@poppyfield64 I think your question about how to prune Hansa got lost there...
I used to have it but it didn't do well for me, suffered a lot of die back. Rather than a pure rugosa it’s a rugosa hybrid and described as a shrub rose so I think you would be safe to prune as normal. Unless it is growing out of control though, I would just prune it lightly just in case you lose flowers next summer. Hopefully someone else can be more precise for you..
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@K67 Regarding the suckering habit.. my understanding is that true rugosas are own root (not grafted) and therefore any ‘suckers’ or basal growths should be true to parent plant, that is it will produce the same flowers etc and therefore not real suckers..?
It does sound you have had a slightly disappointing time with rugosa alba.. I have not come across an alba in person but I have sniffed a rubra before and it smelled very pleasant (and quite different to modern roses).
@celcius_kkw yes you are right they are roots but they branch out as they spread so you get them popping up in places you dont want. As to scent they do smell lovely but as I don't seem to get the mass of flowers I expected it's not as all pervading as I had hoped. I think it's the sprawling untidyness i dont like as there are too many stems with just a few flowers at the top.
@peteS I wouldn't worry about the roots much. It will have time to regrow some over the winter. If you think the rootball is too small when you get it out, you can cut back the upper growth.
@celcius_kkw Not wanting to talk you out of it but why the species and not some of the smaller hybrids?
Talking about crazy ideas, I've always wanted to try r. o. pteracantha and cut it completely to the ground every year or after flowering to have the new thorny red stems only. But I think I don't have a spot for it where evening sun could shine through the thorns. It would need to be the front garden and that's crazy a bit too much.
@newbie77 Lavender - 'Novalis', expect some balling but you can't do better for disease resistance. Bi-colour - I have 'Bordure Camaieu', a small rose and a real colour-changer, yellow and pink or orange and pink, often very colourful.
@edhelka I’m totally open to suggestions.. the reason I picked species is because they’re meant to be the most hardy and resistant to the elements - as they supposedly grow really well in coastal areas.. the only spots left on my balcony are extremely exposed and windy - so it has to be a rose that can really take a good beating from the frequent strong wind we get up here.. all the sheltered spots have otherwise been taken up by the more delicate modern hybrids..
And I like them to be strongly fragrant and repeat flower too.. I’m obviously not asking for too much here 😛
The back garden (BTW I have the arch next to the house to get used to it there and see if I like it. It's one of the locations for the new planned half-arches).
The front garden
'Joie de Vivre'
'Jacqueline Humery'... looks much better now than it did in summer
'Souvenir de St. Anne's' blooms don't last long but there are many of them.
And continuing with the white theme, Japanese anemones
Posts
As to scent they do smell lovely but as I don't seem to get the mass of flowers I expected it's not as all pervading as I had hoped.
I think it's the sprawling untidyness i dont like as there are too many stems with just a few flowers at the top.
And I like them to be strongly fragrant and repeat flower too.. I’m obviously not asking for too much here 😛
Out of the 10 planted only this one left now. Spread is about 4 ft, and it was cut down to about 2 inches early this year!