Experts say that when homeowners consider developing a rose garden, one of their first concerns should be the planting bed.

Luann Finke of Finke Gardens & Nursery in Lincoln says most roses are about 4 feet tall and wide -- the width of many borders.

She says gardeners need to allow room for small plants in the foreground and larger grasses or shrubs behind. So, Finke says, border planting beds need to be nine to 10 feet wide.

The wider space can accommodate an elevated area for the roses, which provide shelters for smaller plants to provide a varied landscape.