Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Baby's Breath

Shelley writes~ Is it true that baby's breath make a good flower to plant around the base of your rose bushes? Or will it ruin the root ball of the roses? I saw a photo of this technique in a magazine and it looks beautiful, but I want to be sure it doesn't ruin my rose bushes before I do it!

A. Very good question. I do not want to ruin your or other readers' desire to do this, but I would prefer not. The roots of hybrid rose bushes are deep in the center root ball, but they are famous for their low, shallow feeder roots which are right below the surface of the soil. You would see them when you transplant a bush, or if you till a bit too deep.

We were taught that roses love this way of getting water and food right at the surface before it seeps deeply. That is why a mulch of 1-2" is so very needed for fine roses. It keeps the top roots moist and cool on those warm summer days which they love.

By planting baby's breath of any other plant which would grow fairly deeply, you would be interfering with these necessary roots. Something like a moss, baby's tears or alyssum would be OK, but I have never gardened in this manner either. At least those plants I named have shallow roots and would do far less damage to the rose roots than would baby's breath.

It is your call, but I prefer to say no.