Rose ‘The Generous Gardener’ is a breathtaking repeat flowering and one of the best fragrant of all English roses. Reminiscent of the water lilies, this rose is an excellent climbing rose that flushes from later spring until winter. This lovely rose has also won many prestigious awards including the Awards of the Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
The Generous Gardener Rose (Rosa The Generous Gardener) was first bred in 2002 in the United Kingdom by David Austin. It was named to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the National Gardens Scheme.
Repeat-flowering and one of the most fragrant of all English Roses, The Generous Gardener is a fabulous Rose that features breathtakingly large, double flowers reminiscent of water lilies. Pale pink, they are deliciously fragrant, a mix of old rose, musk, and myrrh, and are elegantly held on strong, arching thornless stems against the lovely green glossy foliage. Tall, bushy, and well-branched, you may want to train this beauty as a climbing rose to let its scent hang beautifully in the air!
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Consider picking a spot that gets no less than 6 to 8 hours each day of direct sunlight. While they will tolerate full sun, The Generous Gardener Roses flowers also thrive and resist disease in partial shade. Roses require a lot of sunlight if you want them to perform very well and this one is no exception.
Watering
Provide enough water and nutrients to your roses while being careful not to overdo them. For most climates, this equates to one deep watering per week. To be safe, check on your roses every 4 to 5 days if you live in a hot or dry climate. Avoid overhead watering, which can promote disease.
Soil
Grow in fertile, moist but well-draining soil. Roses that are not grown in the proper soil typically underperform, and if the soil remains wet for an extended period of time, they frequently develop pest and disease problems. This rose tolerates most soil types.
Mulch could be garden compost, composted straw or bark, or well-rotted manure. Fresh manure can harm the roots of roses, so it must be at least two years old. Make sure to mulch your rose yearly.
Fertilizing
When the leaves of The Generous Gardener Roses begin to open in the spring, apply a balanced dose of granular all-purpose fertiliser. This will help your roses get off to a good start. This rose will typically have a large bloom in the spring or summer, with only a few scattered blooms the rest of the season. You can give your rose The Generous Gardener a couple of extra feedings throughout the season, but the results are unlikely to be spectacular.
Planting Instructions
After receiving your bare root rose, soak the roots in a bucket of room temperature water overnight before planting day to rehydrate the roots. Then, dig a hole that is as wide as the plant’s longest roots and deep enough to allow you to place the plant on top of a mound of soil while keeping the bud union no more than an inch below the surface once planted.
Once you’ve placed your The Generous Gardener rose on top of the mound, spread the roots out in all directions and backfill the hole about halfway. Water the loose soil with your garden hose until it flows around the roots like mud, then fill the hole the rest of the way. Give the soil one last heavy watering, making sure to top off any final settling but not tamping it down. This method should ensure that there are no air pockets beneath the soil around the roots.
Pruning
You should prune the rose The Generous Gardener in the late winter or early spring when the weather warms but before the leaves open. You can also prune The Generous Gardener Rose shrub as needed to keep it at the desired height and to increase airflow, which helps the plant stay healthy. Begin pruning after the flowers have finished blooming and the hips have dried. Wear leather gardening gloves to keep your hands safe from thorns. With long tongs, grasp each branch and prune it. On the other hand, use pruning shears to snip the branch. Trim the top horizontally after trimming the sides to fit the trellis or fence.
Propagation
The plant can be propagated by hardwood cuttings in the winter.
Pests and Diseases
The Generous Gardener Rose is disease-resistant and well-liked by butterflies and bees. This species is said to be less susceptible to insect pests and diseases that may affect other hybrid roses more frequently. Nonetheless, keep an eye out for pests such as glasshouse red spider mites, rabbits, rose leaf-rolling sawflies, scale insects, and aphids. Diseases that may arise are rose black spot, powdery mildew, rose rust. Remove and destroy any diseased leaves. Plant garlic nearby to protect it from such problems and allow this rambling rose to thrive and prosper.
III. Uses and Benefits
Rose ‘The Generous Gardener’ is an excellent choice for beds and borders. Spectacular when combined with the cool blue colors of salvia, nepeta, or lavender. Plant it where you can enjoy its perfume daily: near a doorway, along a path, near your patio or deck.
It is also excellent cut flowers. Ideal as a free-blooming climber for walls, arbors, fences, or other garden structures where it may reach up to 10 ft. (3 m).
