How to Grow and Care for Shrub Roses

Roses have suffered a poor reputation with many gardeners, but this is merely due to a few varieties that require fussy care. In Shrub Roses: Paradise in Bloom, Marilyn Raff shows gardeners how to enjoy beautiful rose blooms each season.

Species Roses & Hybrids

Species roses are commonly known as wild roses, and can be found growing throughout the world. It is a simple unadorned rose that may take some time to warm to initially, but has become a favorite for many rose lovers.

Climbing Roses

Roses that trail, climb and spill over fences, walls, houses and trellises are called rambling, or climbing, roses. They create a beautiful lush effect, and are a lovely way to add privacy to a patio or terrace. Some favorite climbers are thoroughly detailed by color in Shrub Roses, including:

• Miniature Pink Nozomi
• Bobbie James White
• Lawrence Johnston Yellow

Drought-Tolerant Roses

With water conservation a real concern in many areas, choosing roses that are drought tolerant is wise. Also, take into consideration other factors that will affect a need for water, such as being planted near high winds or in sandy soil. A few roses that can tolerate drought conditions include:

• John Cabot
• Maiden's Blush
• Banshee
• Complicata

Breeding Roses

Certain characteristics can be bred into roses by crossing one with another to achieve the desired results. In this way, hardiness, favorite colors or fragrances can be developed making a rose gardener's job more interactive and rewarding.

Design: How to Incorporate Roses into the Hardscape

Hardscapes are the "hard" elements of a garden: those design features which cannot be grown, such as stone, wood, decks, fences and paths. This is the bones of a garden and it is softened and beautified by the addition of flowers, particularly roses. The proper interplay of plants and hardscape will prevent visual chaos. Ms. Raff has thought of all the possibilities in Shrub Roses, including location, design matching, using climbers and the consideration of a winter landscape.

Summary

Reading any of Ms. Raff's books offers a glimpse into the evolution of her love of gardening. Take comfort in learning that the expertise offered comes from a woman who did not discover an interest in gardening until her mid-30s. Shrub Roses reads more story-like than instructional, and it is easy to find true inspiration in its pages. It is more about pleasure than work, and that is something an experienced gardener can already concede, and new gardeners will find encouraging. Soft bound, loaded with pictures and a quick, useful appendix, this is a rose-lovers book.