The borders are mulched, the verbena is protected (as cut back verbena is susceptible to frost damage), and I have begun a few hardscaping projects, as well as working on my rose project. 

Winter is the ideal time to move roses in their dormant season. One of the main reasons for this is because roses are sensitive to shock, so timing is important.

I had a climbing rose in one of the borders around the house and what I had not foreseen was the wind tunnel created from the street layout. The rose, David Austin ‘James Galway’, got a beating from the wind so I have moved the rose to the rear garden where it will brighten up the white roughcast of my exterior wall. 

Nowadays, most new build homes in Scotland have at least one wall that is roughcast, also known as ‘harling’. This is essentially a course plaster with weather-protective elements. Rather than drilling into this plaster layer, I am going to erect a timber post in the ground, and use wires to create a climbing frame between this new pole and the fence to support the climbing rose.

The Steps

The steps are simple, starting with digging the hole.

Erect the post, level it with a spirt level, and support it in place. If there are two people then one can hold the pole in place and if you are by yourself, then use anything appropriate – I used two garden chairs. 

Fill the hole with the pre-mixed cement, and add water as per the products instructions, leaving for 24-48 hours to dry.

Once dry and secure, you can begin to put the wires in across the entire area. Tighten them, and they are ready for the rose.

Due to space, my rose has been planted into a very deep container that is frost protected. Filled with a blend of garden soil and compost, the rose has been placed at an angle towards the structure, with the bottom of the stems 2 inches below the eventual soil level. This was then filled in with more soil and compost, firmed down, and mulched. 

For the next part you will require gloves, secateurs, and string as you will be pruning and tying in. To begin, remove any dead or weak stems from the rose. Now locate a main stem, and prune its side shoots down to roughly 2-3 inches. Once you have done this, move onto the next main stem until you have checked over the entire rose. 

Tie in any main stems to the wires, creating the shape you need along the wires, then give the rose a thorough watering.

If you do not want to drill into the back of your home for any number of reasons then this is an excellent solution. This same process can be used to create a wall within the garden, such as for dividing areas. 

Come spring, new growth will start to appear and before you know it you will have a rose wall with stretching stems, rich green foliage, and some of the most beautiful flowers the garden provides.

Andy Peasgood was a Principal Dancer with Scottish Ballet and is a keen gardener. His performance career was fast paced and he finds balance in the garden with particular interests in planting, wildlife and design. You can follow Andy’s progress as he builds ‘A Garden from Scratch’ in his regular column in Scotland Grows magazine and keep up to date with him on his Instagram feed.