Is it too late to buy roses for containers

[Wobblycogs]

Hi folks.

I would like two bush roses in containers in front of my south facing front porch.

The containers are plastic, about 50 litres capacity, (I think)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B073MPDD36/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Of course the front of my house gets full sun for 90% of the day. (Unless it's raining! )

Can any enthusiasts suggest suitable varieties; bearing in mind I don't want them to grow much higher than a metre.
I prefer medium to large blooms. Should I have two identical varieties, or maybe two different ?
Any thoughts would be welcome and I thank members in anticipation.

Wobbly. (John)

 

[alp]

I saw tons of roses reduced to £5 or £10 in my beloved nurseries, but I had neither room nor money. Some were from Peter Beale and some from David Austin.. Never too late. Grab yourself a healthy bargain .. My tenner of Arthur Bell is showing rust. and down below there is a sucker. You win some and lose some. If you like it and the price is reasonable, let your heart rule!

 

[Wobblycogs]

Many thanks Alp.

I have to make a narrow platform of decking fist, to get a horizontal, level stand. (My drive slopes away from the house quite markedly.) Still, I could check what's available locally, and buy something nice; keeping them cosy while I do the construction.

Obliged for the response.

Wobbly

 

[alp]

You're welcome! Go to some posh gcs but make a beeline for the reduced corner. I'd love to have one Austin Rose or Peter Beale's - I haven't had any. Or key in AGM and see what they have going. They came with at least 3 to 5L pot so if you buy wisely, it could be a perennial source of joy! Look out for rust though or the bargain is only good for the bin.

 

[marlingardener]

Wobbly, roses at your entryway will look stunning! I don't know what roses are available in the UK, but if Knockout roses are at nurseries, you might consider them. They bloom a lot, and depending on the type, have single or multiple petal flowers.
David Austin roses are magnificent. Some get really large (we have a Lady Hillingdon that is currently at 6') but Tamara is only 3' at maturity, very scented, and lovely blooms.
Bengal Tiger is a multicolored rose and short; Delightful Phyllis is cream colored and short; Sophie's Rose is red and short but wide; and Caldwell Pink gets wide. Of course, with judicious pruning a rose can be kept in bounds.
Personally, I'd have two different roses. If one doesn't do well, you won't have to run all over town trying to find the matching variety.

 

[Sheal]

The containers you have in mind John are much to shallow for shrub roses. I would suggest you find containers at least twice the depth of those.

The website below will give you an idea of which roses to choose, you can also select different roses for different situations. For you it would be tubs/pots etc. You also need to make a decision on which variety, whether you'd like blooms on individual stems - Hybrid T's, or possibly Floribunda's, multiple flowers on stems etc.

https://www.styleroses.co.uk/

 

[Wobblycogs]

Thanks again folks.

The choices are bewildering, but my idea seems to fit with 'floribunda' varieties. I would like plenty of blooms, with a good aspect from wherever they are viewed. (I was thinking of putting the containers m on 'Lazy-Susan' turntables so I can turn them to give the plants as much full sun as needs be. Two of my favourites are Peace and Ena Harkness, but whether or not they are suitable, I know not!) )

There is a cat among my pigeons though, over the containers I've chosen. It looks like I will be buying something more suitable next month. No problem really as I have containers in other parts of my garden. I just wanted something nice for the front of the house.

What about these containers Sheal?


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Terracotta...srs=8955800031&ie=UTF8&qid=1529223052&sr=8-49


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Byzantine-..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=9QMJ2243V8VQ031TB37D

Many Thanks again.

John

 

[Sheal]

Floribunda's are hardy John so will put up with low temperatures. The two roses you have chosen are both hybrid T's and tend to grow one flower to a stem although they will produce other blooms through the season as those die off. Both 'Peace' and 'Ena Harkness' are popular roses.

Below are a handful of the Floribunda's that I grew in my previous garden. They put on the sort of display I think you're looking for. With deadheading during the growing season they will repeat bloom right through to early winter with the right conditions.

'Blue For You'

'Brushstrokes'

'Lucky! '

'Rob Roy'

I realise you are looking for something attractive pot wise, but when it comes to roses you have to be practical.They are strong rooted and if at any time they need to be removed from their pots ( although they prefer not to be disturbed) it would be best to select something straight sided. For example your second choice above would make it difficult to remove the root ball from the shoulders of the pot through the narrower neck. I would also choose pots that have at least a depth of 60cm. Roses need room for root expansion and enough soil for them to take up nutrients and water. Sorry, I say this quite often....they are hungry and thirsty plants particularly in pots.

Alternatively there are patio roses, smaller shrubs but with smaller blooms.

 

[marlingardener]

Sheal is right. I have a rose that wasn't doing well in a container and I've been nursing it back to health for two seasons. Most nurseries will label roses as "container" or "patio" roses. Believe them--they don't want unhappy customers!
In my previous post I didn't mention Rise 'n' Shine which is a miniature rose, very adapted to containers, lovely and frequent yellow blooms and very hardy.

 

[Wobblycogs]

Thanks again to everyone.

One thing I have discovered; Why my Lady Wife could never get much joy from an Ena Harkness, which a dear pensioner gave us in 1965. No matter what my wife did, she could never get it to flourish. I have just discovered it is a climbing rose, and Jean had been trying to grow it as a bush rose! I have one rose left now, a pale peach colour, which is in a shady spot, and which is over-reaching for the light. Now my wife is in full-time care; clearly the job falls to me, so in September I shall have to move this rose.

I have been looking for deeper containers, but the deepest I can find is nowhere near 60cm. So I will have make cedar-wood planters myself. I'll fill the two pots I bought with bulbs for next year; layer planted for succession of bloom.

Thanks again for all the sound advice. I am not a bad gardener, it's just that my wife loved it, and usually only let me do the digging and other grunt-work! Wise woman!

 

[Mike Allen]

Actually I think this is a good time for the average gardener to buy roses. You have the rose, all potted up and usually have some blooms also. This is so different from buying bare root plants. Yes the latter are perhaps so much cheaper but. What have you got? Not only the condition of the plant but sadly so many gardeners buy bare rooted roses only to find late that the name is wrong, at least by paying that little bit extra, a potted plant with foliage and flower. So you like the flower and the scent, who cares waht it's called.

 

[Sheal]

If bare root roses are bought from a 'respectable' grower/retailer Mike then there shouldn't be a problem with labelling. All mine except one (because they didn't have it) came from a well known rose supplier in Essex, England.

 

[Mike Allen]

Thanks Sheal. Eight years ago this month I lost my wife to heart disease, we'd been married for fortynine years and never had a row. As we were both rose lovers, I redesigned the garden mainly to a rose garden in her memory.

I ordered a section of bare root roses from a well known Hertfordshire rose grower to the sum of nearly £300.00 Upon reciept of the roses, I wasn't very happy. Several had only a single graft/bud that had taken, very poor indeed. I contacted the grower immediately complaining, followed by several follow-up complaints. Not a word. In the end I wrote it off as a bad deal and planted them all. Needless to say most died or never came to anything. Now I will make use of the GC's

 

[Mike Allen]

Hi John aka wobblycogs. My late wife Valerie loved the rose. Ena Harkness. You know. In the rose world, Ena Harkness is still considered the best Red rose ever. Yes it's an oldie now but still worth having in a collection. Sadly Ena Harkness is loved for it's colour and scent but, sadly 'she soon hangs her head'. The neck of the stem just simply droops. John getting back to your containers etc. 60cm depth is OK. If planting a bare root rose. You can pune the roots, mainly the heavier ones.
Your choice of roses is upto you but, I think you might do best wit a couple of Florabundas. You will get more flowers for a start. I wish you all the best.

 

[Sheal]

Mike I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your wife. I'm also sorry you had a bad experience with the roses you bought. Unfortunately we sometimes make the wrong choice of grower/retailer and that tends to mar our future dealings with similar places.

I have used three different rose growers around the country all of which have supplied what I've ordered in perfect condition, properly labelled and well packed for delivery. I'm happy to pass on the names of these nurseries if you are interested.

 

[Mike Allen]

Sheal, thank you so much for your kind words, much appreciated. I became a rose lover before my marriage and up until the RNRS recently went into administration, I was a member. Also I have been a Fellow/member sice the 1960's of the RHS. My friend the late Supt of Londons Regents Park. 1964 Val and I moved into a council maisonette. I am still here. Having cleaned the tip of a garden up, I bought my first roses from Parkers, I still have two of those left now. Most recent I placed an order with Harkness. Sadly my memories are not good. I have dealt with Styles and some of the cheapy firms that are British based but continentally owned.
Peter Beales remains a very good firm. Such a sad story to that family. Peter's wife died and then Peter soon followed, then closely followed by Amanda, such a shock to the rose world. I ordered some older classic roses from Peter, very fast service. Sadly a favourite of mine, Super Star got damaged in transit. Within a week, I had placed my first order, rec'd and mentioned damage plant, by return of post I had a new Super Star. I can't sing their praises enough.
Yes I have purchased several of David Austins roses. Once again great plants but you pay a lot for the name. Never mind. A great man in the world of roses.

During my time working for the MOD. The driver from BOC, British Oxygen Company, who delivered medical gases to this military hospital stopped by the greenhouses. Morning gardener. A lot of my work mates grow roses, can you supply. Believe it or not but in those days Government depts held ont the cash bags. I'd been head hunted for this post and it was agreed that provided the gardens wre kept in trim, what I could make on the side was mine.

So I said yes to my new friend. Turns out his name is Alf. This was back in the late 1960's. During our conversation he mentioned a stall holder in Woolwich market. I knew this chap and his wife. Stan Mills. Alf insisted that I didn't buy from him. Soon the orders rolled in. Alf is still wih us and lives in the next street to my daughter Amanda. He always mentions the rosed bought fom me, they are still going strong. Yes I got them fro Stan Mills. I added one shilling to each and made a good profit.

 

[Sheal]

It's an interesting life you've had Mike.

I've not bought roses from Peter Beale's, probably because I've been happy with my previous suppliers. I moved house nine months ago and now live in a rural area. The garden here has to blend in with it's surroundings so the few roses I intend to plant this time will have a more natural look. I've started with planting four Rugosa's (Alba) recently and intend to have others with a naturally sprawling habit. I won't be having a perfectly groomed rose bed as in my last garden.

 

[Wobblycogs]

Thanks Mike for your contribution and my condolences too. We have to harbour the good memories; and I am sure you have many. My Lady is still in full-care and clearly she won't be coming home again. It's mostly because of Jean that I have decided to return to gardening, and roses. I have just taken delivery of Three roses to start with. 'Lady of Shalott', 'The Lady Gardener' and 'Sir John Betjeman'. Three fine, healthy plants. And the scent from 'The Lady Gardener' is an absolute knockout. I can't describe the scent, but this one rose has smothered my patio with its perfume; I get a whiff as soon as I turn the corner from my yard. Of course the flower is just as gorgeous.
I also have three Ena Harkness bare-root on order, but today I discovered a single rose rowing in poor soil ext to the lawn which surrounds my house. I think Jean must have put it there. I am going to keep an eye on it and maybe move it in the autumn. Who knows, it might be the missing Ena Harkness!

Incidentally, I think our lives must have been very similar. I joined the RN in 1954 as a 15 year-old. And a colourful existence ensued thereafter! Now I must get on and make a container for my roses! My son is going to make a raised bed for more; as soon as he can eradicate the Bryony and the Brambles!

Cheers Mike,

Regards
Wobbly-John

PS I have two of these containers: I'd forgotten about hem and they have to be drilled for drainage... Do you think they will be big enough. For The Lady Gardener and Sir John Betjemen?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Large-Gard...eywords=victorian+garden+and+lighting+company

 

[Sheal]

I'm sorry to here of the news of your wife John. I hope she is reasonably well even though she is in full time care. Your garden and roses will certainly bring you some joy, especially with the glorious scents wafting around you.

Your pots are still a little short height-wise but I think you will get away with them. Definitely with 'Sir John Betjeman' as it's one of the smaller roses at just over 3ft, but I'm not so sure about 'The Lady Gardener'. It has an average height of 4-5ft and it may struggle. I can only suggest that you try them both and see if they thrive. Good luck!

 

[Wobblycogs]

Thank you Sheal. That's so much appreciated.

I am hoping Number-One Son can come over on Saturday to help me finish off the platform in front of my porch. I have the roses bought and ready to go into the big pots. I chose 'Dame Judi Dench', 'Sir John Betjeman' and 'Summer Song' for this position. 'Lady of Shalott' will be going in the border beside my hard-standing, along with 'The Lady Gardener' and 'Peace'. I know almost every rose lover has 'Peace', but so what! It is a lovely rose. I hope it likes my soil!

PS. I've found some lovely containers too; 25 inches deep, glazed terracotta. I shall have to get them in stages! They are £48.00 each! Ho-Hum!