According to the National Gardening Association, 91 million households participated in some form of do-it- yourself lawn and gardening activity in 2005, spending an average of $387 Over the past decade, an increasing percentage of this total has gone towards container gardening.

Containers offer a versatile form of gardening that fits into any lifestyle and yard size. City dwellers can use them to brighten up lifeless balconies, roof decks or front stoops, while those with more space can decorate high traffic spaces and incorporate them into lawn and garden areas for added drama and flair. Because of the multitude of options on the market, container gardens are an easy way to add a splash of color to any outdoor space, big or small.

Roses are among the most spectacular and rewarding choices for a container because of their combination of color, fragrance and season-long blooms. "A potted rose makes a fabulous focal point for a sunny patio," says Lauren Bonar Swezey, Senior Projects Editor at Sunset Magazine. "When displayed next to a sitting area, it brings color and fragrance up close."

Tom Carruth, director of research at Weeks Roses and hybridizer of eight AARS Winners in the past nine years, recently shared some insight and tips on building the perfect container rose garden.

• Pick the right pot. Size is the most important consideration. Make sure the pot is not too small and, when in doubt, go for the larger size to allow the roots to grow without constraint over time. Make sure all pots have at least one drainage hole to prevent root rot. Do not use saucers beneath the pot; instead use pot 'feet' to lift the pot off any surface and guarantee good drainage.
• Get the good dirt. Roses prefer a well- drained soil. The commercial soil mixes do well but can dry out quickly. Consider adding some soil from your garden to help stabilize the mix and extend the moisture retention. Plants grown in pots require more water, organic matter and fertilizer than plants in the ground.
• Select the right spot. Remember, roses like full sun and good air circulation. Since pots have the advantage of mobility, you can move the pot around to find just the right location.
• Select the right spot. Remember, roses like full sun and good air circulation. Since pots have the advantage of mobility, you can move the pot around to find just the right location.
• Know your roses. Floribundas, miniatures and some shrub roses can hold their own in a container. Taller rose plants with slender bases, like hybrid teas, will need other low-growing plants to fill the container.
• Think vertical. Place an upward-growing rose bush in the center of the container and surround with 'filler' and 'spiller' plants at the base. The rose plant draws the eye upwards and adds height to the space, while the fillers and spillers cover the base and accentuate the container.
• Group plants strategically. Choose plants with the same sunlight and watering requirements as roses. Shallow rooted fillers do best as they will not compete with the deeper rose roots. Try annuals like sweet alyssum or lobelia, or consider smaller creeping herbs like thyme or ornamental oregano.
• Don't forget the foliage. Mix colorful plants with those in various shades of green to create a more intensified, three-dimensional effect. Smaller variegated ivy hybrids look great and will spill out over sides of the container as they grow.
• Consider 'Pot-scaping'. Choose pots of different sizes and shapes that are made from similar material or those that are similar in color to create a complimentary and leveled look.

This year's AARS Winners – Julia Child, Rainbow Sorbet^TM, Tahitian Sunset^TM and
Wild Blue Yonder^TM – are all wonderful roses for container gardens. Check our website (www.rose.org) for Nurseries and Garden Centers near you that carry AARS roses.

Long-Lasting Rose Arrangements The rose is far and away America's favorite flower and can be celebrated in many ways. There are those who enjoy their roses on the bush and those who bring them into their homes as cut flowers. The following information is for the latter category of gardeners. If you like to display your roses, here are some tips for getting the most from your efforts.

When to Cut
Roses should be cut early in the morning before the dew has dried from the leaves. In the dry summer months, that means getting up before the rooster. By cutting early in the day, the flowers are full of moisture, having had all night to pull water up from the roots. If you cut in the afternoon, the flowers will have lost most of their moisture through transpiration. Thus, to get the most out of our cut roses, cut them early in the day.
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...and see the 2007 Winning Roses before they are announced to the public! One of the best ways to stop and smell the roses, besides those planted in your garden, is to visit one of the 130 plus AARS-accredited public rose gardens. Like the beautiful Morris Arboretum Rose Garden, each AARS garden blooms with hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of roses.

These gardens showcase AARS' new and yet–to–be–announced 2007 award–winning roses. Garden visitors can enjoy the winners as they grow and bloom – just look for the AARS metal markers identifying the rose by name and award year.
Visit www.rose.org to find a garden in your area.