Whoever coined the expression "bed of roses" to imply a good and easy life had obviously never cultivated roses because, as most gardeners know, these flowers are not always easy to grow and care for.  Fortunately, roses are so beloved by gardeners that there is an enormous amount of literature and information available on the best ways to have a great bed of roses.

With literally hundreds of species of roses to choose from, it may be difficult to decide which type best suits your taste, climate zone, and soil conditions.  However, once you have selected a favorite, or several favorites, you can do numerous things to maintain a healthy and beautiful rose garden.

One of the most important things in having a rose garden is to protect your roses' roots, as these plants can be susceptible to extreme heat or sudden freezes.  A good layer of mulch will help to insulate the roots, and will keep the soil moist.  Mulch can also help to stop splashing water, which can spread diseases like powdery mildew and black spot by spreading disease spores.

You should also feed your roses.  You can give them chemical fertilizers or choose to "go organic" by using natural fertilizers such as fishmeal, cow manure, worm tea, or cow tea.  You should start fertilizing your rose bushes right after you prune them (the beginning of the season). A good fertilizer recipe is to place the following at the foot of each rose bush:

½ cup Epsom salts

½ cup fish meal

1 cup cottonseed meal

½ cup blood meal

1-cup super phosphate (0-20-0) or bone meal

Water your soil thoroughly, spreading your ingredients evenly.  In no time at all you should see rapid growth!