A passion for roses

For five generations of gardeners, maybe more, Ludwig Taschner has been the friendly face of rose growing.

- Alice Spenser-Higgs

When not among his roses, Mr Ludwig, as he is often called, is happiest talking to people about roses, whether to visitors at the rose farm, talks to garden clubs and shows or at his many demos on how to grow roses simply and easily. Not to mention his columns in magazines and newspapers, his monthly email newsletter, Talking Roses, and the two books he has written.

This month Ludwig’s Roses celebrates its 50th anniversary, the happy coincidence of a passion for roses becoming a growing and successful business.

Having grown roses from childhood as part of the family business, Ludwig has been determined to show that growing roses is easy, and in pursuing that vision he has changed the way that we grow roses.

From bare to bags

Did you know that when Ludwig’s Roses opened in 1971, many gardeners still planted bare-root roses ordered from catalogues? Garden centres also planted bare root roses in oil tins or bags, but many died. Ludwig wanted to sell roses that would grow, and he was the first rose nurseryman to propagate roses from inception in black plastic bags. Because the roots in the bag would not be disturbed, the roses could safely be planted all year round. The Ludwig’s Roses slogan, ‘The Rose that Grows’, is as apt today as it was then.

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