Pick the site it should have ample elbow room so the plant can
grow freely and healthily. The rosebush shouldn't block or be blocked by other plants. It needs space so that air can move freely around the rose plant. Location is a fairly important garden decision!
il Match the rose to the spot. Consider mature height and width (whoever sells the plant to you can provide this info if it's not on the tag). You're going to love and cherish this plant, so it's sure to reach its full potential in, say, two or three years.
I Let big plants come first when selecting plant locations. If your bed or border will have other flowers — perennials and annuals — chances are your rosebush or bushes will be among the larger players. If you're working with a newly cleared area, no problem. Just reserve a corner or the back spot that can accommodate the plant's mature size. If the rose is a new addition to an existing display, you may have to coldheartedly remove plants that'll be in the way (transplant them elsewhere in your yard or give them away so you don't feel so guilty).
I Match your garden. Use your eyes, nose, and heart. Choose something gorgeous. Pick a color that you like. A rose will be in bloom over a long period, unlike some of your perennials or shrubs, so it needs to be a color you can live with and enjoy over a long period, something that'll go with nearby plants or a hue you can build a display around. For ideas on what kinds of plants go well with roses, see the sidebar entitled "Letting your roses mingle with other plants."
I Consider color. Roses are red (and pink and yellow and cream and orange and white and purple and so on). Because most roses bloom all summer — and lustily if they're happy and healthy — the blossom color becomes a major contribution to any mixed-flower bed or border. Here are some of my favorite themes:
- Romantic pastel: White, cream, pink, and pale yellow roses
- Hot shots: Red, crimson, maroon, orange, and bicolors of these
- Bright lights: Pure whites and bold yellows
If you want to find out more about landscaping with roses or landscaping in general, check out the book Landscaping For Dummies, by Phillip Giroux, Bob Beckstrom, Lance Walheim, and the editors of the National Gardening Association.
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