Every garden should have at least one scented rose in it and although they may need a little more care than many other plants, the joy of burying my nose in the first blooms of the summer never loses its magic!
I am especially fond of the old shrub roses; I can forgive them their black spot and mildews just for a sniff of the strong scent from their flat ‘cut off’ flowers that are crammed full of petals. The wonderful old rose ‘Charles de Mills’ is one of the best in June and July with sumptuous deep purple flowers and rich scent. No wonder there are so many ‘old masters’ paintings of these beautiful blooms! The almost thornless stems are easily tied into wires or a fence and if the spent blooms are removed back to healthy leaves, some later flowers will appear.
The Musk roses are another favorite group of shrub roses and although the flowers are smaller, they are borne in nodding clusters through the summer and into autumn again with a sweet scent. Left to themselves, these plants would make unruly mounds, but I train them by tying the long shoots down and into the main stems near the ground to make a neat shape and keep them more suitable for a smaller garden. I first saw this done at Sissinghurst Castle and Garden in Kent, where many shrub roses are grown in the cottage garden there. Tying the growth in like this means that the plant will concentrate on producing short shoots of flowering wood, creating a mass of flowers through the summer months.
The New English roses have impressive blood lines and are affectionately known as ‘David Austin Roses’ after the nurseryman who has raised many of them. They are beautiful roses which have the shape and fragrance of old shrub roses with more disease resistance. Along with the vigour of modern varieties and in most cases, repeat flowering ability these are a good bet for the modern garden, where space is often at a premium. One of my favourites is ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ named after the Edwardian garden designer. ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ has deep pink flowers, crammed with petals and a strong scent. The plant has an upright habit and repeat flowers well until autumn. ‘Graham Thomas’ is named after the gardener and writer and has lemon yellow, cup shaped flowers with a looser arrangement of petals and a strong ‘tea’ scent. There are many New English Roses available and I am always on the lookout for new shades and of course a sumptuous scent!
All Roses appreciate a good soil which is moisture retentive, so I mulch around the base of the plants with rotted horse manure twice each year to keep the soil in good condition. I also feed the plants with Top Rose once they have had their first flush of flowers and again in late summer. By keeping the plants happy there will be plenty of blooms to enjoy in the garden and also in Mrs McGregor’s flower arrangements!
Happy Gardening,
Mr McGregor
