The rose originated in the Middle East more than 4000 years ago, and did not arrive in Europe until the Middle Ages, a period in which the crusaders brought cuttings of a plant they had discovered in monastery gardens and to which they attributed curative properties, back from the East. The rose soon captivated the nobility, who incorporated it into their daily life as an element of distinction, power and symbolism.

 

Nowadays, there are more than 30,000 catalogued varieties, a figure that increases year after year, since they can be easily crossbred and hybridised, making them the most worked on plant in history. Some 2000 different types may currently be found on the market.

 

Rose bushes grow well in mild areas and adapt perfectly to the continental climate (cold winters and hot summers); generally speaking, there are no environments that prevent their growth, with the exception of total shade.

 

New gardening trends opt for natural, simple roses, as well as combining old and modern varieties, with white as the background colour. They also go for medium-sized roses rather than big flowers, and for carpet and ground cover roses, which adapt perfectly to any type of garden.

 

Planning, care and maintenance
Rose bushes should be planted in the autumn, when the soil is still warm enough to take in the roots and guarantee optimum growth in the spring. They take root well in slightly clay soils and it is advisable to cover the soil with leaves and manure to stimulate their growth either at the time of planting or after pruning.

 

They should never be planted in the same place where another rose bush grew for more than five years, as the earth will be lacking in some elements that the new plant will detect: lack of nutrients, presence of toxic substances generated by the roots of the previous rose bush, the existence of fungus which may attack the new plant.

 

Pruning is done in winter (in very cold climates, in March) and how the plant flowers depends largely on how well the pruning is done. The first pruning, known as �formation�, helps to consolidate the structure of the plant, whilst subsequent pruning, which will take place after the first year, is to take care of eliminating all of the dead, infected and blighted branches. Furthermore, shoots that do not produce flowers must also be cut off, as they take water and nutrients needed by flowering buds. They can be recognised by looking at the leaves which will be a lighter shade of green and smaller than shoots which will bloom.

 

From the second year onwards, and also in spring, it is advisable to fertilize the plant with manure, which is without doubt, the best product for rose bushes, but if this is not available, peat, humus or other specific rose bush preparations may be used. We must apply three kilos of fertilizer per square metre and bury it slightly so that by the following spring the plant�s fertilization needs have been met.

 

Rose bushes do not need an excessive amount of water, but they must be watered a lot in flowering periods so as to obtain healthy, colourful flowers, as well as for the first year after they are planted, so that they take root firmly. How often they need watering depends on the climate, where they are in the garden, the season, type of soil and type of rose bush (a climbing rose needs more water).

 

Logically in winter they will not need any water, whilst in hot periods, they will require watering, but it is very important to avoid excesses, as over watering a rose bush, as with the majority of plants, will destroy its roots completely. It is advisable to avoid the hottest parts of the day and water first thing in the morning or at dusk, being careful to avoid soaking the flowers or leaves so as not to damage them; it is recommended to water the bottom of the plant with trickle irrigation or sprinklers.

 

Finally, it is essential to prevent pests and infections, since the big disadvantage of rose bushes is that they are attacked by many parasites. In order to avoid them, the best thing to do is to apply a preventive treatment in winter which can be obtained in nurseries and garden centres. 

 

Carpet and ground cover - Roses work well as carpets in almost all gardens and look very attractive either on their own or when combined with green plants. The most commonly used varieties are: �Ground Cover�, �Snow Carpet�, �Magic Carpet�, �Fairy� and �Candy Mountain�.

 

Pergolas, walls, lattices and archs � In these places, the yellow, pink, white and mauve flowers of the following varieties work well:  �banksiae� rose,  �Kew Rambler� rose,  �cecile Brunner� rose and  �xantina� rose.

 

Borders and paths � Current trends focus on giving prominence to one colour rather than having a mixture of several. Thus, spectacular borders are made of varieties such as �ballerina� rose, �White Flower Carpet� rose, �Fairy� rose and �Bonica� rose, among others.