Your
Rose Garden Site
Before starting to
plant your roses, analyze the spot you
want to plant in. There are a few things you need to know before you
start your
rose garden site, so
your roses will get what is needed to produce healthy plants.
How much sunlight does
your chosen spot get a day? Roses
need a least five to six hours of sunlight each day. Is the spot you
have chosen in the sun or partly shaded? Roses need full sunlight to
grow well. Pick a spot that has lots of morning sun. Roses need a large
amount of sunlight to grow properly.
What is your chosen
spots soil pH? The best soil pH level is
be between 5
.5
and 7. You
should be able to find a pH testing kit for
your soil at your local garden center.
Does the spot you chose
drain well? Soil that does not drain
well can make your roses weak and may even kill them. So choose wisely,
nothing like planting
your roses only to watch them
die because the soil did not drain
properly.
What about the organic
matter that is in your 
the soil? Organic
matter like lime or manure help to feed
the
roots of roses. They are hungry
feeders and like a lot of fertile
soil.
What kind of space do
you have? Do you have enough room for
the roses you want to plant? Find out about what size your roses will
be when they become mature plants. It is best to dig a hole two times
bigger than the amount of space that your roses will take up. This
makes them easier to plant and gives your roses space to grow freely
and mature.
How about competition?
Are there tree roots in your garden
area? The trees roots can and will steal nutrients
and
moisture your roses need to survive.
What color combinations
do I use? As always choosing the
color of your roses is a personal preference. Think about how
your color choices will look. Many people have a knack for
choosing colors that go together well, and still others need
some
help. For those of yo
u
who need help, how about using a color wheel we
all learned about in school. Remember the complementary and contrasting
colors a color wheel illustrated. These may help in choosing the colors
you want to plant. There are also other factors the affect our choice
of color for roses. Brightness
of a color, the area of a color, the
saturation of colors, the closeness of colors to each other,
light
and what our feelings are about a color. Still having a
problem
with what colors to use and the color wheel did not help? How
about using colored pencils or crayons and paper to make color swatches
of colors that you would like to plant. Cut them apart 
and place the colors
beside
each other, this can help you get some idea of what
your
rose
colors may look like together. Picking colors for
your rose
garden is easy, choose colors that please and make
you happy.
After all you are the one who will be looking at
your rose garden
the most.
What are some
uses for your roses? They are a
versatile plant, since roses have two
main features
structure and
color. Roses can be used many ways in your garden.
Roses can
be planted in groups alone and in
mixed hedges or as hedges by
themselves. They can be planted with other flowers or perennials. Roses
make
great spot plants when you find you need color somewhere.
Have you thought about
your rose garden design? Roses bring
a great look to any garden, be it by themselves, or with other shrubs
or
flowers. They often soften a corner that may look hard or add beauty to
a stonewall as they spill over the top. Being creative with
your
roses might surprise you, they can go very well with other
plants. Plant them next to your favorite perennials and see what they
look like together. They can complement one another's colors, shape and
the time they bloom. Added structure also benefits your rose garden,
this may come from taller flowers or from structures like ardors or
trellises. The
best way to plan your rose garden design is to make a drawing of what
you want your garden to look like. To see how the colors you choose
will work together, use colored pencils and color in the shades you
wish to use. It is always easier to arrange flowers and plants around
on the paper than it would be after they are already in your
garden. So remember to plan ahead! You can get great sources
for
garden designs and information from books. Rose garden designs can be
formal or an expression of your own taste. Here is a web site that may
help in your search for design plans, it is a list of interactive
garden sites that literally help you map out a garden. Visit here at:
http://www.infotoday.com/linkup/lud091507-roberti.shtml
Whatever
design form you decide on remember to have fun and enjoy designing your rose garden site.
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