Best English Roses for Hedges

Planting Rose Hedges

Carefully select the planting site for your rose hedge.

• It should be in full sun as roses prefer planting sites that receive at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.
• Your rose hedge should also be planted in an open area, where air can circulate around the front and back of the plants to prevent foliar diseases from attacking your roses.
• Hedging roses should be planted from 18" to 3 feet apart, depending on the variety chosen. The closer the roses are planted, the more quickly your hedge will fill out.
• In order to grow a thick rose hedge, you may plant rose bushes in two rows.

Prunning Rose Hedges

• Pruning hedge roses is fairly easy. English Roses and other repeat flowering shrub roses should be cut down by between 1/3 and 2/3 with pruners or hedge trimmers. Simply shear the roses down at the top and on the sides.
• Prune hard (2/3) in the first year to promote bushy growth at the base of your hedge.
• David Austin recommends late December to early February as best pruning times in mild winters areas. In regions with cold winters, pruning should be delayed until spring growth is just starting.