Roses

Bush, bedder or climber: choosing the right rose

Match the plant to the job before you shop on colour. Iceberg (Rosa 'Iceberg') is the workhorse: about 1.5m tall, lightly fragrant, and covered in white blooms almost continuously from spring to late autumn, which is why it turns up as a flowering hedge in front gardens across the country. Zepeti is the compact option at 80cm by 60cm, a disease resistant bedder with deep red flowers that suits pots, balconies and tight borders. For height, the yellow banksia rose (Rosa banksiae 'Lutea') climbs to 6m, grows fast, and is completely thornless, though it needs a genuinely sturdy structure and will spread past 4m if you let it. The assorted roses are mixed unnamed varieties around 1.2m, a budget way to fill a bed when exact colour matters less.

Where roses do their best work

Six hours of direct sun is the entry requirement, eight is better, and good airflow around the foliage matters almost as much. Roses handle a remarkable spread of Australian climates: all four lines here are rated from the subtropics through warm temperate and cool temperate gardens to Mediterranean climates, and Iceberg extends into arid regions as well. In humid coastal gardens fungal pressure is real, so favour morning sun that dries the leaves early and keep plants pruned open. In dry southern and inland gardens, they are among the most reliable flowering shrubs you can plant, coping with heat and drought once established.

Planting and spacing

Plant into deep, free draining soil enriched with compost, and water deeply twice a week through the first summer. Space Iceberg at 1m for a continuous flowering hedge, Zepeti at 50cm for mass planting and mixed bush roses at 60cm. Give the banksia rose 3m of fence or pergola per plant. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the stem.

Pruning and feeding through the year

Prune bush roses hard in late winter, removing dead wood and crossing stems and shortening the rest by about half, then feed as the new growth starts. Repeat flowering types like Iceberg and Zepeti reward a light trim and a feed after each flush. The banksia rose is the exception: it flowers on older wood, so prune it after flowering in spring, never in winter.

Common questions

Do roses grow in subtropical climates?

Yes. Iceberg and Zepeti both carry subtropical climate ratings. Give them morning sun, airflow and free draining soil, and expect a longer flowering season than southern gardens see.

Which rose has no thorns?

The yellow banksia rose is thornless, which makes it the sensible climber for archways, gates and anywhere people brush past.

Are roses safe around pets?

Everything in this range carries our Pet Friendly flag. The practical hazard is thorns rather than toxicity, and the thornless banksia rose removes even that.

How many Icebergs for a flowering hedge?

One per metre of run, plus one for the far end. A 6m front fence takes 7 plants and closes into a continuous 1m to 1.5m hedge within a few seasons.

How does delivery work?

Delivery runs Australia wide from $29.95, with no minimum order. Pair them with other fragrant plants or full sun performers in the same delivery, and everything carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.