Not everyone has the luxury of a big backyard or the time it takes to look after one. Many of us are in rentals, units with balconies, or homes with just a small patch of outdoor space.
But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on growing roses.
Roses don’t need sprawling garden beds to thrive. With the right setup, a few large pots and a bit of care go a long way.
Of all the Aussie roses you’ll come across, David Austin rose varieties work especially well in pots. They combine the romantic, full blooms of classic English roses with the benefits of modern breeding, like strong disease resistance and repeat flowering.
Get a few simple things right, and these English roses in Australia will do just fine in containers.
Once you order your roses for sale, here’s how to set them up for success.
You can technically grow most David Austin roses in containers, but some are better suited than others. Look for varieties that are compact or naturally bushy, repeat-flowering, and strongly scented (since they’ll be close to where you sit or walk past).
Some reliable performers in Australian conditions include:
● Olivia Rose Austin: Compact, healthy, soft pink blooms with a light fruity scent.
● The Poet’s Wife: Lovely yellow flowers and a strong citrus fragrance.
● Boscobel: Mid-pink flowers with a myrrh scent and a nice, upright shape.
● Roald Dahl: Apricot blooms, tidy habit, and excellent for smaller spaces.
● Princess Alexandra of Kent: Larger and more vigorous, but still great in a roomy pot.
Avoid very tall or sprawling types like fragrant climbing roses Australia gardeners usually grow on arches or trellises. These are better for larger outdoor spaces than small pots.
The pot you choose will directly affect how well your rose grows. David Austin roses in containers need space for their roots, so avoid small decorative pots. They dry out too fast and crowd the plant.
Go for something at least 45 to 60 centimetres wide and deep. Bigger is always better when it comes to shrub roses and other container types. We’d recommend glazed ceramic, plastic, or lightweight fibre cement instead of terracotta. Beautiful as they are, terracotta pots tend to dry out quickly in the Aussie sun.
Whatever you choose, make sure it has proper drainage holes at the bottom. Without it, water can pool at the base and lead to root rot or fungal problems.
To help things along, place your pot on a couple of bricks or flat tiles to lift it slightly off the ground. It’ll drain better and stop ants or slugs from hanging around underneath.
Roses aren’t fussy, but they need a good base to grow from, especially in a pot.
Regular garden soil is too heavy for containers, tends to compact over time, and doesn’t drain properly. Instead, use a high-quality potting mix that drains freely while still holding some moisture. Boost it with compost or well-rotted manure to add nutrients, and mix in a couple of handfuls of perlite or coarse sand to keep the roots well aerated.
You can also add a slow-release fertiliser at planting time to help the rose bushes settle in and start strong.
Of course, you’ll want to give your English roses in Australia the best possible setup from day one.
First, soak the bare root roses in a bucket of water for at least an hour before planting. Doing this helps rehydrate the roots and gives the plant a good head start.
While that’s soaking, fill your pot halfway with your prepared soil mix. Then, gently position the rose so the graft union (the slightly swollen spot near the base of the stem) sits just above the soil line. You don’t need to bury it: keeping it exposed helps prevent suckering and rot.
Fill in the rest of the pot with soil, firming it gently around the roots to remove air pockets. Once you’re done, give it a thorough watering until water runs out the bottom. The first deep soak helps the soil settle and gets the rose off to a strong start.
Shrub roses love the sun. Without enough light, you’ll end up with lots of leaves and very few blooms.
Aim for a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. It’s also worth finding a position that’s sheltered from strong winds and extreme afternoon heat.
Courtyards, balconies, or patios can get scorching, so if things heat up too much, try giving the plant some relief with filtered sun from a nearby tree or pergola.
However, make sure your pot is easy to reach. You’ll be watering, feeding, and deadheading frequently, so you want it somewhere convenient: not tucked away in a corner you forget about.
Potted roses dry out faster than those planted in the ground. You’ll need to check them more often, especially in summer.
Here’s how to manage watering:
● Stick your finger into the top 3–5cm of soil. If it feels dry, water deeply.
● Avoid shallow watering. Give enough water so it runs through the drainage holes.
● In hot weather, this might mean watering every day or every other day.
● Mulch the top with pea straw or sugarcane to help keep moisture in.
Don’t let the pot sit in a saucer full of water. Rose bushes hate wet feet.
Roses in pots need a bit of extra help when it comes to food. Since there’s only so much soil to work with, the nutrients get used up faster. And hungry roses won’t flower the way you want them to.
Use a slow-release rose fertiliser in early spring, then top it up again around mid-summer. Doing this sets the foundation for strong, steady growth.
During the flowering season, add a liquid feed like seaweed or fish emulsion every couple of weeks. It helps support steady growth and more blooms.
By early autumn, ease off on feeding. Letting the rose slow down naturally allows it to rest and reset for the next season.
Pruning in pots is just as important as it is in the ground: maybe more so, since you’re trying to keep the shape tidy and manageable.
● In late winter or early spring, cut back to about one-third of the plant’s size.
● Remove dead or spindly stems.
● Keep the centre open for airflow.
Throughout the season:
● Deadhead regularly to encourage repeat blooming.
● Snip off faded blooms just above a set of 5 leaflets.
If you’re growing in a tight space, you can do light trimming mid-season to control the size.
You don’t need a large garden to enjoy English shrub roses. With a well-sized pot, plenty of sun, and some steady care, David Austin roses in containers will thrive just as well on a balcony, patio, courtyard, or even a rental verandah.
There’s always a compact option to match your space and style. Give them the right setup, stay on top of watering and feeding, and you’ll have months of colour and fragrance right outside your door.
Sean comes from a long line of rose growers, with the family’s passion for roses stretching back generations. As the head of Penfield Gardens Rose Nursery, he combines hands-on experience with deep-rooted knowledge to help Australian gardeners choose, plant, and care for beautiful, healthy roses.
