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Few gardeners are blessed with good garden loam, which is why it is best to prepare rose beds well in advance of planting so that large amounts of organic amendments can be incorporated into what we already have. Garden soil is vastly improved with the addition of Compost, peat moss, well aged manure, leaf mold or mushroom compost; all of which can be used in fairly large quantities. A good garden soil structure will make the world of difference on how well roses will grow.

Choosing a proper site for your roses is the next step to success. Although roses will grow almost anywhere, they perform much better in some locations than others whether planted in beds or as individual bushes. As the song says, "roses love sunshine" and to do their best, roses should receive a minimum of 4-5 hours of direct sun on a sunny day. Early morning sun is recommended for good reason - the earlier the sun, the sooner the dew will evaporate and thwart the ever present fungus spores. They are not good shade plants, but if you must plant in partial shade, choosing roses with single or semi double blooms would be better than many petal varieties

A well drained location is a must for roses. While they require a great deal of water, a wet, water logged soil will not only retard their growth, but will eventually kill the plant. Where drainage is a problem, the best solution is raised beds. The raised beds can stand alone - for example - a mound, or it can be framed with material such as wood, stone, brick and concrete. Sometimes, it may even be necessary to install some sort of drainage system in the garden.

It's astonishing how quickly large shrub and tree root find our rose beds in search of the goodies we supply our roses, so be sure to locate your beds as far as possible from their invading roots.

Preparation of the Soil

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