Gardening With Old Roses

The rose is one of the most popular and celebrated of flowers and the beautiful, old-fashioned varieties featured in this book never lose their charm. Gardening with Old Roses is an essential companion for all those gardeners who love old-fashioned roses, but who need guidance on how best to use and care for them. John Scarman helps you recreate the style and joys of rose gardens such as those planted by Gertrude Jekyll and Vita Sackville West. He gives ideas for planting roses as they used to be, with other herbaceous plants, and shows how to prune them and keep them healthy. Featuring: * Directory of Old Roses -- a beautifully illustrated catalogue describing 130 of the finest old roses and their planting uses * Designing with Old Roses -- covers all the elements of design involved in planning a rose garden and in using roses in beds, border, arches, pergolas and arbours * Companion Planting -- creative ideas for stunning plant associations with old roses, including climbers, spire-flowered plants and dramatic foliage plants to offset roses * Caring for Old Roses -- all the information you need on pruning, spraying, planting and transplanting, and soils and fertilisers Both practical and inspirational, this book is the most comprehensive available on the subject.