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Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

A cutting garden allows you to bring in the beauty of your rose garden without slicing into the beauty of your landscape.

Cut roses are romantic reminders of your garden’s beauty brought indoors. But it takes a little planning to make sure you’ve got enough roses in your garden to keep it looking beautiful with blooms to spare to enjoy inside. So when planning your rose garden, consider reserving some space for “cut roses.” A cutting garden provides a continual stream of sprays or long-stemmed, single blooms for household floral arrangements and gifts, without reducing the beauty of your landscape.

Cutting roses should be chosen from varieties that produce either large, single blooms on long stems or clustered sprays that open nearly at the same time. For many gardeners, floribundas are the ideal cutting rose, with large volumes of mid- to large-sized blooms in bountiful sprays. Long-stemmed hybrid teas are the best choice for individual buds. These roses produce so-called flushes (or successions of blooms) typically spaced 3-6 weeks apart throughout the gardening season. Some varieties are more productive than others, so choose those roses that assure a continued supply of cutflowers.

Of course, when it comes to selecting roses, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But equally important is the appeal and acceptance of fragrance. There are many richly scented rose varieties, so if fragrance is important to you, plant cutting roses known for having this trait. But if you prefer to avoid strong scents in your home, select some of the many light to nearly unscented roses.

No matter what color or fragrance, always look for cultivars recognized for their health, strong stems and attractive foliage, as well as for their blooms. (And for the sake of your hands, avoid those with large thorns!)

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Photo Credit: ©2001 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Cut rose stems at a 45-degree angle with sharp bypass pruning shears just above a 5-leaflet group. Immediately immerse cut stems in ice water, then recut the stem underwater before you arrange them. The cut stem will sprout again from the nascent growth node at the leaf, producing new blossoms.

There are a number of considerations as well when it comes to laying out your cutting garden. Not only do you need to dedicate space, it has to be the right space. The best locations are sunny, well-protected from wind and rain, and feature tidy paths for easy access. Because cut-rose plants frequently show only green foliage, the back of your landscape beds often works well, as do as other out-of-sight areas. Many cutting gardens also provide space for accompanying plantings of baby’s breath and woody greens to accent your cutflower arrangement.

Remember, the act of producing striking blossoms is hard work for your plants and requires your attention throughout the growing season. Be sure to plant enough bushes to allow occasional rests from harvest during the season, and always leave the last roses of early fall on the plant to bloom and fade, producing swollen seed hips that help harden the plant for the coming winter, as well as bring added interest to the garden.

Be sure to water your roses regularly and fertilize them frequently to keep your plants healthy. Perform frequent inspections of your cutting garden to recognize and treat any pest or diseases as they first appear. With the right forethought and proper care, you’ll be able to enjoy your roses both inside and out all season long!