Rosa Flower Carpet Sunset (‘Deseoo’) (PBR)

It’s so easy to wax lyrical about the roses in the flower carpet series, and this one is no exception. If you are new to roses, or want something that is easy to look after, will flower for months on end and wont succumb to diseases, then this is the one to choose.

All our roses are field grown and dug up and potted in October or November. However, they will not produce any new roots until spring, so don’t be surprised if the compost falls away from the roots when winter planting. Some suppliers send out ‘bare root’ plants unpotted, but we pot them up as it helps to keep the roots hydrated and in good condition.

Remove the plants from their pots and gently spread out the roots before placing them in the centre of the hole. Try to ensure that the ‘bud union’ (the point where the cultivated rose has been grafted onto the rootstock, and from where the shoots emerge) is at soil level. You can judge this quite easily by laying something flat, like a spade handle or bamboo cane, across the top of the hole. When they are at the right height, back-fill the hole, firming the soil down gently before watering the plant well.

Water generously until well established, and apply a specialist rose fertiliser (following the manufacturer’s instructions) each spring. They will also benefit from a generous mulch of composted farmyard manure in spring, but make sure this is kept away from the stems.

While wearing tough gloves, prune in late winter or early spring, removing any dead, damaged or weak-looking stems completely. Then cut back over-long stems so they fill their allotted space and trim the remaining strong shoots by about a third. Side shoots can then be cut back to within two or three buds from the main stems. You can regenerate older plants by cutting back all the stems to 10cm in late winter.