One of the world leaders in rose cultivation, Britain’s own Peter Beales Roses has an unrivalled breadth of experience and archive of wisdom about growing and tending the ‘Queen of Flowers’. Here, we take a look at caring for potted plants and some of the best roses for planting into containers. The demand for roses supplied in containers has steadily increased, and tends to peak during the summer months. The big advantage of buying a rose planted in a container (rather than bare rooted), is that a good root system will have already started to develop. If purchased in summer, there will be the added advantage of the rose being in flower, bringing an instant boost of colour and fragrance to the garden. Whilst most roses are ultimately planted out, with the right care and attention, there are many varieties that will also thrive well in pots. Roses need a lot of food, water and sunlight, and this is doubly true of roses kept in pots, which require significantly more water than those planted out. Be especially mindful of this during hot summer days, when roses in pots require daily watering, especially when they’re flowering, and more frequently on very hot days, with a pot saucer to retain water. As well as putting the plant under stress, insufficient watering can also contribute to the development of rose diseases. It is difficult to overwater a rose, but they won’t like having their roots sitting in cold water for long periods. Make sure their containers have drainage holes and, ideally, a drainage layer inside the pot.