[Anke]

I am in my second year of trying to grow flowers more seriously, and have ventured into Dahlia and Gladioli land. But I also want to buy some roses this summer. Some of the catalogues state frost hardiness, others (like David Austin) don't even mention it. I never considered roses not to be frost hardy, as they are grown widely in Germany (where I grew up) and no lifting or anything.


My question - are all roses frost hardy (Southeast Scottish Borders location, medium exposed, esp to Northwesterly winds)? What about roses in containers? Do these have to come under cover winter up here?

[Fleecewife]

When we first moved here, our neighbours said 'don't bother trying to grow roses, they just don't do well'.  So of course I was determined to grow roses  .  The problem is not the cold I think, but the bitter winds, especially NE, E and SE.  The roses we have found to be most successful are vigorous climbers and ramblers.  The least successful, in fact total failures, are shrub roses, hybrid teas etc.  No, roses don't need to be brought in in winter but I think they need the very best soil and mulching with a bit of FYM every year, plus the best pruning and care.
Wild roses grow perfectly well with no attention at all.
For varieties, Golden showers which is obviously yellow, covers a wall very quickly and is smothered in flowers all summer. It's the best I have.  This year I'm trying 'Night Owl' and 'Zephirine Drouhin' which both look promising and more to the point were in stock, although from different suppliers.  New Dawn, which I also wanted, was out of stock everywhere.

[Anke]

Thanks, I thought wind may be a problem. I will be trying one or two climbing roses - I need to make use of my unproductive plum tree somehow...


I can move pots under cover and wrap them up over winter, and my goats do produce manure like no tomorrow...