I'd say, don't do it! Those plants in particular need a movement of air to discourage fungus. Why not create a lush look using billowing edgings, instead, maybe?

Hello =),

I am no expert on the subject, but I will tell you what I have done. I also love the close together look of a lush English garden. I am sure it is true that good air circulation helps lower disease pressure, but I do not let that stop me at all. In fact if you get disease resistant plants to begin with you will have no issues. I actually have several David Austin roses that require spraying due to my high black spot pressure and still plant them together. I plant them them around 2 1/2 feet apart. Note I check how large these get in my zone first in case they are monsters. Do not be afraid of trying what you like, if they get to cramped, just move one around. By no means is my garden considered a lush English garden yet, but I am hopping to get there. What kind of roses are you growing? Hybrid teas with naked feet would look wonderful with peonies close by covering the bottom part of the plants. I wish you good luck in your project. Looking forward to what others have to say. Diane and others here have mastered the look you are looking for and I am sure will have some good advice.

Boscobel (center) with mostly Dark Desire in the background.

My Roses and clematis 2018 · More Info

Boscobel and Desdemona (spring)- now boscobel is looking rough.

My Roses and clematis 2018 · More Info

Dark desire with Desdemona and s bit of my Raspberry CT climber on the background

My Roses and clematis 2018 · More Info

This one here shows the last layer of Lichefield angels I added this spring, by now they are pretty close in size to the others if still very thin.

My Roses and clematis 2018 · More Info

Those are really pretty and they look like they have plenty of of sun and air. I do agree that one has to move things when they get too big. Also, how will one find out what one likes if one doesn't try it out?

We tend to plant very closely, and any rule book about spacings tends to get thrown out of the window, at least with what we call English cottage garden style of planting... but it's going to be different in other climates, cultural tastes can differ and other reasons,... but one thing we don't like to see too much is bare earth... if there's a gap, something goes in... that creates the dense lush look, and also not everything should be flowering at once, some foliage of shrubs, grasses and later perennials like Phlox, to complete the look...

It's also best to plant in a small group, rather than just one of this, and one of that, as it will look bitty and unconnected...

I thought I saw some lovely photos from Dianela before I posted this but they seem to have disappeared...

Hello Marlorena,

It is so wonderful to see your post. You certainly are one of those who have achieved this look to perfection. It can be challenging to place plants close together and it is certainly not low maintenance, but it can be done.

Oh thanks Diane, I don't find it hard work, it's better than doing housework... I see that as hard labour...

It is not hard, except psychologically, to dig out one's mistakes. Alas. I speak from experience.

Daniela, You cannot post pictures like that without telling us what roses we are looking at! LOL! :-)! Those are so beautiful. And I agree Marlorena has this down pat.

I’ve been shoving them together with companions that are supposed to be good for them and don’t have the same diseases... lavender, sage(all kinds of salvia), onions, etc. I’m still experimenting but I had way less diseases than last year with way more fluffiness. They do have tons of thrips though so I don’t know if it made that worse. I sort of accidentally had a great crop of onions along the way, since I don’t spray. Also, everything is more established now so maybe the plants just got stronger. I have no proof of anything :p Also the companions are probably different in your zone.

Thank you all for the advice! Daniela, what lovely roses. Thank you for the pictures. They certainly don’t seem to be suffering from closeness. They’re beautiful!

Marlorena, I hope you don’t mind me “stalking” some of your old posts. I would be crazy happy if I could get my garden to look half as good as yours. :) Getting plenty of ideas.

amanda, yes, companions are wonderful! Lots of salvia here, too, and nepetas, lilies, creeping phlox, caryopteris, lamb’s ears, artemisia.... They are the glue that holds the garden together. :)

I’m thinking I’ll give the peonies their space, and push the boundaries on the roses a little. The peonies have had more foliar issues than the roses lately.

Vaporvac I added labeling to the pictures =). Thank you for your kind comments.

Dillybeansown: You wont be the only one "stalking" Marlorena's older posts. I often show her garden to my husband while trying to explain to him what I would like our garden to look like lol.

Gorgeous Marlorena!

Marlorena, I prefer the look of abundance one sees in English gardens. I believe that the wider spacing we do here in the United States and the extensive use of mulches comes in part from the fact that the western part of the country has less rainfall. My own region gets about 15 inches a year in a good year, and all of it in the winter. Much of the west is drier yet. Plants spaced further apart simply have more soil from which to pull water, an advantage when dealing with water scarcity. It's probably not the only reason, given that eastern gardens are often planted this way as well, but certainly it is an important one.

I'd be careful about crowding peonies. For the last 2 years I have been battling botrytis because my peonies are planted too close together. Roses and peonies together might be a different story.

Daniela - beautiful garden! Dark Desire is one of my favorite roses.

Thank you very much ctgardenguy. Dark desire has certainly been a great rose here.