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Making a Rose Hedge

mustache” of shrubbery that hides the foundations of many modern houses. The keys to a formal ap- pearance are not in trying to keep the bushes all precisely the same shape (continuous production of new bloom stalks will always make the bushes slightly irregular) and choosing one specific variety rather than trying to mix and match.China andTea roses are excellent for hedges in the 4 to 6 foot range, with Polyanthas useful at shorter heights. In order to create a really thick hedge, the rose bushes can be planted in a double row or staggered in zig-zag fashion to maintain appropri- ate intervals between plants. If the bushes are pruned back hard the first year or two, they will fill out vigorously with uniform thick growth. After the plants are established,the hedge can be simply sheared to the required height once or twice a year (late February and late August in the South) and left alone to bloom. Pegging Roses One method of training roses that has been nearly forgotten is called pegging. A rose suitable for pegging will have long flexible canes about 5 to 7 foot long. A number of Bourbons and Hybrid Perpetuals, as Peter Beales agrees, are “almost

custom-built for this purpose.” Climbing roses that reach over 7 feet are not good for pegging, because they quickly grow out of bounds and become unattractive . To peg a rose, fasten the canes to the ground by pinning them with a hook,or“peg”.It is important to remember to let new canes harden properly before they are bent down and pegged no matter how unruly they may look; otherwise they may break.We peg our roses twice a year, before the onset of new growth (for us it is late January and late August). We use the long 6 to 7 foot canes that have grown in the prior season. Older canes can be pruned away every second or third year to make room for these newly pegged canes. The canes can be left with a high arch or fastened nearly horizontal, arranged in a perfect

There are two basic types of hedges - formal and informal. A large, informal hedge can replace a wall or privacy fence, or be used to disguise or soften an existing one.Members of the Shrub rose class,most of the Hybrid Musks,several of the Species roses, and individual varieties from other classes such as the China rose, ‘Mutabilis’, or the Rugosa,‘SirThomas Lipton’ make excellent subjects for an informal hedge. This type of rose planting requires almost no care at all other than the basics of feeding, watering, and removing the occasional dead cane. Roses can also be used to create a neat, formal,everblooming hedge that offers a great deal more color and interest than the traditional“green

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Rose Culture