Rose sale

[SparkyUK]

The landscapers are about to leave so now the stressful fun part begins of populating the garden with plants. Luckily there are some sales on and the weather seems forgiving so trying to get some things into the ground now. We want to get a few roses and saw that crocus.co.uk has loads on sale. I love this site and use it as a reference all the time but haven't ordered anything from them and always am a bit at their prices. For instance, their roses seem, half price, to be the same as David Austin's full price. I see that they are container rather then bare root, but this time of year, does that make any difference? What is the extra cost for? (Sorry, very new to all this green stuff.)

ps any other good resources, please send them my way! Loving the favourite rose conversation!

Crocus has a good range but is very expensive. I would only get stuff from them if it wasn't available elsewhere.

If you are planting in late spring and summer, when the plants have started growing, then you have to use container-grown plants. But they are often harder to get started.

If you want to establish roses well then planting them bare-rooted in the winter is absolutely the way to go. They will settle in much better and make better progress. David Austin is a top grower and has a fantastic range. And also very good service.

I have bought roses from Peter Beales Roses and found that they send good quality plants. At this time of the year they send bare root roses, which makes postage cheaper.

Agree on the advice re Crocus, David Austin & Peter Beales. Also Apuldram Roses, have bought fabulous groundcover roses several times from them at a very good price.

One point with buying bare root though is that you do not know when they will ship, especially ifr the weather is cold.

It helps to get your soil/planting area prepared when you order, so if the order comes through quick, you are ready. Bare root also needs planting pdq so that the roots do not dry out, otherwise you have to heel them in or stick in a bucket of water for an hour and then wrap up again.

But I would do bare root anytime over container for reasons of cost and that the plants establish so much better.