Problem with crazy growing roses

Hi,
I need some advice:
Last year (my first year of gardening) I dug up a part of my front garden which was previously covered with little stones. I created a new flower bed which runs along the fence. Not knowing anything about gardening at the time, I went out and bought loadsa perrenial plants. This included 5 rose bushes, 3 of which are the problem. They are David Austin roses and were not cheap. Last year they grew really mad, all over the place, unlike the other two roses I had bought (which were not David Austin). I put this down to that they were young and would need a year to 'stiffen'.
This year, they are worse. As you can see from the below photo's, I've needed to stake and tie them up, otherwise they go all over the place. The flowers are great and I get loads time after time.

I've just managed to dig up the cards that came with the roses and I think I know why:
Lichfield Angel - Vigorous rounded shrub of medium height
Graham Thomas - Strong Upright or excellent climber
teasing Georgia - Strong arching shrub or short climber

I obviously didn't realise how they would grow!!

What can I do to tidy these up? The bamboo stakes look pants. Would I need to move them and buy new roses for their positions?
Excuse the mess of the bed in the photo's. The neighbours tree fells thousands of leaves everyweek and I only get to tidy it up at the weekend. When it's all weeded and tidy it looks nice (apart from the bamboo) - honest ;-)









Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

Can't find my rose catalogue to check, but if these are like the old fashion shrub roses they would benefit from a frame that they can fall over

Something like
http://www.helmingham.com/rosesupports.asp
or
http://www.stonebank-ironcraft.co.uk/pages/products.aspx?id=87&p=289

they will be blinking expensive though.

Alternatively sell/swap your roses for something smaller?

 

There are a few ways to sort this, depending on what you eventually want.

1/ instead of bamboo you could get some plastic or wire supports similar (but larger) than this one,



Most garden centres will have a variety of shapes and sizes, you can also get wooden ones.

2/ Some of that heavy wire with green plastic coating fixed to the fence using vine eyes, (stand off rings with about 3" shanks) then use plant ties, garden twine or wire to support the branches.

3/ trellis, either fixed to the fence or to posts.

Prune each year http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/Advanced.asp?PageId=1920

After a few years the plants will get more sturdy and need less support/training although if in a windy location some support is always advisable.

 

I definitely wd attach wires to the fence and fix the twigs to the wires, going out sideways.The next shoots willbe upright and you will get your fence covered quickly. I think your roses are still very young. I had "teasing georgia" in the old garden, she is lovely, and grows very sturdy after a couple of years.

I don't think you need to move all your roses, but when they begin to grow for real ( are you scared now?) they may become crowded, so I would consider moving the one in the middle to some other spot, so they can all show at their best, and you get the best value from them. David Austin roses are outrageously expensive,but they are really among the best around, imho, so just wait for them to mature a bit and you won't be disappointed. I have a small William Morris flopping all over the place exactly like your roses now, but I am not very worried!

 

Thanks everyone. The thing is the roses are in the middel of the bed (you can't really tell from the photo's) and their are plants behind them (in between).

I will look into supports though, and don't get me wrong, they are lovely roses. Just look a bit of a mess at the moment.

 

I have four roses from David Austin, lovely roses but they have quite a floppy habit. I was getting a bit disheartened by them becasue the minute the flower is fully open and I have plenty on them at the moment, the plant starts to lean over down to the ground.

Having read this, I too will stake it proeprly now and then hopefully it will get stronger. It has only been in the ground since Sep / Oct 2006 and this year I'm getting the best show from it, albeit, the roses liking for lying down on the ground.

These were given to me as a wedding present and I did not really want to give them away. so roses saved :D:D
thanks for the info.

 

As an addendum - with the cold april and wet may, roses have tended to make a lot of growth, and with a young plant, that will be green and floppy. Mind I have found some of DA roses to be a bit that way anyway. With a bit of support and time, they should be fine.

 

I have a new 'Wisley' Rose and it has the same problem. It has double blooms and they are too heavy for the stems as yet. Next year I'll prune it earlier and see if it improves it's strength.