Shrub Roses

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Thai, Apr 14, 2012.

  1. Thai

    Thai Member

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    I would like to know if there is a shrub rose that repeat flowers through the summer, and is relatively resistant to fairly dry conditions. Someone gave me a name which is EONITA, Is this correct?
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Rosa rugosa and Hybrid Rugosa roses are the most willing. 'Fru Dagmar Hastrup' is very nice.
     
  3. artnerd

    artnerd Active Member

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    'Knockout' brand roses are extremely vigourous & hardy in our climate. I had some at the last home & they performed spectacularly in a hot, full sun location, blooming from late-spring to first hard frost with big swaths of blossoms. Extremely disease & pest resistant, (I don't use chemical controls), and once established were drought hardy too. They come in a variety of colours, are low maintenance, a true "lazy gardener's" rose. Rugosas are also a good choice as Ron B. mentioned, they are however very thorny and depending on variety can spread out quickly requiring regular pruning to keep in check. Most are quite fragrant though. The 'Knockouts' have far fewer thorns & are better behaved, but have just a slight fragrance.
     
  4. gallina

    gallina Active Member

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    Would a shrub rose grow in a containers on a sunny balcony?
     
  5. artnerd

    artnerd Active Member

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    Yes, you can grow roses in containers with a sunny exposure, a 'Knockout' would likely do well, but there are other varieties that would also fair ok. You need a roomy container and good amended soil, I use "Sea Soil" in all my containers and it has proven to be a fantastic (and organic) fertilizer. Rugosas would be a poor container choice as they can grow rampant and are extremely thorny. I grew a floribunda rose (a red David Austen, sorry the name escapes me now) in the past on a sunny patio, and while it didn't bloom prolifically, it did ok. I also have 2 David Austen 'Black Cherry' rose topiaries in their 3rd year in containers, I amend the soil every spring, removing some of the old soil & replacing with Sea Soil & a little composted steer manure & a little rose food, and they are still going strong, almost 4' tall and covered with blooms all summer. You can also grow climbing roses trained to a trellis or support in containers, but be sure to select a smaller variety as some climbers are incredibly vigorous & can cover 30' in a growing season! There are also dwarf roses available specifically designed for container growing, although most have little or no scent to my knowledge. Your best bet is to head to a good garden centre (not Home Dept, go to a proper garden centre) and ask them to recommend some suitable container roses, they'll be happy to help.
     
  6. gallina

    gallina Active Member

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    artned,
    Actually, I already bought David Austin's "Abraham Darby" rose from Sheridan nurseries, in Toronto.
    I'm wondering if Sea Soil is available here. I was thinking about regular potting soil. Isn't it good enough?
    What kind of containers do you use (plastic, clay) and where can I get them? I've seen big clay pots, but I've read that clay pots to be avoided, as they might crack under low tempretures.
     
  7. artnerd

    artnerd Active Member

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    Lovely rose choice, I'm not sure if you can get Sea Soil in TO, if not you can ask at any good garden centre for a good, natural soil amendment that would be comparable. Potting mix varies greatly by brand and formula, some have fertilsers added, some do not. Regardless, roses do need fertilizer to promote reliable blooming, especially when confined to a container. When choosing pots, plastic is cheap & durable, ok for rose growing, unglazed terra cotta/clay allows better breathablilty for the roots but may not be frostproof, glazed ceramic retain more moisture (comparable to plastic) but are also usually not frostproof. Here in BC, my best success has been the 'Black Cherry' topiaries in 2' tall terra cotta containers, but we don't get nearly as cold as you do. If the pots are allowed to dry out somewhat over winter when the rose is dormant, and kept in a sheltered spot you *may* be able to get away with clay. Otherwise I'd say stick with plastic.
     
  8. gallina

    gallina Active Member

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    Thank you very much for detailed reply.
    Actually, Sea Soil is available in TO, but the bags are huge, not suitable for me.
    As to containers, common plastic is not an option here. Special plastic containers are very expensive. I've found a container made of a woody material.
     

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