Roses are back in fashion, writes VAL BOURNE, and are easier to grow, too

Roses were voted the nation's favourite flower in a television poll during this year's Chelsea Flower Show coverage, following a spell in the wilderness. Perhaps they became unpopular because some varieties bred in the mid-20th century were prone to disease and had a straight-stemmed, top-heavy look, unsuited to modern planting schemes.

Yet there are plenty of graceful, disease-free, vigorous and easy roses on offer. Some of them are newly-bred while others are classic, old-fashioned tried-and-tested varieties. So, if you've failed with roses before, try some of the new varieties bred with vigour and health in mind.

For many rose growers no longer spray their stock, and this has the added advantage of indicating which are less prone to black spot the main scourge of growing roses. Harkness Roses (0845 331 3143) have led the way on raising healthy roses.

This year, David Austin (01902 376300) has launched a quartered, rich apricot-yellow rose called Tea Clipper' and this could be combined with a sea of the blue nepeta, Six Hills Giant'.

There's also a double-red named after the ballerina Darcey Bussell', which also looks wonderful, and a tall double pink called Strawberry Hill'. Peter Beales (01953 454707) has launched a clear-yellow rose called Thumbs Up' and ten per cent of the proceeds for the first three years will benefit the Motor Neurone Disease Association. All are strong repeat-flowering roses in the old-fashioned tradition.

Winter pruning of these arching shrubs only consists of a gentle regime with sharp secateurs. Remove any dead or diseased wood and reduce the main stems by a third. Also, remove any branches that cross over each other, aiming for an open airy shape.

Hybrid teas and floribundas need harder pruning back to lower outward facing buds. Bare root rose trees, generally dispatched between November and early March, romp away better than container-grown roses and Peter Beales always recommends cutting newly-planted roses back to low, outward-facing buds after planting, regardless of type.

Look out for Tickled Pink', a mid-pink floribunda chosen as Rose of the Year 2007 (Fryers Roses (01565 755455). It has been trialled at ten sites across Britain. Mattocks Roses (01394 383344) have also launched Summer Beauty', a German-bred Kordes floribunda apricot rose with high-gloss, olive-green foliage.

If you have got space, always grow several of the same variety rather than spangling lots of different ones. That way they make more impact.

For those looking for established varieties, the Hybrid Musk shrub roses (which include the soft, apricot-cream Penelope' and the warm brownish apricot Buff Beauty') repeat-flower from midsummer until late in the year. All repeat-flowering roses need dead-heading. But don't go just for repeat flowering roses, do select some once-only flowering varieties, too. They drip with bloom in midsummer and are gloriously scented.

The ramblers are easy and healthy. Some, like Paul's Himalayan Musk, a demure apple-blossom pink, can scale a tree. Others, like the pale creamy apricot Goldfinch' only cover an archway.

If you are really keen on roses, do consider joining The Royal National Rose Society, who are just replanting their garden at St Albans (tel 01727 850 461). There's a magazine, too, and when hunting for a particular rose or grower Find That Rose is invaluable (send £3.25 to The Editor, 303 Mile End Road, Colchester, Essex CO4 5EA).

Don't forget to send details of your gardening events to gardening@nqo.com