Many retirees whose gardens have become too much work to maintain move into units where there is little scope to garden in the usual way.
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The urge to grasp every opportunity to keep in touch with the growing of plants is still strong, so to relieve the boredom growing plants in containers is seen as the solution, and what better subject than the rose, the queen of the flowers which provides such variety of colour and form?
All types of roses can be grown in containers and while it is easier to get good results by planting them in the open garden, it is possible to do the same in containers with a little extra care and attention.
As space is often a problem for container gardens the type of rose most popular for this purpose is the miniature rose.
These roses come in a great variety of forms and colours but every part of the plant is in miniature, the stems, flowers and foliage.
Miniature roses, as the name implies, average between 15 and 40cms in height under good conditions and the flowers are about three centimetres across when fully opened. Any larger spoils the overall appearance of the plant.
They can bloom for eight to nine months of the year and because of their early regrowth have practically no lulls between flushes of flowers.
As these roses are miniature they only require small containers about 10cm in diameter.
Even their names are appealing - Bo Peep, The Fairy, Baby Darling and Green Ice.
Two of the more popular varieties of the miniature roses are Green Ice, with creamy white flowers when first opened changing to a pale green as the flowers age and The Fairy with masses of blushing pink flowers.
The small containers also are a lot easier for seniors to move about without any strain.
Miniature roses thrive in a sunny spot outdoors, but move them to a cooler position during the extremes of summer.
The immature roses do not appreciate growing indoors even when on a sunny windowsill because the atmosphere of a room is often too dry, however if grown outdoors they can be brought inside for short periods while in flower.
Container-grown plants need a free-draining potting mix that will not dry out too quickly.
Watering, especially during summer, has to be done correctly.
This should neither be neglected nor overdone but applied according to conditions with common sense.
Feed container-grown roses once a month with a liquid fertiliser and there's no need to feed when they are dormant in winter.
Miniature roses, like other roses, are surprisingly tough and hardy but are subjected to the same pests and diseases.
Keeping these under control can easily double their quality.
Also given the free branching growth habit of many miniature roses pruning can be much more drastic.
For winter pruning, no part of the head, the top of the rose, should be left longer than three to seven centimetres.
They thrive on this tough approach.
Diary
April 14: The North West Group of the Australian Plant Society's annual plant sale will feature a wide range of native plants at The Tasmanian Arboretum, Eugenana at 10am - 3pm.
April 16: The Australian Plant Society meets at Max Fry Hall, Gorge Road, Trevallyn 7.30pm.
April 17: Launceston Horticultural Society meets at Windmill Hill Hall, High Street, Launceston, 8pm.
April 18: Launceston Orchid Society meets at Newnham Uniting Church Hall, Newnham, 7pm.
Daily: Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden, Burnie. Open 9am to 5pm. Tea room 10am-4pm.