This year I want to take you through the calendar months with a plant in profile. But with a difference, we will be looking at the maintenance of some garden favourites. Thus January is the month of the Rose. 

All roses benefit from an annual prune unless of course, you have a generous garden that can take the abundance of the rambling rose. Best when left to froth abundant over boundaries. 

Hybrid, Floribunda, Shrub, English, Grandiflora, Climbers, and Ground Cover Roses are best pruned in winter when they are dormant. They are strong vigorous plants when they enjoy their conditions and they can take a good haircut to keep them in shape. This pruning process ensures the new current year’s growth is full of lots of blooms. The key here is a framework. They are tip bearing woody perennials and as such produce their flowers on the current year’s growth. 

The blooms are big and heavy so roses do not really want to be pruned hard (eg. 2 inches above the ground). In fact, they all benefit from that aforementioned framework that thickens and holds shorter extension growth stable above the plant. This is in the main 4-6 inches above the ground unless a climber.

Prune to create a cushion-like shape, take out dead diseased and damaged wood, remove fallen leaves, and mulch with farmyard manure FYM for best results.

With love, Lucie xx

Want to know more? Get in touch for my rose health checklist or join me for the Rose Pruning Masterclass on @mimosadesign Facebook.

Email: info.mimosadesign@gmail.com
Call: 07737 286784