Rosa ‘Constance Spry’ (rose Constance Spry (climber/shrub)) was £26.50 now £24.99
Position: full sun Soil: fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: July and September Flower colour: rich rose-pink Other features: excellent cut-flowers Hardiness: fully hardy A very vigorous shrub rose with fully double, rich, rose-pink flowers that can be 12cm across. The roses are borne on nodding stems in summer and are deliciously myrrh-scented. As it has an arching habit it can be grown as a climber up to 4m tall and is especially good for growing up a pillar. However it can also be pruned as a beautiful shrub. All our roses are grown in an open field and then dug up when the weather conditions are right in October or November. Some suppliers send out their roses as ‘bare root’ plants (ie without pots or compost), but we pot ours up as it helps to keep the roots hydrated and in good condition. As they are dormant throughout the winter, they will not produce any new roots until spring, so don’t be surprised if the compost falls away from the roots when you take them out of their pots. The roses can be kept in their pots throughout the winter provided they are kept well fed and watered, however ideally they should planted out as soon as possible. They will already have been cut back so no further pruning will be required, apart from snipping off any tips that have died back. Routine pruning can begin in late winter the year after planting. Garden care: If planting in winter, choose a frost-free spell when the soil is not frozen. Roses are quite deep-rooted plants so dig a deep hole roughly twice as wide as the plants roots and mix in a generous amount of composted organic matter. A top-dressing of a general purpose fertiliser can be worked into the surrounding soil and we also recommend using Rose Rootgrow at this stage to encourage better root development. This is particularly important when planting into a bed where roses have previously been grown as Rose Rootgrow is said to combat rose sickness (aka. replant disease). 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 ar