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Too Much Choice?

We believe that diversity is important. It's our philosophy to maintain a comprehensive list of roses, to encourage as many different varieties as possible to remain part of England's great gardening heritage. However, with such a long list to choose from, it's not surprising that many of our customers say to us: 'You're the experts - you choose!'. So, although there are very many excellent roses for the situations listed, this section of our site suggests just four outstanding varieties of English Roses. They are all very highly recommended - easy to grow, healthy and reliable. Please click on any of the roses shown on this page to find more information about the bare root rose or to order a bare root rose. Many of these varieties are also available in our container rose collection. To search our container rose collection, please click here

Small shrubs

Anne Boleyn Warm pink rosettes. Reliable and easy to grow. A beautiful rose with bushy growth.

Charlotte Exquisite, cup-shaped flowers of medium size. Very hardy with bushy, upright growth.

Munstead Wood Deep velvety crimson blooms. Strong old rose fragrance with fruity notes.

Boscobel Perfect salmon rosettes. Medium-strong myrrh fragrance. A healthy and upright shrub.

Medium shrubs

Darcey Bussell Rich crimson rosettes. Pleasing, fruity fragrance. A very healthy, bushy shrub.

Lady Emma Hamilton A free-flowering shrub with bright tangerine-orange flowers. Strong, fruity fragrance.

Princess Alexandra of Kent Deeply cupped, rose pink flowers. Very healthy. Strong, delicious fragrance.

Grace Scented apricot rosettes, produced freely. An excellent, very healthy garden shrub.

Large shrubs

Port Sunlight Apricot rosettes with a rich tea fragrance. Vigorous, upright growth. Exceptionally healthy.

Princess Anne Large, deep pink, rosette shaped flowers. Tea fragrance. Particularly healthy.

Wisley 2008 Soft pink, shallowly-cupped rosettes. Fresh, fruity fragrance. An elegantly arching and vigorous shrub.

Golden Celebration A magnificent shrub rose producing large, deliciously fragrant blooms. Great all-round performer.

Very large shrubs

Mortimer Sackler Lovely, fruity old rose scent. Very reliable. Almost thornless.

Claire Austin Creamy-white blooms with an outstanding fragrance: myrrh, meadowsweet and vanilla.

A Shropshire Lad Beautiful, large peachy-pink flowers with a delicious, fruity fragrance.

James Galway Neatly-formed, many-opetalled rosettes. Old rose fragrance.

For large pots and containers

Anne Boleyn Warm pink rosettes. Reliable and easy to grow. A beautiful rose with bushy growth.

Grace Many apricot rosettes produced freely. Also ideal for the front of a border.

Benjamin Britten Vibrant blooms with an intensely fruity fragrance: hints of wine and pear drops.

Princess Anne Large, deep pink, rosette shaped flowers. Tea fragrance. Particularly healthy.

For fragrance

Munstead Wood Strong old rose fragrance with notes of blackberry, blueberry and damson.

Gertrude Jekyll A very strong, rich and perfectly balanced old rose fragrance.

Wollerton Old Hall Chalice-shaped blooms. Exceptionally strong myrrh scent.

Lady Emma Hamilton A strong fruity fragrance with hints of pear, grapes and citrus fruits.

Roses for partial shade (at least 4-5 hrs of sun each day)

Lady of Shalott Chalice-shaped blooms with a warm tea fragrance.

Wildeve Distinctly-quartered pale pink rosettes. Fresh fragrance. Strong, healthy growth.

Darcey Bussell Free-flowering, producing beautiful rosettes. Pleasing, fruity fragrance. Very healthy.

Golden Celebration Giant, rich golden yellow blooms. Strong, fruity tea scent. Exceptionally healthy.

Climbing roses for walls

The Pilgrim Climbing Soft yellow rosettes, produced freely. Classic tea and myrrh scent. A spectacular climber.

The Generous Gardener Climbing Delicious mixed scent. Vigorous, strong and healthy growth.

Teasing Georgia Climbing One of the world's most beautiful and reliable climbing roses.

A Shropshire Lad Climbing Strong fruity fragrance. Large, perfectly-formed rosettes. Vigorous and healthy.

Climbers for rose pillars

A Shropshire Lad Climbing Strong fruity fragrance. Large, perfectly-formed rosettes. Vigorous, reliable and healthy.

Crown Princess Margareta Climbing Clusters of neat apricot rosettes with a glorious, fruity fragrance. Quite superb.

Gertrude Jekyll Climbing Large rich pink rosettes with a strong and complex old rose fragrance.

Graham Thomas Climbing A wonderful climbing rose. Rich yellow blooms with a strong fresh tea fragrance.

Climbers for pergolas

James Galway Climbing Neatly--formed, many-opetalled rosettes. Old rose fragrance.

Malvern Hills A beautiful repeat-flowering rambler. Clusters of small, musk scented blooms.

Mortimer Sackler Climbing Lovely, fruity old rose scent. Very reliable. Almost thornless.

The Generous Gardener Climbing Delicious mixed scent. Vigorous, strong and healthy growth.

Roses for hedges

Harlow Carr, Hedging Perfectly-formed old rose scented blooms. Vigorous, reliable and healthy.

Hyde Hall, Hedging Excellent repeat flowering. Forms a thorny, impenetrable barrier.

Queen of Sweden, Hedging Glowing pink blooms. Myrrh fragrance. Upright, bushy habit.

Wild Edric, Hedging Wonderfully scented, large, semi-double blooms. Very thorny. Superb health.