This variety of roses comprises smaller versions of other rose varieties and was initially bred for growing in containers. In fact, when we use the word miniature we actually refer to a relative value. The height of miniature rose shrubs may vary from just a few inches to about 18 inches (45 cm). On the other hand, the length of climbing miniature rose plants may extend to several feet. Blossoms of miniature rose varieties that have a perfect form, especially those that grow on the hybrid tea type roses, may vary in size. They may measure anything between just half inch and 2 inches (1.3 cm to 5 cm) in diameter.
The best thing about miniature roses is that they can not only be grown nearly anywhere, but also under almost all conditions. You can grow miniature roses in hanging baskets, tubs, in rockeries, borders or in well prepared beds specially meant for them. Often, you can grow miniature roses in very odd places - depending on how far your imagination runs. In fact, they can take a fall from walls, grow in your fences, along the banks of a river to make it look gorgeous or even to cover the ugly spots in your garden up to an elevation of about 8 feet (24 metres)!
Compared to other rose varieties, miniature roses are more resilient and also require very less after care. In fact, they provide you several rounds of beautiful roses throughout the season extending from the end of spring to the middle of winter. You can prolong the flowering period of miniature roses by growing some plants indoors in pots. This will allow the plants to flourish, as many others outdoors will have finished their blooming season.
In present times, gardeners and commercial cultivators produce miniature roses in several countries across the globe. In many countries, people sell miniature roses on grafted or budded stocks. In fact, several varieties of Californian miniature roses are sold in this manner. Nevertheless, the majority of miniature roses are propagated from cuttings measuring about the length of one's finger and sold as small plants with a year of developing them. Some are also sold as early as six months of developing the plants. There is a major difference between these two and that is that plant grown in pots will be somewhat small and you can purchase them throughout the year. On the other hand, those that are developed from buds or grafted are relatively bigger as well as stronger. These plants come with bare roots and it is essential to plant these roses sometime between the later part of autumn and beginning of spring.
Roses developed from cuttings have a number of advantages and a key advantage is that though they are small in size, they are very robust. Hence, you can use these roses as pot plants prior to replanting them in a larger pot or outdoors in your garden, where they will flourish for several years enabling you to take delight in their exquisite beauty. On the other hand, budded rose plants are actually meant for growing outdoors in your garden. Provided you wish to grow these plants on a patio, ensure that you have a considerably large tub that can accommodate their big, growing roots easily.
The first and foremost requirement for growing miniature roses, or for that matter any plant, is to select a favourable site. The place you choose should have a good drainage, receive sufficient sunlight and also be airy. You can grow miniature roses in a bed entirely dedicated to these plants or also in front of any border or a rock garden where they will have an excellent effect. Prepare or start digging the selected site some time prior to the planting. In fact, digging the plot in some advance is more advantageous. Early autumn is the ideal time for starting planting the roses. In case you don't prepare the soil in advance and leave the task for winter, you will find that preparing the damp soil in winter will be quite messy as well as frustrating.
Actually there is no difference as to where you should plant your rose. This holds true for all types of miniature roses -budded, grafted or bare-root roses or plants have been propagated from cuttings and grown in pots. However, it is advisable that if you are planning to grow tiny miniature roses, grow them in their pots for some time to allow them time to get adjusted with the surroundings. These plants are very small and may get cowed down if you directly plant them in your garden.
Irrespective of the miniature roses you may be planting, it is important that you make the same kind of treatment available for all of them. People who want to grow their plants successfully should know and follow five guidelines. These are also the five main, but simple requirements for growing wonderful plants. You should ensure that your miniature roses get adequate sun, light, water, nutrients and some care. In fact, plants grown in an open garden require these things more than the potted plants and they cannot be moved to different places depending on their requirement or continued to be grown in containers till you decided on the best location for growing them outdoors.
Providing any plant with sufficient light does not mean that they have to be scorched in hot sunlight, but is denotes that you should not grow your plants under the shadow cast by large rose plants or any other flowering plant. In addition, it means that you should plant your roses away from any overhanging trees. Planting roses in winter is very easy, because majority of the trees have shed their leaves by then and you can select a position for your rose that will not be very dark due to the summer foliage of the adjacent plants during summer. At the same time, it is advisable that you don't plant your miniature roses in any mixed border, as they may go astray when the foliage withers. This is mainly because other plants in the mixed border may grow more rapidly as well as taller during summer and eventually make the roses get lost in their midst. Therefore, it is essential to grow your roses in a place where they will never be overwhelmed by other plants growing in the neighbourhood.
When we talk about providing your roses with adequate sunlight, we mean that they should be grown in a position where they will be receiving sunlight for at least six hours daily. In order to maintain the plants in their optimum position, it is essential to provide them with no less than six hours' sunlight. It is definitely much better if the period of this sunlight is in the morning hours. However, if your garden does not receive much sunlight during the morning, it is advisable that you select a position when the roses will receive maximum sunlight possible. In fact, none has ever seen a genuinely successful rose that has grown in a shaded bed.
Apart from providing the roses with adequate sunlight, you need to ensure that the soil in the region of your roses is always moist. Remember that in case your rose becomes dry or wilted, you cannot restore its health by any means. However, this does not in any way mean that your roses will have to keep standing in soggy soil throughout the day. While a good drainage is essential for the roses to grow well, they also need to be watered appropriately. In fact, roses consume a lot more water than one would expect. Therefore, if you provide your roses with a good drink every day, you will not only have healthy plants, but also exquisitely beautiful blooms. If you want your roses to grow to the best of their capacity, it is essential to ensure these few growing conditions.
Good soil is one of the basic requirements for your roses, because it is the main source of their food. In case the soil in your garden is poor, you can be sure that miniature roses, or for that matter most plants, will not grow successfully. In fact, several rookeries are made keeping in mind the alpine plants, but the miniature roses require a much superior soil. Ideally, the pH level of the soil needed for growing miniature roses should be 6.5. Even if you are using the best soil for growing miniature roses, it is essential to supplement it with humus as well as fertilizers like bone, blood and fish meal. At the same time, you need to ensure supplies for other different feedings.
All gardeners are well aware of the fact that they can augment the soil quality by tilling it properly and adding the right fertilizers. This is the main reason why you should prepare the soil much before actually planting the roses. The more humus that you can add to the soil the better it will be for the plants. It will be a wonderful starter if the soil in your garden is a high-quality medium loam. However, irrespective of the soil in the site you have chosen to plant your miniature roses, you can definitely improve its quality by various means.