With the spring sunshine finally reaching the garden, now is the perfect time to check in on your newly planted bare root roses. They're just beginning to settle in, and the care you give them over the next few weeks will make all the difference to how well they grow and bloom this summer.

In any well-loved garden, the thoughtful tasks often have the most impact. Among them, mulching stands out as a simple yet powerful way to care for both your plants and the soil beneath them. Beyond its practical benefits, mulching reflects the gardener’s instinct to nurture, protect, and encourage healthy growth with every passing season.

By following these simple steps, you will ensure your bare root climbing rose gets off to the best possible start.

The best time to plant bare root roses is during their dormant period, typically between late autumn and early spring. Planting during this time allows the roots to establish before the growing season begins.

Planting a climbing rose in a pot can add beauty and structure to your garden, provided you choose the right container and follow proper planting steps. Climbing roses can thrive in pots as long as they are 12ft or shorter, and with the right care, they will grow beautifully. 

Bare root roses are best planted between October and April, during bare root season. This gives them time to establish ready to bloom come summer. The only time we recommend that you don't plant is when the ground is frozen, waterlogged or in drought conditions.

Bare root roses are excellent plants for growing in pots. English Roses, with their shrubby, bushy habit are ideal for growing in large pots and containers. Unlike many other potted plants, English Roses will flower in fragrant flushes throughout the summer and into autumn.

When the warm weather arrives it is important to keep your roses well hydrated. Our article on watering roses is a guide to keeping your roses healthy and blooming over the summer months.

Deadheading is the removal of finished blooms to encourage further blooms and improve the appearance and shape of the rose. You should deadhead repeat-flowering shrub roses and once-flowering shrub roses that don’t produce hips.

We understand that your garden space is at a premium and finding a spot for a new rose can be tricky. Planting a short climbing or rambling rose in a pot is a great way to use space on a patio or create colour and scent up a bare brick wall. 

For a successful garden, getting planting distances right is important. Plant shrub roses too closely together and the border becomes overcrowded. Plant too far apart and you will see areas of bare earth between each rose. When planting you want to take into account the grown size of the rose, this means to begin with, while your roses establish themselves, you may see gaps between them.