English garden roses: care features, varieties

No other flower has received more attention from gardeners over so many centuries than roses. English garden roses are among the most fragrant flowers, and they are once again gaining popularity. The special charm of these roses comes from their flowers, which boast not only an unusually rich aroma but also a very diverse color palette. They also require less care, even than hybrid tea roses or floribundas. But first things first.

Planting and care

English garden roses grow best in full sun. Good light is the key to abundant blooms and healthy growth.

English garden roses thrive in well-drained, rich soil. They should be watered regularly, but moderately. Overwatering can cause a number of fungal diseases to develop and spread.

English garden roses are positive respond to fertilizersSo, starting in early spring, it's preferable to regularly apply nitrogen fertilizers to rose bushes. These provide essential micronutrients and promote rapid plant growth and abundant flowering. However, in late summer, nitrogen fertilizers are no longer applied, as the rose needs to gain strength and prepare for winter. For this purpose, fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus are applied in the fall.

Except granulated ones fertilizers for feeding roses You can also use natural fertilizers: compost, humus, etc. And remember that newly planted roses do not need to be fertilized for 1-2 months; they need to be given time to take root.

At proper care English garden roses are virtually disease-free. However, to prevent fungal diseases and pests, it is recommended to treat them regularly, about once every two weeks, with fungicides and insecticides.

Pruning English park roses

English roses only get better with regular, proper pruning. It is preferable to prune this type of roses at the end of winter, before the foliage and new shoots appear. There is a general rule for pruning English garden roses. It says: English garden roses roses should be pruned annually One-third of the total height of the bush. Of course, you can prune rose bushes less or more if necessary, but the optimal height is one-third of their height.

Pruning English roses is necessary not only to shape the bush. Pruning increases air circulation within the crown, which prevents fungal diseases.

There's also a method called sanitary pruning for roses. This involves removing all diseased and damaged stems. Young shoots often emerge after this type of pruning.

Usage

Of course, roses can be planted as solitaires, and they can also be used to create rose gardens. English roses pair well with perennials and annuals. They look especially attractive when planted under early-flowering bulbous plants, such as tulips, daffodils, and others.

Perhaps the most popular of the Old English garden roses are those bred by David Austin. These roses are beautiful both in the ground and as cut flowers, and their fragrance will fill every corner of the garden. The most famous varieties are:

• ‘Golden Celebration’ is a variety with a yellow flower and a light citrus aroma;

• 'Benjamin Britten' is a variety with red flowers;

• 'Alan Titchmarsh' - pink flowers with a jagged edge, very fragrant;

• 'Molineux' is another yellow-orange flowered variety, but it is a relatively short growing variety;

• ‘Abraham Darby’ – a variety characterized by a pleasant peach-apricot flower color;

• 'Gertrude Jekyll' is one of the most fragrant varieties. Its flowers are a vibrant crimson.

Whatever variety of roses you choose, with proper care, they will delight you with their blooms and fragrance until the frost sets in.