Suggestions for roses in pots

2 years ago

I would like to buy some roses which do well in pots. Since I live in an apartment, I only have option of using pots in balcony. I have short listed few roses and would love some fragnant roses. Please let me know if they perform well in your garden. My location is Germany, zone 7b/8a.

1. Earth Angel Parfuma / Herzogin Christiana

2. Ferdinand Pichard

3. Boscobel

4. Madame Figaro

5. Munstead Wood

1. Earth Angel Parfuma / Herzogin Christiana

2. Ferdinand Pichard

3. Boscobel

4. Madame Figaro

5. Munstead Wood

Thank you!

Featured Answer

erasmus_gw

2 years ago

I bought Crazy Fashion this spring but haven't seen a bloom yet. Possibly it would bloom more than Ferdinand P, which I think was stingy when I had him. A lot of people seem to like the stripe, Peach Swirl. Delbard bred a lot of stripes . I'm guessing you'd have access to Delbards in Germany. I have a few Delbards in pots: Alfred Sisley, Marc Chagall, and Dames de Chenonceau. Delbards are on the healthy side here and are usually good growers and bloomers.

The thing about my potted roses is that most of them have rooted through the holes and that won't be happening on your balcony. But here are some of my potted ones that do well and did well before they rooted through the holes I think.

Louis XIV , bred by Guillot

This one has great rebloom, is very fragrant, not too big, not too thorny, but a little bs prone. Can be almost black.

Eugene de Beauharnaise - also very fragrant, not too big, happy in a pot for many years here.

Dames de Chenonceau..this one's in the ground but one's in a pot. Wants to get a little bigger than the other two.

I think many large growing roses can adapt to life in a pot but it's a better bet to stick with roses that naturally are moderate sized growers. It can be fun to just give things a try.

Some polyanthas can do well in a pot such as Borderer. It tends to grow to 18" and is very well branched and makes a nice pot plant.

Many miniature roses do well in pots too and can be hardy.

Here's Cupcake in a pot -

I think many of the older Austins lack vigor and do well in pots. The lack of vigor can be a plus. Pretty Jessica is a short grower here yet has big blooms and often. Pat Austin is a moderate grower here ( zone 7a, NC, US) and does great in a pot. My best plant of The Prince is in a pot. These all are blackspot prone.

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Comments (10)

Kristine LeGault 8a pnw
2 years ago
I have had Munstead in a pot for years and it has been very happy
Karthik Ganesh thanked Kristine LeGault 8a pnw
Diane Brakefield
2 years ago
My Boscobel is huge and wants to be huge. I wouldn't try it in a pot, but maybe it works for some. Also, it's one thing to grow Munstead in a pot on the patio, and another to grow it on a balcony--reason? A confined space with Munstead's thorns I couldn't recommend. I've grown two Munsteads for years and they can be beasts. Diane
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noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
2 years ago
I was just thinking exactly the same thing as Diane. My Boscobel is too big to be reasonably in a pot, but it is branched low and densely. So...maybe? Depends on how big a pot. Maybe a 24" pot. I wouldn't like to navigate around Munstead (or Boscobel either, for that matter) in a confined space.
Karthik Ganesh thanked noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
Ken Wilkinson
2 years ago
I grew Earth Angle in a large pot for 3 full years. The bush was slow to grow. Slow to repeat bloom and the few blooms it did give were nothing special. I got rid of it. Ferdinand Pichard was a nice bush. Lots of foliage and plenty of SMALL blooms. It's biggest problem was it was planted next to Marchesa Boccella. FP couldn't compare with the blooms of Marchesa Boccella or it fragrance. I put another MB in it's place. I don't grow Boscobel or Madame Figaro. Munstead Wood I grow and really like everything about it. I have 2 bush's of it. I've learned to live and be careful of it's thorns.
Karthik Ganesh thanked Ken Wilkinson
Diane Brakefield
2 years ago
But do you grow Munstead on a balcony? I think that changes the equation, no matter how much we like MW, and it's definitely a favorite of mine. Diane
Karthik Ganesh thanked Diane Brakefield
Elestrial 7a
2 years ago
I think you could grow Munstead in a pot, she does not get super big and stays more tidy and bushy. The only thing to be mindful of is she is extremely thorny.

It may be hard to maneuver around her without getting snagged. I have her away from my walkways because of it
Karthik Ganesh thanked Elestrial 7a
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Karthik Ganesh
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Thank you everyone for your comments!

I was not aware that munstead wood was super thorny but I really love the colour of it. I'll make sure to put it in the corner of balcony, so that there's not much movement near it :)

Although I love Earth Angel and Boscobel, I'll avoid it until I move somewhere with a garden ;)

Does anyone have other suggestions which grows well in pots and look similar to these roses? Madame Figaro looks very similar to Earth Angel and is very fragrant, also supposedly does well in pots.

Crazy Fashion rose by breeder NIRP looks similar to Ferdinand Pichard with double colour.
Eustace_Oxf_UK_9a
2 years ago
MW has been retired by David Austin; so availability could be limited. If you are after a fragrant rose for your pots, I recommend Chandos Beauty.
Karthik Ganesh thanked Eustace_Oxf_UK_9a
NollieSpainZ9
2 years ago
As Eustace says, Munstead Wood is discontinued but still under patent. I believe rose suppliers can no longer (legally) sell it in the EU. I grow a rooted cutting of it in a pot and it does really well, stays compact, floriferous and fragrant. So if you know someone willing to give you a cutting and have the patience, that could be an option.

With good pruning, I don’t think you would have any problems growing Boscobel in a pot in a Northern European climate.

Which direction does your balcony face and how much sun does it get? Does it get exposed to driving rain or high winds or would the roses be sheltered? All those factors will influence how well or how large a particular rose will grow for you. Some roses need full sun to bloom well and to allow the fragrance to develop. Will your chosen ones get enough??

The small blooms may not be to your taste but I can highly recommend the polyantha Marie Pavie, one of my best potted roses. I keep mine to around 45 x 45cm, it flowers it’s socks off and the fragrance wafts beautifully:
Karthik Ganesh thanked NollieSpainZ9