Roses Ideas, Tips & Guides

I gave up being sensitive about my lack of height many years ago, but still feel rather intimidated by tall plants in the garden; actually, intimidated is not the word, perhaps it’s more a case of being a little uncomfortable about their presence, particularly in a smaller border. For that reason, I tend to avoid adding plants that are listed as being above a certain height, perhaps 1.5m (5 feet) or so, but even that is pushing it a bit. Sadly, that doesn’t allow for plants that grow beyond their supposed height (David Austin roses are particularly skilled in this deception). This week, for example, I read an article suggesting Dahlia ‘David Howard’, at 0.7m, was a good choice for a front-of-border position – someone is having a larf, as mine (the orange one at the back in the above picture) towers above me at well over 2m tall (around 7 feet), and always has done.

We have all heard the saying “Fall is for Planting,” but this adage does not hold true for all plants. Autumn is an excellent time to establish many trees, shrubs, and perennials, thanks to cooler temperatures and more frequent rains. These conditions put less stress on plants as they establish their root systems. Yet despite these advantages, not all plants benefit from fall planting. As the autumn weather draws you back into the garden it’s important to consider which plants you should never plant in fall.

When it comes to designing a space, there are certain items that seem to get all the attention. In the living room, it's most likely the sofa, while in the bedroom it's no surprise that a well-designed, comfortable bed is important for a functional, beautiful space. But what about those underrated furniture pieces—the ones that add character, storage, ease, or some vintage charm? We sat down with designers to learn about the underrated furniture pieces they swear by.

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Incorporating vintage elements into a space has been a rising trend for quite some time, but if you're in a new home that is all bare walls and right angles, it can be hard to pull this style off convincingly. Often in new, builder-grade homes, even the best antique pieces aren’t going to feel quite right if there’s no natural character to your space.

Many herbaceous perennials, roses, bedding and annuals respond to deadheading by producing more flowers. This can extend the season of colour in your garden, especially in late summer when there’s little else in bloom.

We’re in Malvern, Pennsylvania, today, visiting with Carla Z. Mudry. She’s reflecting on the tail end of summer in her garden.

Talking about my efforts last week to remove violets and ivy from under the apple trees generated an interesting conversation about the weeds whose presence we disliked the most in our gardens.

All plants need water to stay alive and an essential tool to provide them this is a watering can. It can be one of the most important items in a gardener’s arsenal and helps us be selective about the amount of water we provide our favourite plants.

Today we’re visiting Wendy’s garden in Cleveland Township in northern Michigan.

Banana peels have been featured in slapstick comedy as part of pratfalls and silly physical skits. But in reality, these discarded parts of our food are actually very nutritious and have uses far beyond sketch comedy. As food prices jump higher and higher, and we make conscious decisions to prevent waste, the benefits of banana skin in our diet may become not only necessary but desired.

Winter-flowering plants are perfect for adding a splash of colour to the garden in the coldest, darkest months, helping to extend the season of interest beyond the traditional growing season of spring to autumn. There’s a huge range of winter flowering plants to grow, including climbers such as winter clematis and winter honeysuckle, shrubs like mahonia and daphne, and bedding plants like winter pansies – there’s a flowering plant for every part of the garden. What’s more, many winter-flowering plants are suitable for growing in pots, so you can add a splash of colour anywhere you fancy – perhaps a colourful display outside your front door is enough to bring some winter cheer?

If you're after a completely free-to-enter garden to relax in and explore this summer, then Manchester's Ordsall Hall has it all — a gorgeous garden, a historic hall, and a lovely allotment. Everything at Ordsall is free to explore, making it a must-visit this season.  Want to find out more? Our team took a tour this summer to show you what Salford's oldest building has to offer.  The Gardens Ordsall Hall has lush sprawling grass to the front of the property… But to the back? This is where you can find their impressive time capsule garden.  The rear garden is designed in a traditional Tudor style knot, similar to what would have been grown back then. Rose bushes stand out among carefully pruned hedging. Lavender covers the flower beds.

Bored of having the same colored blooms in your garden? Don’t worry! We have some stunning Pink and Yellow Roses that you must try growing for a vivid change!

There’s no understating the importance of a kitchen backsplash. Not only is a backsplash practical—sparing your bare walls from spaghetti sauce splatters—but it sets the tone for your kitchen’s personality. Think of it as an opportunity to flex your design skills, whether that means including a jolt of color, choosing an unconventional material, or sticking to a classic-as-can-be style.   There’s a caveat, though: if you veer too trendy or too conventional, a backsplash can quickly look outdated. To spare yourself from inevitable regret, we asked three interior designers for their honest take on backsplashes they’re sick of seeing. Warning: controversial opinions ahead. Read on to learn which popular backsplashes they think need to retire, so you can invest in a conversation piece (not a controversy) that you’ll love for years to come.  

Grow these Best European Houseplants if you wish to add some variety to your houseplant collection.

As part of your Premium access, you can send your gardening questions to our horticultural experts each month. They will then answer a selection of the questions they receive, and share the advice at the end of the month.

The Pink Lily symbolizes grace, refinement, and deep feelings. Join us as we explore the minute details of Pink Lily Meaning and Symbolism, a trip that crosses eras, cultures, and myths to reveal the profound depths of its meaning.

A little brown bird with a big personality, the chiff chaff is named after its song, which sounds like it’s saying “chiff chaff, chiff chaff”. You can hear this in spring and summer when they’re breeding, the rest of the time they make a contact call that sounds like it’s saying “hweet, hweet”, which I associate with the onset of autumn. Typically a summer migrant, most chiff chaffs spend winter in the Mediterranean and West Africa, before returning to the UK to breed. However, increasingly, more are overwintering here due to the milder winters and the availability of insects to eat.

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

If you're after a completely free-to-enter garden to relax in and explore this summer, then Manchester's Ordsall Hall has it all — a gorgeous garden, a historic hall, and a lovely allotment. Everything at Ordsall is free to explore, making it a must-visit this season.  Want to find out more? Our team took a tour this summer to show you what Salford's oldest building has to offer.  The Gardens Ordsall Hall has lush sprawling grass to the front of the property… But to the back? This is where you can find their impressive time capsule garden.  The rear garden is designed in a traditional Tudor style knot, similar to what would have been grown back then. Rose bushes stand out among carefully pruned hedging.

Garden arches are one of the simplest, yet most eye-catching ways to support climbing plants, bringing additional flowers and greenery to your outdoor space. While fences and walls are instantly improved by a flowering wisteria or well-maintained ivy, a garden arch offers the chance to introduce climbing plants anywhere in your garden, not just along the boundaries.

We’re in Houston today visiting with AcAcia Johnson. We’ve visited her garden before to see her beautiful roses, which she grows in containers (Roses in Texas). Today she’s back to share more from her garden space.

Join us in this article as we explore the best types ofPink Sunflower varieties, uncovering the unique charm they lend to gardens.

Clematis have done really well here this year, despite a slightly later start for some. C ‘Duchess of Albany’ (above), flowering for the first time, is a real beauty and I welcome her with open arms.

Wondering When to Plant Roses in Texas? Don’t wonder anymore. From tips and tricks to the best seasons to plant roses in Texas, here is everything you need to know.

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

If you are looking for ways to enhance plant growth and to make garden a better place, then these Unconventional Gardening Tricks will be of great help!

Uncover the charm of Beautiful Red and Black Flowers, ideal for adding drama and sophistication to gardens and arrangements. Join us as we explore these captivating blooms and their unique qualities.

Today we’re visiting Paula Brown’s beautiful garden in Ottawa, Ontario.

Latin scientific names can be challenging to pronounce but are tremendously important. We can communicate without ambiguity because each plant has only one scientific name. In contrast, a plant may have more than one common name, and common names may vary by region. Although easier to pronounce, using common names can result in a great deal of confusion and even frustration.

I met the Duke of Edinburgh a few years ago. Shame I was stuck in front of a computer at the time, and not somewhere more exciting like the Chelsea Flower Show. Meeting human royalty might be a rare occurrence for most people, but you can surround yourself with royal plants and get that regal feeling every time you step into the garden. To illustrate my point, let me share with you an old joke….

Ryan and I have (finally!) moved into our new house! And, whilst we had the use of a van, we collected all of the tall plants from the allotment. So the first refugees from my old garden have arrived in their new home. As well as my Christmas tree, there’s two cobnuts, a crab apple, a golden bamboo, a rosemary and a lavender, the medlar and one that remains unidentified until I can have a good look at it.

“Every rose has its thorns”, or so the song goes. Except, it’s not true, as we shall see in a minute.

One of the great challenges, during our summer of waiting to move, has been feeding ourselves. We packed away a lot of the ‘unnecessary’ cooking equipment for a few weeks, only to find it was out of action for a few months. With numerous false starts, I kept running down the cupboards and the freezer, in anticipation of a move date that never came. Stress levels rose, cooking mojo vanished and we ate far more oven chips than you can imagine.

One of the stories that I read as a child that has stayed with me is The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. For a long time I had a copy on my bookshelf, but when I had the urge to read it last week I discovered that was no longer the case. Fortunately it’s easy enough to find a free copy, particularly as it’s part of the new range of free Amazon Kindle Classics, which you can read via the free Amazon Kindle app – you don’t need an actual Kindle.