Rosa Generosa Charles de Nervaux - Shrub Rose

Roses prefer a sunny location (at least 4 to 5 hours of sun per day) but sheltered from the burning midday rays and strong winds. Plant them from October to April. Easy to grow, roses appreciate loose, permeable soils rich in humus. They prefer neutral pH soil but will adapt to any garden as long as the soil is well worked and sufficiently rich.

To plant your rose in a pot, work the soil to a depth of 25 cm (10in), crumbling the soil and placing a base amendment such as bonemeal at the bottom of the planting hole. Position your plant, free from its pot, covering the top of the rootball with 3 cm (1in) of soil, fill in and water generously to eliminate air pockets.

In dry weather, water regularly for a few weeks to facilitate root growth. Also, remember to provide your rose with special rose fertiliser that stimulates flowering. Prune its branches by one-third each spring.

Roses are often spotted or unsightly at the end of summer, but this is not a problem for their development. These spots are not harmful to the rose, it is a natural phenomenon.