Ask John Negus John has been answering reader queries for 50 years
What are good roses to grow on a wall?
Q My mother lives on the north-west coast of Ireland and has a rather ugly long bare wall. I was thinking of buying her some climbing roses, but they would only be able to be planted in containers. What rose varieties would you recommend for climbing trellis, and what is the smallest depth and diameter the container would need to be? Is this a workable idea?
Barry Williams, via email
A I suggest that your mother grows Cants’ Patio climbing roses in large half-barrels or troughs. It’s vital that they are in full sun, otherwise their blooms will be sparse.
Whichever container you choose, it should not be anything less than 18in (45cm) deep.
Initially, make 1in (2cm) drainage holes in the base and cover them with crocks or stones.
Top the drainage material with 6in (15cm) of a blend of five parts, by volume, of John Innes potting compost No3 mixed with one part of multi-purpose compost or composted manure.
After planting the roses, add more compost to within 2-3in (5-7cm) of the container rim and firm in roots. Ideally, position plants 4-5ft (1.2-1.5m) apart.
Choice varieties that grow from 6-8ft (1.8-2.4m) high, are
