roses: in beds or part of a border?

At garden club yesterday, someone mentioned not having a "rose bed" but rather, sprinkling roses about as part of mixed borders. Said they were less likely to transmit diseases to each other like the dread Black Spot. On the other hand, they might get a little less air that way. Anyone have any thoughts about this?

I prefer my roses intermingled among other plants in a cottage garden fashion, but I do keep their neighbors in check for air circulation. Now I'm experimenting with companion plants that are said to help deter various insects and diseases, like lavender, various herbs, alliums, etc. I don't think you'd see much difference in disease susceptibility in either case as long as companions, whether rose or other plant, are kept at a proper distance. The kind of roses you like to grow makes a difference too. I go for more tolerant varieties like old roses and some of the tough modern shrubs and climbers, but if I was more into hybrid teas I could see the advantage of having them in a designated rose garden for practicality and more efficient care.

Are you considering a rose garden?

Neal

I have a rose bed, well mostly roses, with a few daylilies and geraniums scattered about. Last year they really got hit with black spot and rust. It was my first summer in the Pacific Northwest, rather than very dry Montana, so I have a lot to learn

Some years are worse than others for black spot, but it also sounds like a matter of learning what varieties tolerate the weather conditions of your new location. There are roses suited to just about any climate, its just a lot of trial and error figuring those out. No matter how long we grow roses, there's always still lots to learn, LOL. Perhaps checking with rose groups in your area would be helpful, or perhaps a thread here or in the Pacific Northwest forum appealing to those in your area to suggest varieties they've found vigorous. Best of luck!
Neal

Mine are all in the borders with other plants. I don't have enough humidity here to have blackspot and grouping things closer is a look I enjoy.

Being in hot and humid zone 9, I used to plant nothing but roses in my "rose bed," with maybe a vine like morning glory on the back fence and a few small flowers in front.

In the past couple of years, however, I've tried mixing them with more flowers, but I've become hooked on attracting butterflies, and the pesticides I have to use aren't safe for the butterflies. I"m down to two rose bushes from about twenty, and they are going to have to make it without pesticides this year or they are going. My Rio Samba might do ok, but I think Tiffany will be on a death watch for most of the summer. :(

Jo

You can always go with the rugosas. They are tough, disease resistant, continuous bloomers and come in 3 sizes. See my article on these gems : http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/671/
These and the old English hybrids do very well in a mixed cottage garden setting. David Austin has some spectacular Old English varieties. As well as Palentines.

Thanks! I love David Austins, but I shop at a very nice rose nursery, and the David Austins always look so...pitiful. :( They never appear healthy and vigorous, even though the rest of the stock looks great, so I've always been a bit leary about investing in one.

Which one or two varieties would you recommend?

Jo

What color do you favor? I just got their latest catalog. I've gotten excellent high quality bare root roses from them in the past. And have no problem buying from them again. This gentleman knows what he's doing.

Thanks! I guess I'll have to look into the David Austins again. On line maybe?

Jo

http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/ Here you go, do move back from the keyboard, LOL

Oh, oh, oh!

I looked at the roses that are recommended for my zone. Which of these would you recommend?

Jude the OBscure
Lady Emma Hamilton
Tamora

Health? Vigor? Repeat blooms?

Anybody?

Jo

You and I must have very similar tastes I was looking at 3 Jude the Obscure and 3 Crown Princess Margareta to add to my biggest bed with my Thomas Lipton. It is a rambler, single blooms but throws glorious hip and smells so wonderful.
I've been wanting to expand that bed and add more roses and inter plant with some perennials and annuals. I was thinking of maybe some baby's breath and low growing spirea and some of the newer lavenders. I've got plenty of room to "play" in that area. I have a very unattractive power pole in the middle of the front yard and was thinking about planting a couple of the climbers around it. LOL

Thanks! I think I'll ask around in the Texas forum and see if anyone can help me there.

Jo

I have roses as part of two different beds. I love them intermingled. Between the annuals, perennials and roses, there is always something in bloom. These are from Jackson and Perkins - its a low growing pink rose surrounded by lots of other stuff.

As of last year, I really cut back on any chemicals. It does get hot and humid here, but they have done well. This year, I have to be careful with the black eye susans because they were threatening to overwhelm everything. This is a picture in June 2007.

Same bed late July. This was my first time growing zinnias. I didn't know they would be so tall.

pennefeather, that is gorgeous. Just beautiful arrangement. I love the black eyed susans, it really makes it POP!

pfeather, that is gorgeous! I love zinnias and some can get very tall, but I have also grown some that are quite short. Can't recall the name of the petite ones, but they did very well just as easy as the tall ones are to grow.

Here is one area of my front courtyard with the roses planted near the stucco wall and daisies, cosmos, catnip,daylilies, larkspur and some saliva too( I think? lol!) all planted in the front of the bed. I placed some stones around in the bed to help me with cutting the roses and finding my way through the "joyful jumble" it becomes.

Wow! Thanks for the great ideas, all. I love the pictures. They really help me to see the possibilities. I guess the rose will be the queen, but can be nicely offset by perennials or annuals.

Yes, roses are the queens of the garden, and seem to require some "ladies in waiting", LOL

I mix mine all in.. not for any of the reasons mentioned at your meeting.. but just because I have to put it all in somewhere! :)

Here's mine with roses and much more :)

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/774521/

:)

Susan

I love your pot with the cascading dichondra...it looks like a snowy path of beauty! so pretty

Susan, I love your garden. I also enjoyed your thread on "noncompost"

Glad you liked them both! :) I am a "noncomposter"!

:)

Susan

Where's the thread on noncompost? That sounds like something I need to look at!