Growing scented roses is at the heart of our business, but we often find people are worried about growing roses in their own gardens because of fears about thorns, maintenance, mildew and black spot. To make growing your own scented roses in a garden or container effortless, our founder and flower farmer Rosebie Morton has put together an edit of the four easiest roses to grow to give you the best results. Here Rosebie talks us through these four must-haves and sets out some simple steps to ensure your vase is brimming with homegrown roses next summer.
Margaret Merril is the quintessential English rose. From tight buds to fully open, she has the perfect shape – understated and elegant. She was one of my mother’s favourites and is the rose that inspired me to start growing roses and to set up The Real Flower Company. Margaret Merril is often regarded as being one of the best scented roses ever – her fragrance is absolutely exquisite. Margaret Merril grows delicately, so works really well in a pot or small space.
Quick facts
Family: Floribunda
Colour: White with a hint of blush
Scent: Highly scented, a classic rose scent with fresh citrus top notes
Repeat flowering
Ideal for pots, small spaces and borders
Size: 90cm tall x 60cm wide
Growing conditions: Full sun, all soil type. She is quite a delicate grower so will appreciate regular feeding and a good mulch in the winter.
Chandos Beauty is Margaret Merril’s daughter and I often describe her as my perfect child as she has so many virtues: fragrance, an elegant symmetrical form, large flowers, upright strong stems, reliability and resilience to disease. Chandos Beauty is the perfect choice for borders, large beds or as part of a cutting garden.
Quick facts
Family: Rosaceae
Colour: Light blush apricot
Scent: Highly scented with a classic mix of fresh citrus combined with a sweet rose fragrance
Repeat flowering
Ideal for borders, large beds and cutting gardens
Size: 120cm tall x 90cm wide
Growing conditions: Full sun preferred but can also be grown in partial shade and in all soil types. Chandos beauty is very easy to grow!
A Whiter Shade of Pale produces and abundance of fragrant beautifully formed blush pink flowers from midsummer right through to September. It tends to be a fast-growing rose with glossy green foliage.
Quick facts
Family: Hybrid tea
Colour: Blush pink
Scent: a sweet rosy scent
Repeat flowering
Ideal for borders, pots and cutting gardens
Size: 90cm tall x 90cm wide
Growing conditions: Full sun preferred.
Duchess of Cornwall has full rosette-shaped blooms with up to a hundred petals that change colour from deep orange to delicate pink depending on the weather and growing conditions. A very healthy rose, Duchess of Cornwall is easy to grow and works well in both pots and borders.
Quick facts
Family: Hybrid tea
Colour: Deep, peachy apricot
Scent: Light spicy fragrance
Repeat flowering
Ideal for pots, small spaces and borders
Size: 90cm tall x 60cm wide
Growing conditions: Full sunlight, all soil types.
Compassion is a great climbing rose with really beautiful, pinky apricot hybrid tea-shaped flowers and glossy dark green leaves. It’s very healthy and reliable and a wonderful choice if you are looking for a climbing rose. Compassion is widely accepted as one of the best climbers to grow.
Quick facts
Family: Climbing rose
Colour: Pinky apricot
Scent: Strong, sweet fragrance
Repeat flowering
Ideal for growing up a wall or fence, over a doorway or up the front of a house
Size: 2.5 to 4 metres tall x 1.5 to 2.5 metres wide
Growing conditions: Full or partial sunlight, all soil types.
Our rose plants can be planted at any time of year.