Image of roses in garden. Image: Jane Sebire With thousands of roses offered by growers, choosing just a few for a garden can be daunting. The amount of space available will often determine the habit the rose should have, as well as its ideal size. There are roses for almost every situation, from neat patio roses and low-growing ground cover kinds, through to medium and large shrubs, to upright climbers and vigorous ramblers.
The selection of colour, flower form and fragrance is really a matter of personal taste, but be sure to take disease tolerance into account, as this reduces the need to spray and helps to ensure a reliable display.
Shrub and bush roses
Beds and borders offer the most scope for roses, but do not pack plants in too tightly as overcrowding can lead to poor displays. Some of the most popular groups to choose from are large-flowered Hybrid Teas, cluster-flowered Floribundas, English, shrub and species roses.
For the back of a border, choose tall bushes such as apricot-flowered 'William Morris' (‘Auswill’) or Rosa glauca, grown for its dusky bluish leaves and small pink flowers. Large spaces suit purple Moss rose ‘William Lobb’ and ‘Raubritter’, which is covered in clusters of rounded, pink flowers in early summer. Both spread to 2m (7ft) and are once-flowering. Smaller areas are ideal for red-purple ‘Charles de Mills’ and vivid rose-pink, disease-tolerant 'The Mayflower' (‘Austilly’), which repeats well.
Climbers and ramblers
Image of Rose 'Penny Lane'. Image: Graham Titchmarsh/RHS For walls, arbours and pergolas, pick a climbing or rambling rose, as they have naturally long stems. As a general rule, ramblers are vigorous and suitable for training on to large structures, including into trees, and they usually have a single, but spectacular, flowering in June. Useful ramblers include white-flowered ‘Rambling Rector’, which can reach more than 6m (20ft) wide and high, while yellow 'Malvern Hills' (‘Auscanary’) is repeat flowering and grows to a more-manageable 4m (13ft).
Climbing roses have stiffer shoots than ramblers. Less vigorous, they are useful for smaller structures up to 3m (10ft) or so high. In a sunny spot, try pale cream, pink-tinged Penny Lane (‘Hardwell’), or mauve-pink, heavily-scented 'Gertrude Jekyll' (‘Ausbord’), a shrub rose that behaves like a climber. Shady north- and east-facing walls are less hospitable, but fragrant white ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’ and lemon-yellow ‘Mermaid’ will cope with such a situation.
Hedges, screens and ground cover
Roses can also be used for hedges and screens. Try Rosa gallica ‘Versicolor’, which grows to 1m (39in), or the taller R. rugosa with large, showy hips. Its dark pink cultivar ‘Roseraie de l’Haÿ’, grows to 2m (7ft), repeat flowers and will tolerate poor soil, but rarely bears hips. For attractive, long-flowering ground cover, use prostrate ‘Flower Carpet Coral’, which can flower from June to Christmas. There are other colours available in the Flower Carpet Series; most lack scent.
Potted roses
The smallest roses can be grown in pots. There is a widening choice of patio roses, including orange 'Top Marks' (‘Fryministar’) and peachy 'Our George' (‘Kirrush’).
Further information
For expert advice when choosing roses, contact a professional grower. Find these in the Nursery Finder on RHS Online; just click on ‘Specialities’ and select ‘Roses’.
