...the planting in a group of 3 thing is for roses of the same variety... if all yours are different then you will have to juggle them to suit your border and taste... but if you do put 3 in some sort of grouping, then put the tallest in the middle... then leave a decent gap to the next group... that will break up the line somewhat..
@newbie77 Even if it is a narrow border, you don't need to plant in a line (unless it is very narrow, like under 60cm), depending on the space alongside the border. If there is space around (lawn, wider path), the roses can overlap the edge of the border (and you can plant them a bit zig-zagged). If there is a wall, they can lean on it or be trained/espaliered on it. If you have to plant in a line, use perennials in the gaps. Having roses of a different height and different growing habit would also help to break the hedge look. You could even incorporate some obelisks or pillars.
It would be around 100 to 120cm deep, 100 feet long border available for perennials and roses.
I cant find any photo of a mixed rose border where someone has planted in almost a row so I am not getting much confidence. there are so many photos of closeup of roses but people dont put many photos of borders containing them.
There is a dwarf wall instead of fence, then an existing Shrub border currently, which has medium/large shrubs. I am removing some lawn and widening this border by around 100 cm to plant roses in front of those shrubs.
Thanks for good ideas. Planting a bit zig-zagged is excellent idea. I will try to vary height and form of roses and put some Tall narrow perennials in between. I am thinking may be plant say 3 or 5 roses as a group, then leave space and plant something else like nandina or hydrangea or whatever i have in that space or put an obelisk, then another group of roses.
@newbie77 ... With that depth of border, you will be fine to avoid a hedge look, be able to zig-zag ok and interplant with shrubs and perennials and your idea of groups of 3-5 roses interplanted with other things is absolutely fine! You can also have some roses with lower-growing plants in front. As long as you avoid falling into a rigid, repeated pattern it will look natural.
As far as how far apart to plant the roses, I would allow each rose the stated width - if it looks a bit sparse for the first year or two while the rose is growing into it’s stated width you can always fill in with annuals.
David Austin used to give standard advice that if planting a group of three roses (applies to 3 of the same type as Marlorena says) then plant them 50cm apart in a triangle so that they grow together and form one large shrub. The last time I ordered a rose from DA it came with a new leaflet with a planting width chart, with wider spacing for bigger shrubs.
I started planting my first mixed border with roses, shrubs and perennials three years ago and had no idea what I was doing at the time. I made lots of mistakes, am still adding, subtracting and moving stuff around, so don’t worry of you don’t get it all perfect looking from the outset... nobody does really, just have fun and experiment.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I started planting my first mixed border with roses, shrubs and perennials three years ago and had no idea what I was doing at the time. I made lots of mistakes, am still adding, subtracting and moving stuff around, so don’t worry of you don’t get it all perfect looking from the outset... nobody does really, just have fun and experiment.
That’s good advice. It’s particularly difficult if you’re starting from scratch with a new bed/border as you’re unlikely to have all the plants ready to go in at once - and it’s more complex then just looking at an available space within existing planting and popping something. You find as it all develops over time that the positions you originally planted the first lot of plants no longer works.
I had to move most things around this year. I filled gaps in with easy to grow annuals and perennials just to make it look nice this year but not with any long term plan in mind. Just testing things out. The main plants I’m wanting are all ones that I’m trying to increase by division or cuttings of the few I bought this year to save on cost.
Thank you so much for all the reassurance and advice. I lost sleep over it but now feeling better. i am now feeling confident that with your help, it will all look lovely.
Whoop! Received my first ever DA roses on Wed, I thought that was quick despatch, I'm sure I only ordered them last week. Left them to sort out until today when I have more time and currently have them soaking. My first thought was that they were quite small, or at least the canes were fine but they don't look too bad on the photo. From left, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, The Lark Ascending, Munstead Wood, The Poet's Wife.
I think The Lark looks ok, followed by CRM. The other two will go in pots for now as I am having some work done and want to keep them out of harm's way.
They look lovely. I am certainly falling in love with roses when even the bare root looks so pretty to me. I was thinking border will look so bare in winter but then i like a lovely dark layer of compost and rose stems over it.
How to store bare root roses until I am ready to plant out? I might receive those in sometime next week but i will not be ready to plant until weekend.
Hi @newbie77, I'd just leave them in the bag somewhere unheated if it was me, and just for a few days.
I received some recently and I'm sure it said they could be left for a couple of weeks, but most roses come with an instruction book, all my recent orders have🙂
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I cant find any photo of a mixed rose border where someone has planted in almost a row so I am not getting much confidence. there are so many photos of closeup of roses but people dont put many photos of borders containing them.
There is a dwarf wall instead of fence, then an existing Shrub border currently, which has medium/large shrubs. I am removing some lawn and widening this border by around 100 cm to plant roses in front of those shrubs.
Thanks for good ideas. Planting a bit zig-zagged is excellent idea. I will try to vary height and form of roses and put some Tall narrow perennials in between. I am thinking may be plant say 3 or 5 roses as a group, then leave space and plant something else like nandina or hydrangea or whatever i have in that space or put an obelisk, then another group of roses.
As far as how far apart to plant the roses, I would allow each rose the stated width - if it looks a bit sparse for the first year or two while the rose is growing into it’s stated width you can always fill in with annuals.
David Austin used to give standard advice that if planting a group of three roses (applies to 3 of the same type as Marlorena says) then plant them 50cm apart in a triangle so that they grow together and form one large shrub. The last time I ordered a rose from DA it came with a new leaflet with a planting width chart, with wider spacing for bigger shrubs.
I started planting my first mixed border with roses, shrubs and perennials three years ago and had no idea what I was doing at the time. I made lots of mistakes, am still adding, subtracting and moving stuff around, so don’t worry of you don’t get it all perfect looking from the outset... nobody does really, just have fun and experiment.
I had to move most things around this year. I filled gaps in with easy to grow annuals and perennials just to make it look nice this year but not with any long term plan in mind. Just testing things out. The main plants I’m wanting are all ones that I’m trying to increase by division or cuttings of the few I bought this year to save on cost.
My first thought was that they were quite small, or at least the canes were fine but they don't look too bad on the photo. From left, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, The Lark Ascending, Munstead Wood, The Poet's Wife.
I think The Lark looks ok, followed by CRM. The other two will go in pots for now as I am having some work done and want to keep them out of harm's way.
How to store bare root roses until I am ready to plant out? I might receive those in sometime next week but i will not be ready to plant until weekend.
I received some recently and I'm sure it said they could be left for a couple of weeks, but most roses come with an instruction book, all my recent orders have🙂