How to start a rose garden

1. Choose a location in full sun. Roses like sun much for optimal blooming. Roses need 5 to 6 hours of direct sun each day. Morning sun is best, but light afternoon shade is tolerated and even beneficial in hot climates.

2. Good air movement helps dew and rain dry quickly, which discourages disease. Plant your roses 2-3 feet or 50 cm apart, or away from other plants to ensure it gets enough breathing room. Rose also don't like very windy areas either, so if there's a prevailing wind in your garden, plant your roses near the shelter of a building, wall, fence or hedge.

3. When you dig the hole to plant your rose, check the area's drainage by filling it with water before you drop in the plant. An area with good drainage will empty within several hours, and will ensure that its roots won't rot when watered, or freeze in winter.

4. If necessary, you can easily improve drainage with tilling or raised beds. Prepare the soil by mixing or tilling in lots of organic matter, such as compost. If the soil seems too sandy, or is thick like clay, add organic matter like compost, dehydrated cow manure or shredded bark. Remove any large rocks down 18 to 24 inches deep.

5. Don't plant near large trees or shrubs. They compete for light, water and nutrients. Avoid eaves or gutters - bushes may be damaged by falling water, snow or ice.

6. Consider designing in groups of three of one variety. Not only do companies sell roses cheaper in groups of threes, but you'll get more impact for the money.

7. There are hundreds of rose varieties, so choose something you like. Factors to consider include flower color, size of the rose bush, habit (tall climbing, low-growing ground cover), and disease resistance.

There are many disease resistant, hardy roses available, but none are completely "bug-proof" or "disease-proof." When shopping for roses, look for varieties described as "resistant to black spot," a notorious fungal disease of roses. Rugosa roses are a good choice. Though they can look a little more "wild" than tea roses, they tend to be more rugged and resistant to pests.

There are many different kinds of roses (floribundas, hybrid tea, shrub, miniature, etc.), so you'll want to do some "window shopping" to see what type fits your situation. Then search out a disease-resistant, hardy variety in that category.

Varieties classified as "shrub roses" roses make good hedges. If you’d like to attract birds, look for varieties described as having lots of hips. Or, consider rugosa roses, which generally have large and abundant hips.