The North York Mirror

Fortunately, the weather has been great for outdoor work in the garden. I received an interesting question recently about how to prepare a rose for winter. I would like to respond to that question because it is an important one.

Knowing what type of rose you are dealing with will determine how to prepare them for winter. There are many different types of roses: hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, climbers, hardy shrub roses, carpet roses and standard roses. A lot of the roses we purchase at the nursery are shrub roses. They are extremely hardy and do not need additional winter care, especially if they are in zone four or lower.

I prefer roses that require no winter care. Rosa 'Jens Munk' is a Canadian explorer rose with double pink flowers and a spicy fragrance. It maintains a good resistance to powdery mildew and black spot.

I also love carpet roses and find them extremely hardy and long blooming. They are available in a variety of colours and may be planted in the front of a sunny perennial border.

Roses that are marginally hardy (tender roses) will need extra care to protect them from winter's chill. Pile a small hill of new garden soil around the crown of the plant about eight to ten inches high. You should purchase a fresh bag of garden soil to create the small hill.

Pack down the mound of soil with your hands or gently with the heel of your shoes. The hill of soil will act as an insulator for the rose. Once the ground is frozen, you can add evergreen boughs, leaves or straw on top of the hill for additional protection.

Leave the canes (branches) of the tender rose as they are until the spring unless they are very tall and vulnerable to breaking in the winter winds. Only roses that have grown extremely tall should have their branches cut at this time of year to prevent winter damage. The most successful place to plant a tender rose is in a sheltered location away from strong winds.

Rose standards look like miniature rose trees. If grown in large planters, they can be stored in a cool room like the garage through the winter where the temperature will stay just above freezing point.

Protect your roses this winter and look forward to their blooms next summer. There are numerous books available at your local libraries about roses; use the winter months as a time to learn more!

Marilyn Pomer is a landscape designer for Greenescape Designs Inc. If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail Marilyn at marilyn@greenescape.ca