Restoring the
Rosarium

Why are there fewer roses
than there used to be?

You may have noticed that our Rosarium is looking a little different at the moment, with fewer roses than in previous years blooming over the summer. It is currently undergoing a long-term period of restoration to return it to its original 1800s design.

The previous rose beds had become too high over the years due to excessive mulch applications. This allowed the roses to root into the mulch and dry out very quickly. They were looking tired and past their best.

The Gardening Team removed these roses and reduced the soil height of the beds. They then left the beds to remain ‘fallow’ for a season (resting the soil by leaving it unplanted). Since then they have planted alliums, which helped to break up the soil in preparation for the new roses and made a striking spring display earlier this year. These were followed by hundreds of dahlias for a late-summer array of colour.

Between now and 2028, 200 varieties of rose are being planted. All are period varieties that would have been grown there when the Rosarium was first created in the 1800s.

When will the new roses be planted?

Our Gardening Team has already begun to replant period-appropriate roses beside the arches and outer edges of the beds. Nepeta (commonly known as catmint) has been planted around the roses to deter pests as well as provide food for bees and other insects. The central beds have most recently been filled with dahlias but will be replanted with roses in 2028.

Why are many of the roses not being planted until 2028?

Unlike roses that you can buy at your local garden centre, the roses being grown for the Rosarium are period varieties. These take a long time for professional rose growers to develop. The Gardening Team have chosen these varieties to accurately reflect what would have been planted when the Rosarium was first commissioned by the 7^th Duke in the 1870s.

Come 2028, we look forward to seeing them in full bloom throughout the Rosarium, and are confident that they will be worth the wait!

Have there been any other changes?

Yes, quite a few! The central pond was recently restored - previously, it was filled in and planted with roses. The pond is being used for irrigation as well as its original purpose, which was to cool down the air in the Rosarium, helping the roses to bloom for longer. With temperatures rising in the summer months, it is now serving this purpose more than ever.

The centrepiece statue, which dates back to the 1920s, has been carefully cleaned, repaired and placed back in the Rosarium. The fountain’s jets have also been repaired.

Over time, the gravel paths had also become irregular and ill-defined. The Gardening Team has installed stone edging to re-define them and restore the formality. The metal arches had become discoloured and cumbersome with too much paint. These arches have been cleaned and repainted, ready for the new roses to be retrained over them. The pathway from the Temple of Diana to the Rosarium has been re-installed, allowing visitors to access and exit the Rosarium through the double gates. This would have been the entrance historically used by the Duke and his guests, rather than the previous single gate entrance which would only have been used by staff.