English Roses
English Roses, sometimes referred to as David Austin Roses are a
group of roses that where first introduced by English rose hybridizer David Austin in
1969. David Austin has concentrated his efforts on combining the best attributes of
both Old Roses ( Old Roses where introduced before 1867) and Modern Roses such as Hybrid
Teas, Floribundas and Grandifloras. Traights that he wanted to capture from the Old roses
included their charming cupped and rosette-shaped flower forms as well as their wonderful
fragrances. Modern Rose attributes he desired to combine with these Old Rose
characteristics included repeat flowering and wide range of flower colors.
David Austin accomplished his goals by crossing Old roses of the 18th and 19th centuries
with modern roses from the 19th century.
English Rose Charm
In the past decade the popularity of English Roses has exploded.
gardeners and landscape designers have literally fell in love with this wonderful
new class of Roses. The characteristics responsible for this love affair:
Flowering: Rosette shaped flowers that are slightly cupped
and almost always fully double. English Roses are repeat bloomers.
Fragrance: English Roses are very fragrant with scents
often described as fruity, tea scented and citrus.
Unique: Being relatively new to the gardening public
many people plant them simply because they are new and different.
English Rose Care:
Planting Bareroot English Roses: Upon
receiving your roses you will need to plant as soon as possible. If you unpack the
plants and are unable to plant at once make sure to soak the root system and wrap it back
up. Store unplanted bareroot roses in a cool dry area and do not allow the roots to
dry out. Before you plant soak the roots in a bucket of water overnight.
Proper depth of planting is determined by the harshness of your winters.
In colder areas the bud union ( the bulge where the top of the plant was grafted to
the rootstock) should be 4 inches below ground level. In areas with mild winters
(zones 8 and 9 ) the bud union should be at ground level.
Soil Preparation:
English Roses are very tolerant of different soil types but to achieve the best
results we recommend that you amend the soil with plenty of organic matter such as rotted
manure and compost. Discard 1/3 of the soil you remove from the planting hole and
replace this volume with the organic amendments. During your soil prep mix in a handful of
bone meal to help get the rose plant off to healthy start. (learn more about soil preparation)
Watering:
Regular watering is essential to the success of your newly planted English Roses.
After planting you will need to water regularly (every couple of days) until the plant has
time to establish itself. After about 4 -6 weeks you should be able to reduce watering to
once or twice per week depending of course on how much help you are getting from Mother
Nature. When watering always water deeply and it is recommended that you do not
water in late afternoons as it allows the leaves to remain wet overnight which can cause
fungal problems.
Feeding English Roses:
Repeat flowering varieties such as English Roses require a good supply of nutrients
through out the growing season and are therefor considered to be heavy feeders. For
best results use a combination of blood and bone meal as a top dressing applied three
times during the growing season. The first feeding should be applied in early spring
as soon as growth starts to appear, apply the second feeding about 6 weeks later and a
third after the first round of flowering begins to fade. We also liquid feed twice
bi-monthly from late April through the first August with fish emulsion or seaweed extract.
Sun:
Plant your English Roses in a area that receives at least 5 hours of direct
sunlight. We have noticed that some shelter from strong, hot afternoon sun will help
the flowers hold their color longer.
Hardiness:
David Austin's English Roses are hardy in zones 5 and warmer. 'Abraham Darby'
and 'Cottage Rose' can be grown in the colder areas of Zone 4 with protection (see below).
Graham Thomas often needs protection even in colder areas of Zones 5 and 6.
Winter Protection:
English Roses like all roses benefit greatly from winter protection when grown in
the colder climates of zones 5 and 6. Deep planting of the bud union as described
above is the first step to winter protection. We also recommend that you take the
protection one step further.  As winter approaches
(December) we recommend that you build a mulch cone around the bottom of your English
Roses. As winter approaches and the ground begins to freeze (December) cover the plant
with 10-12 inches of leaves, compost or sawdust. Remove the winter protection as
soon as warmer weather begins (Late February). This same technique works great
for all roses grown in areas with cold winters.
Pruning:
Gardeners grow English Roses not just for their beautiful blooms but also for the
shrub itself. Each plant is different; arching, upright, bushy etc.. so before
pruning know the natural growth habit . (note:
the English Roses we offer look best pruned as a bush with the exception of Graham Thomas
which has an upright habit much like a modern Hybrid Tea) Pruning should be
done in early spring just as new growth begins to emerge. First completely remove
any dead or damage stems then cut down between 1/3 - 2/3 of the plant. During
the summer you may need to selectively prune to maintain shape and for heavier
flowering deadhead all faded blossoms.
Enjoy Your English Roses
|
