Wild Roses Can Be Tamed
I am a long time fan of the wild rose and few gardens I have created have been without a small area of wild roses such as Rosa rugosa. Unfortunately these aggressive bushes can become an invasive problem if not grown correctly and, in the following article, I will take a close look at using these roses in your garden.
Rosa rugosa
Of all the wild roses available I tend to grow this species more often than others. One of the reasons has to be, admittedly, that I like to make rose hip wine (or rose hip and fig) and Rosa rugosa produces an abundance of bright red hips at the end of every summer. Even if you don't make wine you can be sure that your local wild bird population will become regular visitors to your garden to feast upon this vital source of vitamin c. Rose hip jelly is also pretty nice!
Known also as the Japanese Rose, or Ramanas Rose, Rosa rugosa originates in eastern asia, where is has grown for a great many centuries, but is widely used throughout Europe and North America. The sweet smelling flowers are often dried and used in pot-pourri.
Other Species of Wild Roses
Rosa acicularis is another Asian wild rose which is also found in North America, Canada and Europe, and is known as the prickly or bristly rose.
Rosa arkansana is more widely known as the Prairie Rose and is native to central North America (and state flower of North Dakota and Iowa).
Rosa virginiana, another of the wild roses native to the United States, is, confusingly, also known as the Prairie Rose. Found in eastern North America and in parts of Canada, Rosa virginiana can be a little too invasive for many.
Taming Your Wild Rose
Wild roses are suckering shrubs which throw up endless shoots from adventurous roots which can penetrate deep into an adjacent lawn (I know from bitter experience). If you are confronted with this scenario do not be tempted to just mow the tops off, no, you should bite the bullet and dig up the whole root - there is no other long term solution. If you just cut off the top the root will become established and you will face a never ending problem.
You can avoid this issue completely by a little forward planning, by planting large slates deep into the ground you can create a strong barrier which will halt these invasive roots from reaching other areas of your garden. You may find that it is necessary to create rather an imposing barrier but it can all be below ground level so it will not be visible. If you want to create just a small area of wild roses then you can surround your bushes with such a barrier but be aware that you will have to ensure that it receives sufficient water and nutrients, plus it may need thinning and pruning hard after only a few years.
