If you want to add summer colour and fragrance to a patio or deck, then our tips on how to plant roses in pots may come in handy.
These beautiful blooms are a well-loved favourite, and you don't have to have acres of space to grow them. With the right varieties and a few pretty containers, you can fill even the smallest of gardens with their romantic, whimsical charm and delicious scent.
Roses care is more straightforward than you might think, too, once you've got the know-how. But when growing them in garden planters, there are a few tips to take on board for the very best results – our guide explains all.
How to plant roses in pots in 6 simple steps
John Negus, a renowned British horticulturist, author and journalist, shares his step-by-step tips on how to plant roses in pots.
- Choose a planter of a decent size that can comfortably accommodate all the roots of your rose plant. Place it in its final position (for example as part of your patio planting ideas) as it may be too heavy to move once planted up. Ideally go for somewhere that gets sun for at least half the day. Cover the drainage hole with 8cm of crocks or stones and sit the rose, in its pot, in the centre.
- Mix a nutrient-rich potting compost with mycorrhizal fungi – for instance, John Innes potting compost No3 (available on Amazon) and Rootgrow (also available on Amazon). You can also add 10–20% multi-purpose or well-rotted manure for added richness. Work it into the gap between both pots and firm it gently. Carefully remove the potted rose and tap it from its container. Place the root ball into the hole you have made in the larger pot and add a little more compost.
- Plant it at the same depth at which it was previously growing. Make sure that the compost surface is about 5cm below the rim of the pot, for watering.
- Stand the pot on 'feet' to ensure that surplus moisture freely drains away. After planting, water copiously so that roots are in close contact with the compost.
- Pruning roses should normally be done in late winter to early spring. Shorten the main stems by half and side shoots to two buds. Remove crowded stems from the middle of the bush.
- Containers dry out quicker than flower beds so need more frequent watering. Water your potted roses freely in dry spells and fertilise plants with a high-potash liquid feed weekly from late spring to early autumn.
You might want to include automatic watering as part of your garden irrigation plans too.
Containing essential nutrients, this plant feed is specifically designed to meet the needs of roses to ensure vibrant blooms. Use weekly throughout the growing season to strengthen plants.
When is the best time to plant a rose in a pot?
If you've bought your rose in a pot, it can generally be planted at any time of the year. Avoid doing so during periods of drought or frost, however.
If you're planting bare root roses, this is best done from late autumn to mid-spring. Similar timings work well if you are planting bare root trees in pots too.
What are the best types of roses for containers?
Not all types of roses thrive in containers, as they need a deep root run.
"You could try hybrid tea varieties, but I suspect they will not do terribly well," says John. "The best roses for containers are the patio and miniature types, which can be grown in small but deep pots (23-35cm) deep. You could also try less vigorous and climbing roses, but use larger containers with a minimum depth of 30-46cm.
"The RHS recommends the following as its top five roses for containers: 'Nice Day' (patio climber), 'Sweet Dream' (patio and also suitable as a standard), 'Magic Carpet' (groundcover), 'Laura Ford' (patio climber) and 'Robin Redbreast' (miniature or ground cover)," John continues.
I would also recommend looking in a catalogue to choose the varieties you like. David Austin recommends English roses for container growing and there are many varieties on the website. Look for a climbing variety if you want to train it up a pergola or fence as a screening plant.
Shop roses to grow in pots
Growing to just over two metres in height, this climbing rose will work well in a smaller space and is ideal for container growing.
Supplied in a pot ready for planting in your choice of container, this patio rose has peach-coloured flowers and will repeat bloom during the growing season.
A compact climbing rose with yellow double blooms that repeat flowers throughout the summer. Ideal as a patio plant in a container, its eventual height is up to around 250cm.
FAQs
How do you care for potted roses after summer?
Roses are dormant in winter and generally unaffected by frosts, but if yours are still flowering, they will appreciate a little protection.
John suggests wrapping two layers of bubble plastic around the pots and covering the compost with a 10cm layer of composted bark to encourage strong growth the following year. In spring, remove the top 10–12cm of compost and replace it with a nutrient-rich compost.
Whether your roses are still flowering or not when temperatures drop, it's a good idea to site the pots somewhere sunny and sheltered – along a garden wall, for instance. Ensure each is on pot 'feet' so that excess moisture drains away.
If you can only find an exposed site in your garden landscaping for your potted roses, and they've finished flowering, you may wish to cut them back by a third of their size in autumn. As the David Austin team explains, this can help prevent 'wind rock', which is where wind loosens roses at their base from the soil.
The original version of this article previously appeared on Gardeningetc, a sister website to Homebuilding & Renovating.
