The only thing better than a vase of roses is a vase of roses cut freshly from a garden. Fragrant and voluminous roses are known as one of the most romantic flowers; however, we would argue that their variety allows for daily decor in the home, making for a beautiful dining or kitchen table accessory.
Ina Garten, AKA the Barefoot Contessa, proves our point with a recent snap on her Instagram page. 'Nothing like garden roses with dew still on them,' she states in the caption below the image of her coral cabbage roses. And we're inclined to agree. The delicately layered petals are soft yet robust, providing her breakfast table with a perfect focal point.
While sprawling rose gardens certainly have a whimsical quality to them, home gardeners with limited land will be pleased to know that these flowers make excellent additions to small spaces, as experts explain.
'Roses can be the perfect plant for small gardens, providing a beautiful array of color and fragrance,' says Charlotte McGrattan, nursery stock buyer at Hillier Garden Centres. 'To maximize the impact, you want to select something with a powerful aroma, compact growth, and bold colors.'
With so many rose varieties to choose from, it can be overwhelming to select the perfect one. However, McGrattan gave some tips on picking the perfect rose for a home garden.
'A shrub rose like ‘Nye Bevan’ with its soft yellow to cream flowers, or a light pink ‘Scarborough Fair’ are both medium-sized, so provide bountiful blooms without taking up too much space,' she says.
She continues, '‘Harlow Carr’ flowers freely from early summer until well into the autumn and has a strong, pure Old Rose fragrance. It has an excellent bushy habit with upright, vigorous growth. ‘Susan Williams-Ellis’ is a beautiful rose, pure white in color, as well as being shade tolerant, so it only needs four to five hours of sunlight a day, which makes it incredibly versatile for smaller gardens.'
Rose care is crucial to ensuring that these magnificent blooms stay healthy all year long. One of the most important steps for rose garden care is pruning.
'Pruning rose bushes is an essential job, which, when done correctly, promotes healthier and more productive growth,' says Steve Swanborough, a gardening expert at Henchman. 'This annual task is not just about keeping the plant looking tidy, but it also ensures your roses produce an abundance of high-quality, beautiful blooms to fill your garden with color and fragrance.'
Swanborough says that effectively pruning a rose bush begins with removing any brown, dead wood.
'Take out any crossing or crowded branches, and thin or weak growth,' he says. 'You should aim to make cuts half an inch above a bud at a 45-degree angle, sloping away from it. After pruning, the rose bush will be significantly smaller and appear bare but don’t be alarmed, it will grow back stronger and quicker come spring!'
With a little care and dedication, fresh cut roses can be part of daily life. Below, find one of our favorite varieties of rose – the classic English shrub, which is delicate yet bold, and provides a delightful fragrance in the garden.
Robust with deep green, disease-resistant foliage, this beautiful rounded bush will impress all season long. It has orange buds opening to cupped flowers that are perfectly apricot and what is described as a tea-like scent. Plus, they're easy to handle with few thorns on stems.
By following the above advice and ensuring these blooms get ample sunlight and water, we believe roses can be the ultimate garden staple and a beautiful accessory for a dining room table or kitchen counter. Just make sure to change the vase's water frequently, and trim stems as needed.
