Why roses? I grow dandelions just fine…

1.  Because your neighbors will think yo are sooo cool.

2.  You automatically position yourself as a master garden when you prove to the world “I grew this rose bush!”

3.  People will think you have supernatural powers!!!

4. The thorns on the roses wrapped around your balconey will discourage your kids (and intruders) from climbing on the railing.

5.  On memorial day, and other summer events, you will have a flower ready for the occassion.

6.  When guests visit, you will give a very proper Victorianish image as you whisk them under a veranda of roses with their lemonade.

7.  If you are single, you can chat with your crush while whiffing the sweet smelling air (careful…one of you might fall in love!)

No question is stupid…

For those of you who don’t know, a raised bed is simply any section of your garden that has contained soil raised higher than the surrounding soil. (Hence, the term “raised” and “bed”). I realize that many of you are not yet familiar with standard gardening terms; in gardening, the term “bed” simply refers to the location of the plants–other than the yard. A good example is your own bed, or where you sleep You could sleep on the floor, but that wouldn’t make it a bed anymore than planting flowers on the lawn would make it a bed for your flowers.

In gardening, a “bed” is just a designated place for your flowers, generally elevated somewhat from the surrounding lawn. Like a bed. Technically speaking, most flower beds are raised at least alittle bit, just as a mattress placed on the floor would be slightly above the floor. When we speak of “raised” beds, though, we are talking about something elevated a bit more than the standard flower bed.A “raised” bed for your flowers, is more like a mattress ontop of a bedframe.

So, just how high off the ground should you plant your roses? Okay–

I’ll admit it–I would love to have the equivalent of bunk beds for your

roses–the higher the bed the better! But that would be alot of construction. The next best thing, in my opinion, is a wall with a drop off. Almost all of my roses are planted on the top of my rock wall, overlooking the street.

If you don’t have this option, read the post on “Raising Roses”. There, you will find instructions for a simple, yet adequate raised rose bed.

How to Build a Raised Bed

If you read the post on proper drainage, you know how important a raised bed can be for your roses root system.

To make the most basic of raised beds, simply nail four boards together in a frame, place right on the ground and fill with dirt.

It’s that easy.

More specifically, you want your raised bed at least six inches off the ground, so make sure that your board is atleast six inches wide. How long should each board be? Well, that depends–how many rows of roses are you planting? You need 2 feet for each rose bush, and 18 inches between them, so do your math, and plan accordingly. How thick should each board be? Well, it’s not critically important, but generally speaking, the thicker the board, the longer it should last.

Any wood rigid enough to not bend is thick enough for this season.
The most important thing is just to get that bed raised up as high as opportunity affords you. Work with what you have.

Wet Feet

Reasons for planting in a raised bed

Roses don’t like having their “feet” wet. They need water, and lots of it, but they don’t like their roots soaking in it.

This is why drainage is so important for your roses. And why raised beds are so helpful.

If you are ever feeling bored, or in a horticultural frame of mind, take a moment and ponder the following; what sort of plants grow in swamps? Cattails. Marshmallows. Reeds. All names for that sausage shaped plant filled with fluffy stuff. This plant needs alot of water. Standing water. This plant needs almost no drainage at all.

Now. The next time you are on a picnic by a creek, try to find the plants that grow OUT of the water, higher up on the bank. Like Cattails, these plants also need a lot of water. That’s why they thrive by a creek. But unlike Cattails, they need drainage, and lots of it. So, instead of growing down in the bog with the Cattails, they grow on the banks. See, they need lots of water, but they also need drainage. And its a good bet that the ones that grow on the highest ridge of the river bank need the most drainage.

Good drainage in your garden is achieved when your roses are planted in such a way that when you water them, the water flows freely off of them, without puddling. How can you do this? Well, just like the wildflowers by the river, you can plant them by a wall, or a drop off.
For example, let’s say that you live in one of those old fashioned homes built higher-up off of the street. Maybe you have to climb a gazillion stairs to reach your front door. Consequently, your front yard is either a hill or it is contained within a retaining wall that is elevated from the street. If you plant your roses right by your wall, or on a slope, you will have some good drainage. If you have a terraced garden, you will also have some drainage. The point is, when you plant your roses on any elevated surface, you give the water somewhere to fall when it drains, instead of just pooling around the roses with nowhere to go.

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The fastest and easiest way to obtain drainage is to plant your roses in a raised bed.

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Raised beds have many advantages; bugs and weeds don’t thrive in them; and because they are elevated, planting is easier. If you are in a wheelchair, or find bending difficult, you can have a raised bed built up to a height that is comfortable for you. I can personally attest to the fact that raised beds are a total blessing for pregnant moms.

I’m not pregnant right now, and I enjoy good mobility, and energy. I still don’t like to dig. Well, some, but not to the depth needed for planting healthy roses. Roses need lots of circulation around their roots. In fact, good root health is one of the most important things you can provide for your roses. But with clayed or compacted soil in your garden, you must dig a great deal, and amend the soil. That’s a lot of necessary digging–totally eliminated with the introduction of a raised bed to your yard.

Soils can be finicky—they need to be amended from time to time (that just means, they need to have nutrients added to them), and the layers of additives can shift a lot in the ground. Raised beds don’t have this problem so much, and they are easier to add compost and peat moss to. Since roses do need to have their soil amended, and they need very good drainage, raised beds are an excellent choice. Also, raised beds provide a lot of natural protection from garden pests. And while it is not impossible for bugs to find their way into raised beds, it doesn’t happen nearly as often as you might think.

Bugs are a big reason to consider raised beds, but so is the issue of ease.

I mentioned earlier that individuals find it very difficult to do a lot of digging manually.

With a raised bed, you simply pour in the various soils and composts, and put your bush on a layer of soil, pouring the rest of the soil around it… no burying involved, which is easier on the back and knees.

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