Matt Davies

Alan Titchmarsh has recommended the Bonica rose for gardeners with sandy, acidic soil, including at his new home in Surrey. Although many roses prefer heavier ground and can suffer from mildew and blackspot in poor soil, Bonica is praised for being hardy, repeat-flowering, producing attractive hips and having healthy foliage. Titchmarsh improves his sandy soil with well-rotted manure and annual mulching, while acknowledging the rose’s weak scent. He also discusses the advantages of narrow borders and describes his new garden, including a setback when wood pigeons destroyed many buds on his Shirotae cherry trees.