I am a champion of the Rose, from the humble dog rose commonly seen in our summer hedgerows to the dramatic display of Rosa fillipes ‘Kifsgate’ rambling up and over numerous supporting trees.

They are the most useful, beautiful and rewarding woody plants and if you select and the right specimens to your garden site, it can become an heirloom to be loved and enjoyed by the next generation.

More often than not, it is all down to the care of a Rose, as to whether it continues to perform well, stay healthy and puts on a good display. 

I have worked with large rose collections, some very old specimens and others newly planted.  

In order to look after a rose, it helps if you know what type you have and even better if you know the species or cultivar name.  Roses have been cultivated for hundreds of years and even though two roses could be classified as Damask, they may well have differing habits depending on their breeding.  That being said, a trained rose gardener should be able to identify the type of rose you have by looking at it’s foliage, flowers, prickles and habit.

Planting:

There are also some simple ways to keep certain diseases at bay, and more often than not, it is down to cultural and physical controls that you or your gardener can implement.

Finally, below are some images of roses I have worked with to inspire you into planting more of them!