THIS year seems to have been an exceptional year for roses, they are arguably our most popular garden flower and yet for some they conjure up images of monochromatic beds and leaves covered in blackspot. Roses, however, are a far more versatile group of shrubs than they are often given credit for and can be incorporated into almost any size or style of garden.

The Diamond Jubilee Community Garden on Newmarket Street in Skipton attempts to demonstrate how effective they can be in a mixed planting scheme. This joint project between Skipton in Bloom and Craven College uses nearly 40 different roses that are planted with a selection of herbaceous perennials and bulbs to extend the season of interest.

Many of the roses were chosen because they had been awarded the prestigious Rose of the Year award or Award of Garden Merit from the RHS. Scent and disease resistance were also important selection criteria along with of course gorgeous flowers. Height is provided by the central obelisks which support climbing roses that wrap around the framework in a spiral to encourage flowering.

Craven College students also planted up the ‘Yorkshire Rose’ garden in Holy Trinity church using white ‘Iceberg’ roses surrounding the yellow variety, ‘Korresia’. This project was slightly more complicated as it was to replace an existing rose garden. Roses and other related plants such as cherries and apples can suffer from transplant disease (rose sickness) when planted into a border where the same plants have grown before.

The exact cause of transplant disease is still not fully understood but it seems to be a combination of nutrient depletion, substances released by the existing roses that prevent the establishment of new ones and soil nematodes, which are microscopic pests that live in the soil.

To overcome these problems the bed was dug over with lots of well-rotted manure during the autumn but not planted until the spring, using roses that had been potted-up in the autumn. Each rose was planted with a handful of bonemeal fertiliser and a mycorrhizal dip which contains beneficial soil fungi known to help plant growth. Whatever the cause of rose sickness, the care taken in planting has certainly paid off but, of course, all of this preparation is irrelevant if you forget to water new plants in dry weather, even when planting early in the year.

Pot grown plants can be planted throughout the year but it is often best to make notes through the summer of any changes you want to make to your borders and implement them in the autumn or spring.

Watering can be a daily task throughout the summer. When plants wilt they do not grow and if left they will eventually die. If you have a lot of hanging baskets and other containers for annual bedding it is often worth considering investing in an automatic irrigation system, they are less expensive than you might imagine and will save hours of work and if set up correctly will thoroughly water your plants when they need it.

Many systems allow you to add fertilisers too so that you can ensure the best possible growing conditions for your plants.

Leaky pipes are often useful in the veg plot or under fruit since they are less wasteful with water than overhead sprinklers and deliver the water to where the plants need it, at their roots. At home I collect rain water from the greenhouse roof in water butts for my carnivorous plants and orchids such as disas. Rain water harvesting is good practice whatever plants you grow and it never ceases to amaze me how quickly the butts fill up, mind you they need to as the water gets used quickly too.

Another Skipton in Bloom project, Herbs by the Kerbs has finally been planted up. Inspired by Incredible Edible Todmorden, this community venture demonstrates not only herbs but a range of fruit, perennial vegetables and edible flowers. It is quite extraordinary how many flowers are actually edible and whilst you should always check first, primroses, violas, day lilies, nasturtiums and pot marigolds can all make an attractive addition to your salad.

Over the past few weeks several bulb catalogues have come through the letterbox. Whilst it is still too early for planting most bulbs it is worth planning for next year and getting your orders sent off. Bulbs such as alliums are expensive when bought in pots but if purchased as dry bulbs in the autumn you get far more for your money. The same is true of tulips, daffodils and crocuses and so if you want a spectacular show without breaking the bank, bulbs are something to consider.

I’ll talk more about planting later in the year since like roses bulbs have a huge array of uses in the garden and will often provide many years of colour with minimal maintenance.

For inspiration from elsewhere there are relatively few owners brave enough to open their gardens in mid-summer but The Grange at Carleton in Craven is open for The National Gardens Scheme on Wednesday, August 12, from noon to 4.30pm.