Planters too small for roses? Alternatives?

Gn0me

I bought four of these planters with trellises to have them spread out along a fence with for climbing roses.

Due to my lack of knowledge and research, I then discovered that apparently planters need to be a minimum of 45cm depth and width for roses.

Mine are 35cm width and 30cm depth

I guess I've got two options: send the planters back and get bigger ones or grow a different plant up the trellises that don't require so much depth.

These planters were a really good price and have nearly trebled in price so getting even bigger ones would simply be unaffordable for me to achieve what I want.

Can anyone recommend nice colourful plants that can grow up a trellis in planters that are just 30cm deep?

Thanks very much and hope you can help.

Angelicant

The RHS advice for growing roses in containers says that these will be big enough but to choose the right roses eg. patio climbers rather than full sized vigorous growth ones. I have a blush noisette growing up a trellis and it only gets to about 4-5 ft high (it is in the ground but is competing with a star jasmine though) so I reckon it would do fine in a container your size.
I thinks it's probably more to do with using a soil based compost and watering than size if you get the right plant.

Gn0me

Thanks very much for your advice, I really appreciate it.

What you've said actually sounds ideal (and hopeful) as it should grow to just the right height in the planters.

Do they only come in a pinkish colour (assuming hence the name blush) as I can only find that colour and possibly yellow after searching 'noisette roses'. In fact do you think any 'patio climbers' would do?

Thanks again.

Busy-Lizzie

When I grew roses in pots I found they didn't thrive unless the pots were at least 55cms deep. Most of mine were 60 x 60. However, patio roses are smaller. I used to mix garden soil with rotted manure and compost and top up with compost. Roses in pots need more feeding and watering than roses in the ground.

Gn0me

Thanks very much.

I am starting to learn more about roses now. It does seem that if there's any chance of having roses in these planters then it will have to be the smaller roses.

We did have this glorious yellow rose shrub on the opposite fence when we moved in. I never maintained it is as I was even more ignorant back then yet it bloomed so much without any help. Unfortunately I murdered it when I had to extend the patio. My wife has never forgiven me for that which is probably why she's always wanting roses......and why I  sometimes wake up in the middle night holding the side of my face as if someone had slapped me yet she seems fast asleep.

Busy-Lizzie

       

Nollie

With a proper loam-based growing medium, a good annual mulch and plenty of food and water, I think patio climbers or tall shrub roses would be happy for a few of years in your planters but after that would start to struggle. All roses in the UK and most of Europe are sold grafted onto a sturdy root stock called ‘Laxa’ and that does develop a long tap root, hence any roses, even the patio ones, ideally need more depth for their roots to grow into. Do the planters have a plastic lining pot that you can lift out? If so, every couple of years you can tip them out, shake off some of the old compost, prune the roots back, then repot in fresh potting medium.

Alternatively, is there any way you can slot in taller plastic pots to the wooden planters?

Several rose breeders have developed good ranges of climbing patio roses designed for (ideally deeper!) pots in a range of colours including yellow 😊 

Gn0me

Thanks once again for all your advice.

I called another company who basically concurred what David Austen said but also said these patio roses would be fine for my planters as recommended in this forum too:

https://www.styleroses.co.uk/group/type/front-border--patio-roses/1/128 

I'm just wondering if you can get these sort at tangible businesses such as B&Q?
I find places such as B&Q or online 'special' offers tend to be considerably cheaper but is there a reason for that? Is there a big difference in the quality of a rose even though they are the same variety?

Thanks again.

JennyJ

There's generally less choice of variety at places like B&Q, and what they do have isn't always looked after very well once it's delivered to the store (I find it's quite variable from branch to branch). And there's no option to buy bare-root plants in winter which are often cheaper and easier to establish. On the plus side you can choose the best specimen from what they have.

JennyJ

I should also have added, there are sometimes bargains to be had at B&Q if you're prepared to buy something that's finished flowering for this season and you're not after a specific variety. They reduce stuff once it's past its best to clear space for new stock coming in.

Nollie

If you wanted to try a climbing patio rose or two this company has a good reputation (as do styleroses) and offers a good range, and at very reasonable prices for potted roses, but you would have postage on top:

https://www.britishroses.co.uk/acatalog/climbing-patio.html