Which rose to choose in a Mediterranean climate?

The Mediterranean climate is very particular with its hot, dry summers and mild winters. Some rather cold roses are much better adapted to it than others and will find their favorite soil around the 'Big Blue'.

Growing roses in the Mediterranean climate

The Mediterranean climate has the particularity that the summers are very hot over a long period of time and that drought occurs every year, sometimes even in the middle of winter. The direct and scorching sun does not spare the plants and the roses often go into a resting period during the summer, or even at the end of spring, only to bloom again in the fall if they are remontant.

The soil is often stony or even chalky in certain regions, notably Marseille, which is not very suitable for growing roses, most of which appreciate neutral to acidic soil.

These are many particularities that would make this area a no man's land for roses and yet! Mediterranean gardens are full of species and varieties that are perfectly adapted, you just have to know how to choose them!

Rose species and varieties adapted to the Mediterranean climate

Rosa banksiae or 'Banks Rose' is a very vigorous climbing rose that can cover a wall or a pergola at a surprising speed in the Mediterranean zone since it can reach 15 m in height and spread over at least 6 m. Originally from China, it is a botanical rose, which means that it was not created by breeders and that it exists in its natural state. It will bloom abundantly only if the winter is mild and the hours of sunshine are numerous. It tolerates calcareous and even stony soils, which makes it THE ideal subject. Its white flowers blend in with those of all other climbers such as clematis or wisteria, whatever their color. There are varieties with single yellow flowers in 'Lutescens' or very double in 'Lutea' which will look great with mauve or bluish flowers.

Rosa x damascena, the Damask rose, is famous for its characteristic perfume from which the rose essence is derived. This rose with light green foliage forms a beautiful bush that can reach 2.5 m in height and 2 m in spread. The very double flowers of old type are generally pink and give off an intoxicating perfume. The variety 'Bifera' flowers abundantly during a very long period.

The hybrids of Tea and Hazelnut roses such as 'Philippe Noisette' with pale pink flowers or 'Madame Alfred Carrière' climbing with beautiful double white/pink roses, will do well in more clayey soils but always under a strong sunlight to give the best of themselves.

Rosa chinensis, the Chinese rose is, as its name indicates, of Chinese origin. It grows in thickets in the form of a shrub that can reach up to 2 m high in its natural environment. The range of colors extends from pink to bright red but there are nowadays many cultivars, some of which can be surprising like 'Viridiflora' with green flowers!

The Chinese rose is very tolerant of soil type, the pH does not matter and it tolerates limestone. Although it is reputed to be cold, it is quite hardy but produces a more abundant bloom when winters are mild.

Which company for the roses?

The rose has long been the favorite flower, and in just a few years, its place in the garden has changed dramatically. Once confined to rose beds, roses are now considered true garden shrubs. More often associated with other plants, they offer infinitely varied scenes, both free and creative, easy to live with. The good news is that this new way of living with roses is also excellent for biodiversity!

4 good reasons to plant roses with others

• A beautiful garden for longer! Thanks to the staggered flowering of the different plants, you can enjoy a beautiful setting (almost) all year round!
• A more natural look! Nature is all about diversity. With a garden rich in variety, you follow the nature trend!
• Invite biodiversity! Small garden animals feel much more comfortable in a garden that hosts a lot of different plants. Invite ladybugs, bees and butterflies!
• Worry-free garden! The more different species and varieties you have in your garden, the less phytosanitary treatments you will need. Diversity in the garden is also the health of the garden!

For all styles

Wise or rebel, natural or sophisticated, romantic or traveler: whatever your style, create the composition that suits you! Ground cover roses or bushes, shrubs or climbers: whatever their temperament, please your roses and give them company! The range of plants is so vast that it would be a shame to limit yourself... Whether you have a garden, a terrace or a small balcony, you will always find the ones that will satisfy your love for nature and beauty!

Gift idea!

Mother's Day is coming soon: in addition to a bouquet of roses with an incomparable (but ephemeral) charm, don't resist the pleasure of offering years of flowers, colors and scents by offering a rosebush! 

Prune a climbing rose

Very imposing, climbing roses sometimes intimidate the gardener when it comes to pruning. Don't panic! With the right method, they are as easy to prune as other roses.

When to prune a climbing rose?

Remontant climbing roses, i.e. those that flower several times during the summer, should be pruned at the end of winter.

Non-remontant roses, which flower only once but very abundantly, should be pruned after flowering.

Materials needed

To prune a climbing rose, equip yourself with very thick gloves and old clothes that cover your arms well so as not to hurt yourself with the thorns. Remember to get your tetanus shot before this operation.

Disinfect the blades of your pruning shears and loppers with methylated spirits to avoid contaminating your rosebushes with possible diseases.

How to proceed?

The structure of the rose tree will be organized around the carpenter branches, which, if they are healthy, will be preserved. Think of arching them, i.e. positioning their ends slightly downwards to allow the sap to flow down better, which will induce a more opulent flowering. It is the secondary branches that ensure the flowering of the climbing rose. Prune them back to one eye along the branches.

Remove all dead branches in sections for ease of use. Start at the end and work your way back to the base, each time cutting off sections of about 30 cm.

Always keep a few long vigorous shoots that will serve to renew the plant and replace dead branches. They will also be arched on the support in a harmonious way.

Once the pruning is done, tie the branches along the support with sheathed ties so as not to hurt or cut the stems.

A successful trellis

A climbing rose does not have hanging devices such as tendrils or spikes. It will therefore have to be helped to hang along a wall thanks to a specific trellis on which the branches will be attached, or simply by stretching wires horizontally every 25 cm. Whether it is a pergola, a trellis or simple wires, the structure will have to be solidly fixed to the wall or to the ground, because this plant is very vigorous.

Transplanting a rose tree

Sometimes a rose tree is in a location that is no longer suitable for practical or aesthetic reasons. Transplanting it is an easy operation to perform but always with method to ensure its recovery.

Time of transplanting a rose tree

It is always preferable to transplant a young rose tree which is not too developed. Transplanting an old rose will be complicated by the pruning of the main roots and the recovery will be more difficult.

The operation should be carried out during the vegetative rest period from October until February. Always proceed in good weather and out of frost period.

How to proceed?

• Take a pair of gloves and thick clothes to avoid hurting yourself with the thorns.
• Water your rosebush copiously the day before the operation to make the soil more loose and to hydrate the plant.
• Dig a hole of 80 cm in all directions in the place chosen to move your rosebush.
• Scratch the bottom of the hole and pour in a few shovelfuls of compost mixed with ground horn.
• The next day, start by pruning the rose bush to 20 cm from the ground.
• If the branches are not too lignified, you can tie them together to make the next step easier.
• Use a spade fork and plant it deeply around the base of the rosebush, keeping a distance of 40 cm to avoid damaging the roots.
• Use leverage with the spade to pull out the root ball.
• If a root is really recalcitrant, cut it off as far as possible from its base with pruning shears, or even with a saw if it is a very large plant.
• Dress the roots by trimming them slightly to form a harmonious root ball. Take advantage of this to remove any soft or dry roots.
• Soak the roots with a mixture of garden soil, water, mycorrhizae and cow dung.
• Place your rose in the bottom of the hole prepared the day before, adding as much soil as necessary to the bottom of the hole so that when planted, the grafting point of the rose will protrude at least 2 cm from the ground.
• Fill in the hole and pack well, forming a bowl around the plant.
• Water copiously.

How to care for a newly transplanted rose?

If it does not rain, water your rose often to ensure its recovery. Watering should be very regular throughout the summer so that the root system can establish itself properly.

Mulch the base to protect the still fragile roots from frost.

10 tips to protect yourself from opposite walls

A opposite wall can quickly become a hellish situation depending on the more or less curious nature of the neighbors. Follow our advice to regain some privacy and serenity in your garden, away from prying eyes.

1- Install a fence

Made of wood panels, the fence will completely hide you from prying eyes. Easy to install, these light panels can be painted to your taste or covered with plants to hide them.

2- Plant trees

If the view is from above (for example, a window overlooking your yard or garden), plant a large tree in a strategic manner. Don't forget the regulations that require this type of tree to be planted more than 2 meters from the property line. Choose an evergreen variety to be protected all year long.

3- Make a very 'natural' privacy screen

Let your creativity run wild by making a privacy screen with bamboo culms placed vertically and held in place with wire. If you have flexible branches like those of the hazel tree or weeping willow, weave them into all sorts of shapes to create intimate areas.

4- Create a jungle atmosphere

If you have a green thumb, let yourself go with multiple plantings of dense or voluble foliage that, little by little, will create a real green cocoon around you.

5- Use climbing plants

There is nothing like a climbing plant on a fence, a pergola or a trellis to hide from the viewer. Vigorous wisteria, green hops, passionflower or bougainvillea in hot areas, ivy, are all solutions to live hidden.

6-Abuse shade sails

Very 'trendy', stretched shade sails are also decorative objects in their own right, allowing you to modulate the space by creating areas of shade and intimacy. Place one or more sails facing the opposite direction to find your peace and quiet.

7- Create an outdoor living room

To enjoy a courtyard, a terrace or a garden in summer, install a garden lounge and protect it from prying eyes with curtains. Very light curtains will move with the breeze.

8- Build a low wall

A wall is an effective solution to protect you from the wind and the sun. Made of cinder block, it can be painted or masked by plants such as ivy or Virginia creeper. Made of dry stone, it will be very aesthetic and will shelter a useful fauna.

9- Invite the tropics

Add some exoticism to your garden by planting plants with giant leaves such as gunnere, alocasia or banana. Installed en masse, they will hide you from the eyes.

10- Install screens

Moveable at will, light and removable at any time, the screen remains a solution to consider to protect a small area from an embarrassing vis-à-vis. Made of canvas, wrought iron or very natural materials, you are bound to find one that suits you!

Garden design: elements and principles of landscaping

To create a garden, landscapers rely on various parameters from which we can draw inspiration to shape a harmonious garden. Here are some explanations.

What are the major principles?

The main principles to respect when creating a garden are proportion, order, unity and repetition. Let's see in detail what they are:

Proportion allows you to harmonize the size of objects in a landscape, especially between plants and buildings.

The order allows to create a beautiful balance by using symmetrical forms or on the contrary to give an informal atmosphere based on asymmetrical elements.

Unity is an important concept in a garden, it is achieved by following the guideline established by a particular style or theme.

Repetition allows the recognition of familiar elements repeating in space. The scenes then unfold harmoniously and without too many striking contrasts for the eyes.

What are the essential elements?

Scale will define the relationship between the elements in the garden and those around it. The scale of the garden structure as well as that of the plants will have to be adapted not only to the available space but also to the size of the house.

Color is another crucial parameter: it brings life and dimension to the garden. It can be used through the plants of course, but also in the furniture and architectural elements. The color allows to obtain the famous unity we talked about before; thus, a palette of similar colors will create harmony while different and well marked colors will bring contrast. The landscaper can also choose to create a garden with warm and soothing colors or, for a more design-oriented garden, with cold colors to create a very particular atmosphere. He can play on these colors to highlight a specific element of the garden such as a sculpture, a fountain or a tree, or to create an extension of the house with similar colors. Know that generally speaking, white is a focusing color that inevitably attracts the eye; it must therefore be used wisely.

Lines are key elements of the garden. Soft, curved lines are reminiscent of romantic English gardens, while straight lines and angles add a more formal touch. Vertical lines are used to create height and draw the eye away, while horizontal lines expand or structure the space.

Form and texture are also fundamental elements. The shape of plants or furniture helps to keep to a theme. This is particularly true in formal gardens where topiaries and other elements are cut into specific shapes. Texture appeals to the sense of touch and sight: embossed or silver plants, airy or exuberant foliage, feathery grasses or those dancing in the wind are sure to arouse emotions.