Starting up a new rose patch
Let’s get busy: ‘map and compass’ time in the yard
- Find a color driving map of your county & see if you’re in green or yellow or tan.
- Get a recent used Sunset Garden Guide. There should be some in your local thrift store . .
- Green on maps usually means a large temperate area & is usually well suited for being a successful gardener.
- Most large urban areas are typically in the green with outlying areas more than, meaning dryer & hotter.
NOTE: Many Arizona, Oregon, California, Portugal, France, & Spain sites need special consideration now that fire danger is so prevalent.
You’re looking for 6 hours of full sun
Next, in the US, check the zone maps in your Sunset Guide for area’s specifics. This image is from the Washington State section in my old book.
I’ve had great luck finding these in thrift shops & they don’t get out of date for a decade or so. Or, if you want a copy for a lifetime, pick one up from Amazon or your favorite local bookstore. Also, check online if their book is a PDF.
Or if you’re outside their zones and further to the east, find the U.S. Department of Agriculture Climate Zone Maps online here.
They each use their own zone boundaries, so the maps do appear different, but the guidance is still valid.
I’m using the Arizona map in the US as an example, since that’s where I’m writing this from.
You can see that Northern AZ is much more green and mountainous, so growing there will be easier than in the sun-baked Phoenix flatland to the south.
In Europe use the hardiness zone maps, like the ones on Gardenia Net.
Orient bushes to get 6 sun-hours from April to October.
In the northern climates, it’s best to plant facing south, so the path of the sun from east to west each day will give you full sun ( 6 hrs ) at all times. This can mean south of the tree line or south of the house.
In Arizona & other arid conditions, it’s nice to have some shade from noon to 4 pm due to the extreme temperatures from the sun being directly overhead.
Peak heat is usually measured at 3pm in northern climates.
I use paint sticks from my big box store to stick in the ground in my patch to verify the full sun & little blockage from buildings, trees or other large plantings. That way I can map out the sun by checking on my sticks every 2 hrs to be sure.
Where would you plant corn? or tomatoes? – It’s the same idea.
Factor in the seasonal movement of the sun overhead too.
In the early spring & late fall in the northern hemispheres the angle of the sun will be much less direct than in the peak of the blooming season – especially here in the ‘Valley of the Sun’ in Arizona.
For the next sdtep, I’ve had good luck using a hose or long rope to wrap around those paint sticks & refine the shape into something pleasing that matches the space. Drawing out your results after that can be a simple pencil sketch on paper. This goes a long way toward getting an early grasp on the plant location details.
For more detailed rose garden design ideas with gorgeous pictures, visit Garden Design Magazine.
