I love roses.  Roses of every size, shape and colour.  My problem has always been which roses not to choose because I love them all.  Whenever I go to a rose nursery to choose my roses in spring it’s as if I’ve been let loose in a garden paradise.

A Rose from my Garden

I tend to go home with roses that I didn’t have the faintest intention of buying.  And it happens every time. So to be more practical, I try to adopt a system that almost – I repeat almost – ensures that I will go home with the best roses for my garden.

I draw up a list of all the qualities that I want from my new roses.  Am I going to go for perfume this time or do I want a particular colour?  Do I need a new climber for the pergola or do I want a few rambling roses for the bank?

In actual fact, it isn’t as easy as it sounds because in my enthusiasm I tend to want absolutely everything I see when there is such a huge variety to choose from. Rose catalogues are no help at all because everything looks so tempting.  So I have to remind myself to be disciplined.  I will only go for colour this time.

Do you think it works? Not at all.  I come home with a mixed variety of “temptations” every time.

Oh well, at least it adds interest to my garden. You never know how the new roses will turn out – and I suppose that element of anticipation and surprise is what makes gardening with roses so much fun.