News from the Europa-Rosarium Sangerhausen

Now is the right time for rose pruning

The vernacular says: "Flowering the forsythia can be started with the pruning of the roses." In the Europa-Rosarium this is not quite true. Due to the high number of roses, gardeners start pruning as early as the beginning of March, if the weather conditions are right. For smaller gardens, however, this statement still has its justification.
Why are roses cut at all? Basically, roses belong to the woody plants. With the pruning work, growth joy, flower richness and lifespan of the plants are promoted. Thus, the formation of young shoots is stimulated and the decay of the plants is counteracted. The most important reason, however, is to keep the roses healthy. Diseased shoots marked by frost damage are removed. After pruning, the plants are better ventilated. This means that after rainfall, the foliage dries up faster, which counteracts the infestation with fungal diseases and the appearance of animal pathogens.
The winter at the turn of the year 2021 to 2022 showed its rather mild side in Sangerhausen, in contrast to the previous year with low temperatures around -20C. There was no more severe frost damage, which is why our gardeners do not have to set the scissors quite as low. Thus, the plants are still easily recognizable for our visitors directly after pruning. Traditionally, the Europa-Rosarium begins with the cutting of the climbing roses, which always turns out to be very labor-intensive. In the historical part of the Europa-Rosarium, the climbing roses are then tied to the spruce frames in pyramid shape typical of Sangerhausen, which often result in uniquely beautiful pictures in the heyday. This is followed by further rose classes, starting with the shrub roses, over the noble and beet roses to frost-sensitive representatives, which form the conclusion during rose pruning. Due to the unique variety of roses in the Europa-Rosarium, the cutting work continues well into April.
Even if no roses are blooming yet, a walk through the Europa-Rosarium is a special experience, especially in spring, when thousands of tulips, daffodils, ornamental shrubs and other plants are in full bloom.

Thomas Hawel
Head of the Europa-Rosarium

Pictures from 5.4.2022