34 AmAteur GArDeNING 29 JUNE 2019Spring bulbs
In late winter and spring, your roses will have little appeal,
but the emptiness of the bed can be transformed by
spring bulbs planted among and around them.Scilla siberica adds interest
before roses get goingDicentra
Underused in
our gardens,
hardy perennial
dicentras will
scramble with
glee through
shrub roses,
using their
tendrils to cling
on. The chains of
yellow lockets
open over many
summer weeks- Dactylicapnos
(syn Dicentra)
scandens (left)
will happily
keep blooming
until October.
H: 2½ft (2m).
Clematis
The less vigorous, summer-flowering viticellas will scramble
through old roses and, once the rose blooms are over, bring
colour in a new style. Try ‘Betty Corning’ (pale lilac-blue) and
‘Walenburg’ (deep purplish red, above). H: 55in-6½ft (1.4-2m).
Climbers for old roses
Tropaeolum
peregrinum
While climbing
nasturtiums
can easily
overwhelm a
rose, there’s
no danger of
that with their
delicate and
more restrained
relation, the
canary creeper
(T. peregrinum).
For weeks its
small-fingered
leaves are
partnered with
dainty, bright
yellow flowers.
H: 6½ft (2m).Ipomoea
Morning glories are vigorous climbers that twine through, but
never weigh down, a mature old rose, and flower all summer
long. ‘Heavenly Blue’ is always a favourite. Also consider ‘Milky
Way’ (white with crimson flashes, above). H: 6½ft (2m).Summer care for roses
Deadheading is
crucial if you want to
prolong a rose display.
Take the secateurs with
you every time you walk
by, and check for faded
flowers every couple of
days – at least.
In very dry seasons a
bucket of water on each
rose plant can extend
the life of individual
flowers; it will also help
to prevent mildew.
Check for aphids; at
the first sign use your
preferred treatment.Think about:
Carpets of
crocuses.
Clumps of
snowdrops
and daffodils.
Self-sown
scilla and
chionodoxa.
Big groups
of tulips – you
can change
the variety
each year.Remove faded rose flowers
every couple of days