White Ramanus Rose
(Rosa rugosa 'Alba')

The Rosa rugosa Alba will add wildlife interest as well as colour into a lovely mixed hedge, or it can be planted as a single species, as its prickly nature makes it a successful intruder deterrent. It is deeply fragranced, large, white flowers burst through in June and last until September, following with the largest berry-looking rose hip of any wild rose bush. It also has lush, glossy-green foliage that has a crinkly feel to it.

The plant can grow very densely, as new growth comes from below ground level, making it the ideal hedging plant if wanting to add some fresh and bright colours to your garden.

When it comes to soil and situation types, the White Ramanus Rose is a tough plant. It is not dependent on what soil or site it has (except it cannot sit in waterlogged soil) but does particularly like sun and a bit of sandy soil. It is also tolerant to coastal positions- hence it is sometimes called the Saltspray Rose.

• Growth height: Average (20-40cm per year )
• Ideal height: 1.2m-2.5m Medium
• Soil Type: Normal
• Exposure: Coastal, Exposed, Inland
• Aspect: Full shade, Semi-shade, Sun
• Evergreen foliage? No

Looking after your Rose rugosa Alba is simple, and all it requires is a general trim in Spring to get rid of the thinner twigs.

When should I plant White Ramanus Rose hedging?

It is usually best to plant Rugosa Rose hedging in Autumn, although pot grown plants can be planted at any time of year - providing the soil is not frozen. They're tough plants which are not susceptible to disease, however, so can tolerate many harsh weather conditions and winters.

How far apart should I plant White Ramanus Rose plants?

For pot grown White Ramanus Rose plants, we recommend planting anything from 30cm to 60cm apart. Bare root plants, however, will need to be planted from 5-7 plants per metre in a staggered double row. If space is limited, 3 bare roots per metre will do fine.

How to plant White Ramanus Rose:

If you have bare root Rosa Rugosa plants, the roots will need to be soaked for at least 2 hours after receiving, as the roots must be wet before planting.

Begin by digging a trench that is twice as wide, but about the same depth as the plant's root mass. Then sprinkle some RootGrow fertiliser onto the bottom of the hole and mix some organic compost into the excess soil.

Place the wet roots into the hole, ensuring they are straight and the "soil line" on the stem is at ground level. Then start backfilling with the excess soil mix, patting down as you go along to remove any air pockets. Finish off by watering well and placing a 2-3" later of mulch at the base of the plant (leaving around a 15cm gap between the main stem and mulch).

Continually and regularly water throughout the next couple of years, whilst the plant establishes. Watering is very key, especially with bare root plants, as drought will often lead to dying plants.