Roses: Time to Order Bare Root

If you've ever been to the Portland Rose Test Garden you know how many amazing choices of roses are out there. Upon a recent visit, we were in heaven. All of the beautiful colors and the sweet fragrance made us want to expand our own garden.

Why are we bringing up roses now,  when the season is over? Because it is now time to order bare root roses for planting this winter.

One of our favorite sources is David Austin. Visit their web-site at http://www.davidaustinroses.com/ for a vast selection of colors and varieties. 

If you are not in the market for new roses, the site provides tips on care for roses. Here is some information we came upon for pruning:

Winter pruning English shrub roses

Winter pruning should be done when the season begins to warm up and the small buds begin to swell. This will be January in the warmest zones but not until April in the coldest ones. In the colder zones, wait until the worst of the frosts have passed. As a simple rule, prune your shrub to approximately half its size, aiming to create a nice rounded shrub. Always take time to step back and look to check that you are forming a balanced shape overall. Finish by cutting out any dead or weak stems. The only time this rule does not apply may be in the first year when the plant is still establishing. In this case prune more lightly, leaving two thirds of the shrub.

Pruning is not a precise science and you should never worry about doing any harm. You can easily adjust the size of your plant by altering the amount of growth removed when pruning. If you want a smaller shrub, it is fine to prune down to one third of its size (fig 1. line 1). If you want a larger shrub, prune to two thirds its size (fig 1. line 2). If you have taken our advice to plant English Roses closely together in groups of three, prune the three roses into the shape of one magnificent shrub. It is generally recommended that you always make a sloping cut an inch or less above an outward facing bud. Experienced pruners tend to do this quite naturally but there is no evidence to prove that this makes a significant difference to the performance of the roses.

http://www.classicgardencreations.com/