This Dreamy Rose Thrives For Nearly 20 Years And Is Perfect For Cutting Gardens

Having a cutting garden allows you to liven up your home with fresh blooms and gift flowers to your loved ones without spending loads at the local florist. There are tons of great flowers to add to your cutting garden, but one staple has to be the rose. Roses can last a fair while after cutting, and their iconic blooms are a welcome sight in any home. If you want to bring roses into your cutting garden, consider opting for the 'Queen Elizabeth' grandiflora rose (Rosa). This pink rose variety lives for around 20 years and produces stunning pastel flowers year after year. Blooming from May until the first frost, the 'Queen Elizabeth' rose will provide you with freshly cut flowers throughout the season. 

You can grow the 'Queen Elizabeth' grandiflora rose in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, and it thrives under full sun in well-drained, moist soil. When planting it out, dig a hole roughly twice the size of the root ball and add in organic matter. Then, place some general fertilizer in the surrounding soil. Water regularly to help it establish itself, but avoid watering from overhead. Once it has settled in, carry on watering to ensure the soil remains moist. A rose fertilizer and mulch are recommended every spring to promote flowering and growth. This rose variety can grow to a height of 6 feet and a spread of 3 feet, so keep that in mind when planning where to place it in your cutting garden. 

The 'Queen Elizabeth' grandiflora rose will rebloom when you remove mature flowers, making it a perfect flower for a cut flower garden. However, knowing when and how to cut your roses will allow you to get the most out of your freshly cut blooms. If you are cutting roses for a vase or bouquet, do so just after their bud stage, when the first petals start to unfurl. This will prolong their vase life by allowing them to bloom inside. It is best to harvest fresh roses in the morning, as this is when the stems will be full of water. If you are good at forward-planning, give your roses a good watering the night before cutting.

Use sharp cutters and cut the stems of your roses at an angle. Then, place the cut roses in a bucket of water straight away. Once you have cut all the roses you want, it is time to condition them, which helps you keep your cut flowers fresh for longer. To do this, you need to strip the leaves from the bottom half of the stem, re-cut the bottom, and then place them in a bucket of clean water.  Your roses will need to be put in a cool location for at least two hours. When you are ready to display your roses, remove them from the bucket, place them in a vase with fresh water and floral preservatives, and enjoy!