A good position to plant roses
Choosing the right site and position when planting roses is extremely important to provide them with the right conditions for healthy and successful growth and to encourage a long-lasting attractive flowering period for your roses.
To minimise fungal infection and disease build-up roses need an open, airy position preferably away from trees and not less than 45cm to 90 cm away from walls, depending on the size and habit of the rose. Roses love full sun and need at least six hours of sun a day for best results. If you can’t provide your roses with full sun, remember that morning sun is more beneficial than afternoon sun.
Though roses prefer good air movement its best to refrain from planting in windy and draughty locations, such as a passage between two buildings. Strong winds will batter and damage the blooms which could lead to an unattractive rose plant. If you struggle to find a suitable spot in the garden, plant your roses in containers. If you live at the coast it’s best to plant your roses in a sheltered position, as they do not like salt-laden winds.
Roses tend to root quite deeply, so prepare your soil well and at least to a depth of 45cm, add organic matter and bone meal or superphosphate to encourage healthy soil. Very sandy soil conditions often lead to rapid leaching of nutrients and poor water retention, growing roses in containers is a good alternative – see preparing the soil for roses for some more advice on soil conditions of roses.
For practical reasons, roses are traditionally grouped in a single bed or grown on their own, away from other plants. This allows roses to receive specific soil treatment and makes spraying and watering easier.
In smaller gardens, there is a tendency to incorporate groups of roses into the mixed border. Take care to give roses enough sun, and keep them away from hedges, large shrubs and trees, which will compete for both food and moisture, to the detriment of the roses.
Remember to avoid putting rose beds in the middle of the lawn, because the nutrition and root development of the rose bushes will suffer. Ideally, plant roses at least 60cm from the edge of the lawn.
