Growing Roses - Planning Your Rose Garden

By Haynes Miller

Springtime and everyone's thoughts tend toward planting a garden. One of the most rewarding ways to garden is growing roses. Their beauty and fragrance will enhance your yard and your reputation as a gardener. There are many ways to grow roses. You can grow climbing roses, rose bushes, miniature roses and you can even start growing roses in containers. If you choose the correct varieties, you will also be able to cut them and enjoy their beauty inside your home as well.

When I think of successful rose growing, Bree Hodge (played by Marcia Cross) from Desperate Housewives comes to mind. You know who I'm talking about! That woman is a domestic goddess, her home is always sparkling clean, she is a great cook and an award winning gardener (I think she could use some parenting tips, though!). She's fictional Fairview's Martha Stewart!
Bree would never consider growing roses without having a plan! Here are some tips to help you plan growing roses in your garden for years of beauty and enjoyment.

1. Assess your level of gardening skill. A less experienced gardener may want to choose one of the older rose breeds as they are easier to care for and hardier than the newer hybrids. Many older rose breeds were known simply as rose bushes.

2. Determine how much space you can devote to growing roses. Growing miniature roses may be ideal for gardens with limited space, but if you have a large area available, you might consider growing climbing roses which can cover an entire wall. For really limited space, try growing roses in containers.

3. Be sure the area you have chosen gets enough sunlight. Growing roses requires at least six (6) hours of direct sunlight each day. If you plant them under trees or other vegetation, they won't be exposed to enough sun and may not get enough nutrients from the soil.

4. Be sure there is adequate ventilation. Without adequate ventilation, your roses may be exposed to excessive heat, which will stress the plants. For growing roses, find a spot which is not wind-sheltered, but still gets the required daily sunlight.

5. Don't forget about water and drainage. While growing roses, you want to be sure that they receive the equivalent of about one inch of rain per week, and remember that they require adequate drainage as they don't do well in water-logged soil.

6. Consider the colors of your rose blooms and the symmetry of your garden space. Stick to symmetrical bands of color and don't mix rose colors haphazardly.

Now that you have some guidelines for planning your rose garden get out there and grow roses!
For lots more tips, articles and resources for growing roses go to http://www.rose-growing-tips.com

Or visit my Squidoo lens at http://www.squidoo.com/rose-growing
Haynes Miller is an avid gardener whose love of rose growing began in her grandmother's garden. She shares her love of growing roses with her daughter, who picks out the colors of the plants (keeping tip 6 in mind!).