Growing Roses in a Shade Garden

Growing roses has many benefits. Their beauty to be admired, the luscious scent and more importantly the inspiration gained from their perfect form. Here you can see how my roses inspire me.
I have used vintage rose prints which I have collected over the years to embellish vintage sap buckets. Here nestled on the stone steps of my lower terrace.
Growing roses in the shade of a Carolinian forest can be a bit of a challenge. I love a challenge! Since our soil is very rich in humus, dead decaying leaves etc. it is perfect, but a bit acidic for roses. So I add lime to the base of each plant. I also feed them continuously during the growing season. They are voracious feeders. Fish emulsion, epsom salts and a granular fertilizer like osmocote. Then I stop till they begin to bud, and resume again after they flower the first flush.
Cinderella "Fairy" a very hardy, abundant blooming rose. Mine is at least 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide, only in it's third season.
Here they are arranged with some hydrangea from the garden.
Adding beauty to my kitchen. The work tending roses is well worth the effort, don't you think?
I support the long arching canes with fallen tree branches, rather than metal supports. I like the rustic look with the dainty, fragile roses.
Choosing the right roses for dappled shade is important. Research the roses you would like to grow before planting. A wonderful guide is Pickering Roses, a rose grower here in Ontario, whose online catalog is not only drool worthy, but also extremely informative!
Happy rose gardening! N.xo
Nella Miller Design
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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  2 questions
  • Val Val on Jun 15, 2016
    Just checked online and it says Pickering roses now closed do I have the right one is it possible to post the email address or website thank you
  • Laura Nugent Laura Nugent on Jun 21, 2020

    How and when do I prune roses?

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  • Mary Coakley Mary Coakley on Jul 08, 2020

    Love.your roses and.garden.did not know you can grow some roses in shade

  • Schoener Schoener on Nov 15, 2020

    You are endlessly creative. I can't get over it. If you ever decide to sell a sap bucket

    with roses, let me know. They are beautiful. I love your garden. The roses are

    exceptional. Well done!

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