The concrete blocks around the beds are only 7 inches tall, so the soil can't go above that height. In spite of that, some of the roses are quite large. Grandmother's Hat, for instance, is at least 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide. All the rose bushes were small when I planted them in the beds, and the roots spread horizontally instead of working their way down. Although it's possible, I suppose, that the roots of some have burrowed into the concrete and may have broken it up to reach the soil below. The beds do dry out quickly in hot weather, so they have to be watered on the same schedule as container plants.
