Question
I would like to buy a hidrangea and a rose plant to grow in a pot; I live in an appartment and cann't plant them in the ground or bring them in for the winter.  Will them survive the winter in zone 6?  Can I do anything to help then survive?

Answer
Hello Adriana

Thank you for your question.

First the hydrangea -  Bear in mind  that hydrangeas can grow very big.  It may be possible to restrict the growth somewhat by root pruning each spring and repotting into fresh compost, but I feel that this is not an ideal plant either for a container or to keep on a balcony - it will get very heavy in time and requires a lot of water to really flower well.

If you do decide to go ahead buy a lightweight rigid container and use a loam based compost as this will hold onto more water than pure compost.  Feed the plant regularly in the growing season with a general fertilizer.  

In winter you can wrap the container in bubble wrap or horticultural fleece to protect the roots from frost.  Keep the planting medium on the dry side for the same reason.  

In spring begin watering and use a half strength feed to give it a helping hand to begin growing again.  Also cut out weak or dead branches.    

Roses do come in various sizes and I would recommend that you look for a specimen labelled 'patio rose' or 'miniature rose'.  Again use a lightweight container.  A good general purpose compost should be OK as long as you feed the plant regularly in the growing season with a specialist rose feed - easily obtained from any garden center, and don't forget to water between feeds!

As each bloom dies off, cut the stem back to an outward pointing bud, this will encourage your rose to produce flower throughout the season.  

For protection during the winter treat the plant as described for the hydrangea above.

In spring cut out any dead or weak stems.  Try to keep the center of the plant 'open' by cutting out any stems which cross others.

Lastly, turn the pots regularly so that every side of the plants get their fair share of light - they will grow more evenly and look much prettier!

I hope this helps - if you have any further queries let me know.