking to space out stems to give a good, even coverage over the supporting structure as you tie them in.

SCAN HERE for instructional videos and detailed guides to pruning, planting, deadheading and feeding.

GIVE GREENER

WITH ROSES

When it comes to greener giving, there is no better gift than the gift of planting. Bred by hand, joyously fragrant and kind to the planet, an English Rose is a thoughtful gift with purpose. It will not only delight the recipient, but also the precious garden pollinators as it blooms year after year.

THE GIFT OF ROSES

There is joy to be had in choosing the perfect rose to give, by picking their favourite colour, scent, or finding meaning in the rose’s name. The gift of a rose can mean so much and give the recipient years of pleasure, as they plant, nurture and watch their rose bloom, while delighting in the happy garden habitat they have created.

THE GREEN GIFT CARD

Not sure what to choose? Our luxurious little green gift card, emblazoned with gold rose illustrations will make a unique gift and allow the recipient to choose their own rose. Delivered with the latest Handbook of Roses, this plasticfree gift card is available from £10 to £250 and makes a thoughtful gift for any budget.

A ROSE FOR EVERY OCCASION

BIRTHDAY

THANK YOU

CONGRATULATIONS

RETIREMENT

Shrub Roses from left to right on each row: Olivia Rose Austin® (Ausmixture), Bring Me Sunshine (Ausernie), Princess Anne® (Auskitchen), Vanessa Bell® (Auseasel), Gertrude Jekyll® (Ausbord), Emily Brontë® (Ausearnshaw), Nye Bevan® (Auspital), Lady of Shalott® (Ausnyson), Dame Judi Dench® (Ausquaker), Champagne Moment (Korvanaber), Scarborough Fair (Ausoran), Golden Celebration® (Ausgold), Tottering-by-Gently® (Auscartoon), The Lady Gardener® (Ausbrass), Charles Darwin (Auspeet), England’s Rose (Auslounge). Bare Root Roses from £21.50 Potted Roses from £30.00.

Make it personal and add a free gift message

WEDDING & ANNIVERSARY

VALENTINE’S

NEW HOME

NEW BABY

English Shrub Roses from left to right on each row: Susan Williams-Ellis® (Ausquirk), Tranquillity® (Ausnoble), The Poet’s Wife® (Auswhirl), Kew Gardens® (Ausfence), The Lady’s Blush (Ausoscar), Thomas à Becket® (Auswinston), Eustacia Vye® (Ausegdon), Gabriel Oak® (Auscrowd), Susan Williams-Ellis® (Ausquirk), Silas Marner® (Ausraveloe), Desdemona® (Auskindling), Princess Alexandra of Kent® (Ausmerchant), Roald Dahl® (Ausowlish), James L. Austin® (Auspike), Ballerina, Elizabeth (Ausmajesty). Bare Root Roses from £21.50 Potted Roses from £30.00.