Just because you have no garden or room to plant roses, doesn’t necessarily mean you that you cannot have a beautiful rose collection (or a single treasured rosebush) as is shown in this inspiring story from one of my special email newsletter subscribers in India (pictured above surrounded by some of his stunning blooms including Blue Moon, Double Delight and the very unusual Green Light).  And if you have never thought about or knew that you could grow roses in pots, like me, then read on and prepare to be surprised and to see roses and gardening in a whole new light …

Virendra Dixit lives in Bareilly a picturesque town in north India with a population of nearly 2 million.  As Virendra explains “People in Bareilly are very fond of flowers, the rose is regarded as the king of flowers, so nearly everyone who has enough space, plants roses as well other flowers.  Though there are public gardens in various localities, there is not any specific rose gardens.   In India the rose flowering season is from November to March.”

Virendra  doesn’t have any suitable ground area for planting roses so he planted his roses in pots on the second floor of his house where he has an area of 600 square feet and he has a collection of more than 100 potted roses  where they thrive in 8 hours sun required by roses to bloom.  Despite expert advice he potted his roses in 10inch pots, and looking at the photographs of his roses they do not mind a bit.
Virendra corresponds and searches the net to find every possible rose colour and he has some very unusual rose colours in his collection including copper and green and so-called blue and black roses.

I asked Virendra to nominate his favourite roses.  This is his response:
“To my knowledge there are more than 30000 registered rose varieties so far and every rose is unique and separate to each other rose in colour, shape fragrance etc. so it is a very tough exercise to ascertain my favourite roses.  However I am giving some names in order of my personal likings,these are:
Alec’s Red ,Double Delight, Blue Moon, Black Lady, Catalonia, Great Scott, Peace, Mr. Lincoln, Oklahoma, Papa Meilland, Sugandha, Taj Mahal, Mother Theresa, Pascal, Melody Perfume, Veteran’s Honor, Tribute, Iceberg , Summer Snow, Julia & Green Light. Besides I have a special regard for Polyantha rose – they are called unsung heroes in rose plants.”

Here Virendra shares some of his wisdom about roses in pots.

The rose is a shrub that can be grown in ground as well as in pots.
The life of a potted rose plants can be same as rose plant grown in ground. There are certain advantage for rose plants grown in pots:
1. A potted rose plant , like a house plant can be placed in a secure place according to weather extremes
2.  Potted roses can suitably be used for decorating purposes
3, As the potted roses remain away from the ground plants and natural vegetation the chances of infection of disease and infection of insects pests from ground plants is less.
4. A growing pot plant with flowers can be an attractive object to present to friends.
5. It is easy to have a pot rose in flower through all seasons of the year as is not possible for ground roses due to climatic conditions.
6.  For decoration purposes on festive occasions a potted rose with flowers is considered more prestigious an ornament than any other.
7 In the event of a change of residence potted rose plants can be carried intact with other household belongings to the new residence.

Virendra also recommends to plant only named varieties of roses , as named variety of roses will help to enhance their rose growing hobby.
And finally people must preserve their rose bloom in photographs.

It was such a delight hearing about Virendra’s special rose garden and his passion for roses.  Thank you, Virendra.

And if anyone else has a special story about roses please contact me.