While garden activity tends to wind down around this time of year, that's not the case for all elements.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society, late autumn – throughout November and until early December – is the perfect time to plant bare-root roses.
These beautiful plants can be a little bit on the pricey side compared with some of the other flowers you might place in your outdoor space, but if you care for them correctly, then you will reap enjoyment from them for many years.
What's more, they are relatively easy to establish. If you intend to plant during this season, then bare-root roses – those that have been dug from open ground – tend to be your best bet. Generally, you will have to rely on a mail order service to source them, but the roots will have been dried out before sale, so they should arrive in good condition.
Bare-rooters are also usually of good quality, with a wider root spread than plants you'll purchase in containers. However, in order to ensure they remain in a top condition, plant them as soon as you receive them.
One of the first things to think about when planting new roses is whether or not the spot you've chosen has homed roses before. If so, then you need to dig to a width and depth of at least 45cm, and swap the soil with that from another area of the garden. This is because the plants are susceptible to what's known as replant disease, or 'soil sickness'.
After that, your hole should be around twice the width of the rose's roots. Apply fertiliser – made up of rotted organic matter like farmyard manure to encourage growth.
Plant the rose in the centre of the hole, ensuring the graft union – where the cultivar connects with the point where branches grow from and the rootstock – is above soil level. Finally, fill in the earth around it.
When it comes to spacing, each rose variety is different, so consult your catalogue or ask your garden centre.
And there you have it! Growth will begin around early spring time, at which point you can enjoy watching the results of your hard work blossom.
