Growing English Roses in Spain

When I first came to live in LaMancha 12 years ago, I had never tended a garden in such a hot, dry climate, and I had no experience with clay soil.  In my native New England, we had never-ending precipitation and a lush, humus-filled topsoil.  Yes, there were rocks and tree roots to work around, but I had never had to chip away at a hole with a pick-axe!

Golden Celebration

Seven years ago, when I started the garden at our new house, I really had no idea whether English roses would fare well here.  But, I had my heart set on trying some David Austin cabbage-like roses, and my very first plant purchase was an order of bareroot roses from a Dutch online supplier.

Abraham Darby and perovskia

The first year, I planted these roses in pots, as we still did not have a drip system up and running, and I was unsure whether any of them would survive in a dry lot with absolutely no shade.  The roses did surprisingly well in pots, and that winter they were planted in the yard on the eastern side of the house.  Since then, I've learned a thing or two.

Lady Emma Hamilton

1) Soil ammendments:  I know, I know, this is the boring stuff, but you have to feed your plants if you want them to flourish, and I prefer not using chemicals in my garden.  Every single plant in my garden has been planted with ammendments, mainly potting soil and mantillo, which is a mix of decomposed manure and organic plant matter.  I also use a sprinkle of ash from our wood-burning fireplace and banana peels, which are an excellent source of potassium.  Remember: if you do not ammend your Spanish clay earth, it's just like planting in terracotta pots, because in the summer our clay soil "cooks" and solidifies.

2) Location, location, location!:  When planting English roses in Spain, you need to take our harsh summer climate into account.  Yes, roses need plenty of sun to flower, but too much of a good thing can be bad.  Plus, our dry summer winds can be more drying than the sun itself.  So, I have my English roses planted on the eastern side of my house, protected by masonry walls and other taller plants.  Less heat + less hot air = longer-lasting roses.

English roses on the eastern side of the house, in front of an ivy-covered masonry wall and with companion plants

(lavender, sage, rosemary)

3) Water:  From April/May to September, I have my roses on a drip irrigation system, set at 45 min per day at 9:30 pm, that way the plants have all night to absorb the water (I have never had mold problems).

Abraham Darby

4) Ground cover/companion plants:  Especially in the cases of recently-planted roses, it is necessary to provide their roots with some sort of relief and protection from the elements in the summer.  So, my first line of defense is a large rock.  Yes, when I plant a new rosebush, I usually "plant" a large rock at its feet (this is a trick that my Spanish mother-in-law taught me: "la piedra les aporta frescor").  Companion plants also provide some protection, and ones that do well with roses include: sage, rosemary, thyme and lavender.  The planting is dense, and the sun does not reach the soil.

English roses with companion plants, between a masonry wall and stone pathway

English roses, planted along a retaining wall, with companion plants (salvia, Rosemary and irises) 

And that's it!  I use no chemicals, no sprays, no nothing.  I do have other roses planted in other areas of the garden, but these are big growers and ramblers.

Roses along a fence on the north-western side of the house with Trufa, our black lab

The Shepherdess

 What are your tricks for growing roses in your climate?