From £6.00
A stunning, deep red, double flowered rose from our list of roses to give as presents, Sweet Wishes packs an enormous floral punch, especially if one considers this particular patio rose's size. Sweet Wishes will only grow to about 50 cm tall, with a rounded bush shape and strong mid-green supporting foliage. The small, velvety flowers grow generously and continuously from June to September so that they can be a real focal point in the garden. The overlapping petals form concentric circles around golden stamens that result in a flower with real depth and impact. We also have other patio roses that might appeal like the pale pink Lovely Bride. Or if you are looking for something bigger but just as red, then look at One in a Million for a rose that genuinely lives up to its name.
You could not find a more trouble free and long lasting plant to wish upon your garden. It will sit happily ensconced at the front of a border dwarfed by airy and billowing wispy cosmos, or broken up by exclamation marks of Hidcote lavender for a real English look. But patio roses really come into their own in pots where they can lighten, brighten and entertain in the smallest garden. The pot should be frost proof and at least 30 cm deep, filled with a few crocks at the bottom and plenty of free draining compost with a bit of added grit. Find a colour and texture of pot that will flatter the rose not distract from it. Sweet Wishes would look gorgeous in a silvery lead pot but not so good in terracotta! With regular watering and a liquid feed during the growing season, Sweet wishes will then reward you with many buds. At this point change your regime to a high potash feed to really boost flower production. Plant up your pot with some Silver or Golden Queen thyme too. Not only will their coloured foliage set off the rose, but it will mean you have a handy supply of fresh herbs just there ready to use all summer. And really don't forget how petite this rose is - it would even work on a window sill! And weirdly, patio roses are great for erosion control so if you have a sloping bank, plant lots of patio roses to knit the soil together and prevent slippage.
The old fashioned hobby of pressing flowers is coming back into vogue and Sweet Wishes would provide perfect specimens. Only use a bloom at its peak and experiment with pressing it between blotting paper and hardboard, using rubber bands to hold the sheets together. And being the immediate gratification society we are, instead of waiting the requisite four weeks to retrieve your treasure, you can now try microwaving your homemade press for almost immediate results!
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