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What to grow under my climbing roses?
nicklowe52
Posts: 6
in Plants
Hi everyone,
My wife and I moved into our house 3 years ago. When we moved in the front garden had a gravel path with a bamboo hedge along it. Needless to say the bamboo was rather out of control and I spent a lot of time digging up shoots from the middle of the path! Eventually I decided to get rid of the bamboo and gravel, lay a new path, erect a fence and plant climbing roses along it.
The roses arrived in November last year and are growing nicely and just starting to flower. Last weekend I began to train them along wires.
My question to you all is, what would you suggest I plant under/inbetween the roses? I don't really want anything too tall that might detract from the roses, and also don't really want anything that will spill over on to the path too much (as you can see the border isn't that wide). It would be great to hear any suggestions and if you have pictures from your own rose border it would be lovely to see how they might look!
Thanks in advance
Nick
My wife and I moved into our house 3 years ago. When we moved in the front garden had a gravel path with a bamboo hedge along it. Needless to say the bamboo was rather out of control and I spent a lot of time digging up shoots from the middle of the path! Eventually I decided to get rid of the bamboo and gravel, lay a new path, erect a fence and plant climbing roses along it.
The roses arrived in November last year and are growing nicely and just starting to flower. Last weekend I began to train them along wires.
My question to you all is, what would you suggest I plant under/inbetween the roses? I don't really want anything too tall that might detract from the roses, and also don't really want anything that will spill over on to the path too much (as you can see the border isn't that wide). It would be great to hear any suggestions and if you have pictures from your own rose border it would be lovely to see how they might look!
Thanks in advance
Nick
0
Posts
It's very narrow. I think I would go to a garden Centre and choose some pretty annuals for this year. There are a lot of roses and there may not be enough space for perennials in future years.
I also think that your border is very narrow, roses love water and nutrients, there could be alot of competition with other plants.
If you want to cover the soil you'd need something porous like gravel or chipped bark but you need to consider how would then add an annual mulch of manure to keep the soil healthy and feed your roses.
Try training your stems more horizontally or laterally too. It will increase their flower power. Keep them well watered in dry spells.
Assuming you don't live in the coldest of areas, you want Parahebe 'Porlock'.. it forms an evergreen mound, and flowers all summer on and off with pretty blue flowers to contrast with your roses and the colour of your fence.
It does not over run too much either and is easily trimmed back whenever..
I have it all over the place with roses, sun or shade, moist or day, and tolerates mulch and manure. Good luck with your roses, they look nice.
As to perennials, another one that might work is Verbena Bonariensis Lollipop, which is a dwarf version of it’s much taller cousin and doesn’t take up hardly any soil space. That interplanted with the Parahebe Marlorena recommends might look good. Chives would also work and they are a good companion plant for roses. I would be a bit cautious about hardy geraniums as they can be quite bullish and sprawling so might invade your path too much.