A successful cutting garden will need a variety of plants throughout a long growing season so I would suggest planting beds with similar water, soil and fertilizing needs. A bed of iris rhyzomes, a bed of early and mid-spring blooms like hyacinths, paperwhites and freesia, seed beds for zinnias, marigolds and bachelor buttons. Roses don't like to share water, soil or nutrients and the amount of water for a rose bush would drown bulbs. Other plants, like lavender, have aggressive root systems that choke out competing plants. Some herbs, like rosemary, can attract or repel pests. Large shrubs and trees, like formosas, elms and jacarandas should be planted away from roses. Oleanders and eucalyptus are best harvested from a neighbor, lol, as they can severely prohibit growth of any other plant, especially roses. Several rosarians also have clematis which are gorgeous in late spring bouquets. Buddleia rarely makes it through two summers for me but the lilac-style blooms are lovely. Crepe Myrtle, too.

Rose arrangers tend to plant or harvest a variety of non-flowering leaves, sticks and grasses. The local rose societies offer arrangement classes about once a year that focus on mass, oriental and line arrangements.

Thank you very much moroseaz! I did not relies I had so much to choose from!

November is THE Fall rose month. There is a rose show in Tucson, Nov 6, another at Mesa Community College on Nov 19 and yet another at ASU West on Nov 26. These are open to the public and free of charge. Hundreds of roses, grown locally, cut at the peak of their beauty and all in one or two rooms, alone or in arrangements. Rose Heaven...

There is a Garden Tour in Glendale on Nov 12... six gardens, snacks and a BBQ dinner $25.00.

Dec 4 is the Winter Tea at the Valley Garden Center on 15th Ave and includes a docent tour of the public garden with full tea service, raffles and information for $10.00 per person.

Rosarians tend to grow a variety of plants besides roses and many rose society members enjoy showing off their hard work, whether cut for exhibition or left on the bush for a tour. The societies are educational social non-profit organizations. Membership is about the cost of a rosebush but not mandatory for participation in events.

The Mesa Community college rose garden out front of the school is just amazing! We eat at a Mexican restaurant across the street and I just love to look at the garden.
I may just have to go to that rose show.

I've never had the patience to plan, then tend a true cutting garden, but love to have bachelor buttons in the spring. There are so many beautiful flowers for spring that we can seed this fall!

thank you everyone!