Come grow with me… How to create simple rose arches
I decided to create a small rose garden in a section of my garden and decided that I couldn’t have a rsoe garden without some rose arches, and it was really easy to do.
Below are the simple steps that I followed to create a series of rose arches, and it would be very easy to adapt this for a single arch.
1. Purchase and erect your arches. There are many to choose from and the type that you choose will be down to your particular taste, what fits in with the rest of your garden, and your budget. Remember though that the arch needs to be able to support the weight of the roses.
If you are on a budget you can try some simple arches that can be purchased online. The ones that I have purchased did look a bit flimsy but they had good reviews so I decided to give them ago
It gets quite windy in my garden and I was worried about the arches blowing away (I had seen this mentioned in reviews for other arches, but not the ones that I had purchased). To make them sturdier, I have tied the arches together with string. I have also tied extra string to the arches that I have looped over the nearby fence posts. The arches have been in place for a year now and despite several storms and very windy days they are still standing so I am happy with them so far.
2. Now that the arches are in place, you can select your climbing or rambling roses. I have included a selection of both types for a couple of reasons:
- To see which performs better in this section of my garden.
- Climbing roses usually have less flowers but they repeat flower during the season. Whereas rambling roses typically have one amazing display in summer. I think that the combination of both types will provide a good contrast and a better display.
3. Plant a rose on either side of the arch. I have used a combination of bare root roses (I have a post dedicated to planting bare root roses that you may find useful), and some roses that I ‘rescued’ from the discount section of my local garden centre.
These are both excellent ways to economise and save money, whilst enabling you to have wonderful roses in your garden.
Once you are comfortable and more confident regarding how to care for your roses you may choose to splash out and try some other varieties.
As the roses grow, you will need to tie them to the arches. I will be training my roses to grow around the arches horizontally rather than just vertically to create a fuller look and hopefully a better flower display.
While I am waiting for the roses to grow and establish themselves, I have decided to grow runner beans in pots alongside them. This will provide colour an interest, as well as some tasy vegetables for the first 1-2 years.
Frequently asked questions and useful tips for growing roses in your garden
I have split this section into two, as the characteristics of climbing and rambling roses are quite different.
How high do climbing roses grow?
Climbing roses can grow from 2.5m to 6m in height.
How long does it take for climbing roses to reach full height?
It can take two to three years for climbing roses to reach their full height.
As a quick tip, I am growing runner beans on the arches in the first, and maybe second year, depending on how quickly the roses grow, to fill out the space. As well as providing a visually appealing and tasty plant, this will also reassure me that the arches can hold some extra weight, before the roses are fully established.
How often do climbing roses flower?
Climbing roses often repeat flower throughout the season.
Note that there are usually less flowers on a climbing rose than a rambling rose but the flowers are usually larger.
Do I need to prune climbing roses?
There is little or no pruning required for climbing roses in the first two years.
Once established, the side shoots can be pruned in winter, whilst the plant is dormant, every three to four years.
How high do rambling roses grow?
Rambling roses can grow from 4.5m to 7.5m in height.
How long does it take for climbing roses to reach full height?
Rambling roses are more vigorous than climbing roses and usually start to flower in the second year, on older growth.
How often do rambling roses flower?
Rambling roses usually have a single display of flowers in early to mid summer.
Do I need to prune rambling roses?
Rambling roses should be pruned in summer, immediately after flowering.
The side shoots can be pruned back by about a third, but damaged or old shoots should be cut back to the ground.