Oh, flipping flopping roses again! Help please.
United Kingdom 
My Rose 'Iceberg' has done a droop and has needed to be tied up with string. It is in a 16" diameter pot, and has been for years. It is the first time I have ever known it do this. One of my other ones, 'Eglantyne' (from David Austin Roses) did the same thing recently, and I got in touch with them about it. They said it was probably because it was still only three (?) years old and not fully mature, and that the stems would be stronger and more upright next year. Fair enough. But this Iceberg is mature, and it went over even before the rain came on it. Why? Can anyone advise?
7 Jun, 2009
Answers
mine to Jonathan.......too soft and sappy
7 Jun, 2009
Ah! Ha-so glass-hopper! Is that what you think it is.
7 Jun, 2009
Never mind, it's still pretty and looks healthy!
7 Jun, 2009
Iceberg is renowned for doing this - the stems which hold the flowers are often too thin to support the weight and they droop.
7 Jun, 2009
Yep. What Bamboo said.
I've always grown Icebergs and when they get to full height, they often droop. They are quite a lax rose.
My D.A. Gertrude Jekyll does the same.
7 Jun, 2009
You are so right - mine does it as well.
7 Jun, 2009
I have many roses but have found that certain roses do and other don't it depends a lot on your ground and conditions. As the old Rose growers say, If you find a rose not doing oust it and go for the roses that suit your garden a lot cheeper in the long run. I have never found my iceburg to have strong growth, this year I gave it a hard pruning back and it is looking better.
8 Jun, 2009
I grew 'Iceberg' for many years and found it very generous with its flowers but prone to blackspot.
My 'Nevada' is very floppy this year - not usually a problem with this one
8 Jun, 2009
I've had some of my roses flop this year as well Jonathan. I can only put it down to the spring being so warm and dry this year that they have grown too fast to support their own stems
7 Jun, 2009