How to... grow roses for free

Select a healthy, well-ripened cane about the thickness of a pencil and roughly 30cm in length, cutting below a leaf joint at the base. For miniature roses, you'll only need pieces of stem 5cm to 10cm in length.

Remove all but the top three or four sets of leaves, and, if preferred, remove the thorns. Either prepare a narrow trench about 25cm deep in the garden, (half filling with sharp sand if your garden is on clay), or fill small pots with potting compost.

Next, dip the base of each cutting in hormone rooting powder before planting each cutting at least two-thirds deep into the soil. In the open ground, plant each cutting 15cm apart. Leave your cuttings until next autumn before planting them into the border. It will take over two years before they mature and flower.

If you're using pots, once planted, water your cuttings using a fine watering rose before covering your pot with a plastic bag and securing. Keep your cutting in a bright, sheltered spot, ensuring it's kept moist. Repot when strong new roots have developed, before planting out in your chosen position.