must admit I don't mulch mine and they still grow beautifully!

Hi Kath, I don't mulch mine either, I just throw some manure on now and again.
Unless the plants are a bit tender, I don't usually bother to mulch anything, just let them get on with it, Derek.

i give them a share of the muck from the pond filters twice a year. otherwise nothing.

Interesting Derek,Louisa and SBG many thanks I was reading my rose book and it says to mulch roses with dryed grass clippings.

Well, try that then and see what happens.

Because mine are in clay I mulch with my garden compost once a year to stop the clay drying out and also to give the rose feed and Epsom salts something to sit it.
Make sure the grass clippings have not been treated with weed killer in the last 3-4 weeks, I mention this as it says on the box of lawn treatment not to put in the compost for at least 3 cuttings.

Isn't there something about not putting fresh stuff on the garden as initially the breaking down process removes some of the nutrients from the soil??......

I think you are right about that Pam, I dont put grass clippings on my soil. Also the grass clippings may have grass seed in it, which is why mowing without a collection box in August can improve a thin lawn.

I always leave the grass clippings on the lawn to feed it. Saves collecting them too. I certainly wouldn't put fresh grass clippings on my roses, for the reasons mentioned above.

We bought a bale of straw the year before last and covered the base of roses and apple trees and any that might be harmed by frost. We usually get one or two days of snow, the straw protected the roots from freezing. It seemed to work very well, wish I had done it last winter, I didn't and thats when my roses got the black spots.

the events were not connected Sanyn, just coincidence. Black spot of a fungal disease.