They come in various sizes but the most common are at 800mm height from the ground, which tends to be hybrid tea and floribunda selections, or as a 450mm suitable for patio or mini roses.
These roses are generally planted to create a feature in a garden or add a bit of height. They look great planted down the edge of a pathway and are also suitable for planting in containers.
Add a stake at the time of planting; tie the stem at the top below the bud union.
Pruning a standard rose is very similar to pruning a bush rose but you are dealing with rose growth higher up. This means it’s important to prune a little harder than you would a bush rose.
Start with the three “d”s - dead, diseased and damaged. Then remove any of the small and unproductive growth.
Reduce the main canes by one third cut to an outward facing bud and open up the centre as well.
To minimise disease risk remove any foliage that remains.
Also remove all the rose leaves from the ground and dispose of them in the bin instead of your garden compost.
• Garden Life is produced by Dunedin Botanic Garden. For further information contact Linda Hellyer.
