A sturdy and durable one-piece welded garden accessory. Called after Rudolf Geschwind (1829 – 1910), the most notable rose breeder of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is ideal for shrub roses especially. Hydrangeas and tall perennials will also do well on this plant support. Whether you choose tree peonies or the herbaceous variety, you will want full blooms to lend your borders an air of romance. Yet such blooms are real heavyweights and a typical thin stem will hardly be strong enough to bear them. However, if the ‘Rudolf Geschwind’ is positioned around the plants before fresh shoots begin to grow in the spring, neither wind nor rain will be able to flatten the blossoming stems.

You can create an especially impressive effect by using a number of our Rudolf Geschwind Rose Supports together, such as in long rows. But however you choose to use it, this striking plant support will be an attractive addition to your garden all year round – in winter, the elegant structure itself comes to the fore.

Rose supports tested at Reinhausen Rose Park

Many of the photos on this page were taken at Reinhausen Rose Park southeast of the city of Göttingen, where over many years rose expert Karin Schade tested Rudolf Geschwind’s rose supports in practice. The ‘Rudolf Geschwind’ rose support frame passed this test with flying colours and it is now part of the Classic Garden Elements Collection.

The Reinhausen experiment showed that many historic, wide-spreading roses with thin shoots would grow into compact round-shaped bushes if trained along the metal frame. There was a striking contrast between two roses of the same kind, planted next to each other – one with support, one without. The rose which grew naturally formed very long shoots, which spread out in wide, downward-leaning arches, and developed blooms only at the end of the shoot. Its twin rose using the ‘Rudolf Geschwind’ support turned out quite differently. Trained to grow in a loop, the shoots produced a wealth of smaller budded shoots to become a delightful bush with dense blooms.

Suitable material for tying your roses

No less important than the metal support frame itself is the material you use to attach a rose to it. Try to avoid using hard synthetic fibres or wire, as these can damage the shoots. Instead, make a point of choosing plant-friendly jute, bast or cotton twine. Natural bast string made of dried raffia leaves or woven cotton twine are at once strong and elastic. They will decay after some time and need to be replaced, but are one of the most environment-friendly options.