Deciduous shrub

Repeat-flowering hybrid tea rose with large, fragrant flowers and glossy dark green foliage right down to the ground. The pink flowers are semi-double, 7-10 cm wide, dark rosy pink in bud. Hips are not particularly ornamental.

Registered name: Rosa 'MEIzeli', bred by Meilland International in France. Offered to Sir Paul McCartney as a birthday gift from his record company. Also sold as Rosa 'Sweet Lady' or Rosa 'Paul McCartney'.

Tolerates light shade, but plant in full sun for best flowering and disease resistance. Can be grown in any soil that is well-draining and contains a generous amount of organic matter. Responds well to rose fertiliser. Quite susceptible to a number of pests and diseases, including black spot, so will need excellent growing conditions, and may need spraying.  Dead-head during the flowering season, and prune in winter.

Lovely rose for flower display, fragrance and cutting. Could also be grown as an informal hedge.

Vigorous hybrid tea rose with glossy, mid green foliage. Repeat flowering throughout the season with bright orange to coral red, mildly scented flowers, 8-13 cm wide.

Registration name: Rosa 'DICuptight'. Bred by Colin Dickson (UK). 

Prefers a position in full sun and any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter.

Fabulous colour and a strong grower. Looks great in flower borders, either as a single specimen or in groups. Rosa 'Tintinara' can become quite tall, so plant towards the back with lower growing plants in front. (The shrub used for the photograph carried lots of flowers and had reached a height of about 1.6 m). Imagine this in combination with blue-flowering plants such as Agapanthus and Ageratum houstonianum. Ideal for cutting.

Floribunda rose with deep green leaves down to the ground, flowering throughout the season with mildly fragrant, bi-coloured flowers. Dark red young foliage. Bright scarlet-red, semi-double flowers with a white reverse, 10 cm across. They open in an unusual pinwheel fashion. 

Registration name: Rosa 'WEKcocbeb'. Bred by Tom Carruth (USA) from a cross between Rosa 'Countess Celeste' and Rosa 'Betty Boop'.

Prefers a position in full sun and any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring, and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season. Prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Striking rose with an informal, 'happy' appearance. Can be grown as a standard or a bush, in groups or as a single specimen in beds and borders. Good for cutting.

Medium to tall hybrid tea rose, repeat-flowering with large, mildly fragrant blooms and glossy, mid to dark green foliage. Perfectly shaped flowers in a brilliant blend of yellow, red, and pink.

Registration name: Rosa INTerdays. Bred by G. Peter Ilsink (The Netherlands).

Prefers a sunny position in any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring, and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season, and prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Beautifully formed flowers in bright and cheery colours on a strong upright growing plant. Suitable for cutting and for  flower display in beds and borders as a single specimen or in groups. 

Hybrid tea rose with a bushy upright habit, glossy dark green foliage, and flowering in flushes throughout the season. Fragrant flowers, about 9-12 cm across, mostly solitary, in creamy apricot and old gold colours.

Registration name: Rosa 'KOReklia'. Bred by W. Kordes & Sons (Germany, 1989). Also known as Rosa 'New Valencia'.

Prefers a sunny position in any well-drained soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter. Very disease resistant.

Exquisitely shaped flowers in an attractive blend of peach, apricot, cream and copper. Excellent choice for flower display in beds or borders, as a single specimen or in groups. Combine with blue or pale purple flowering plants. Superb cut flower with strong straight stems.

Hybrid tea rose, flowering in flushes throughout the season with large semi-rosette shaped flowers and mid to dark green foliage. Stems and young leaves flushed with dark red. Fragrant, mauve pink flowers. 

Registration name: Rosa 'MATtwai'. Bred by Bob Matthews (New Zealand). Named after a restored paddle steamer in Wanganui (New Zealand).

Prefers a sunny position in any well-draining soil. Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Lovely full blooms with a wonderful fragrance. Can be grown as a standard or shrub in beds and borders. Excellent cut flower.

Hybrid tea rose with glossy mid green foliage and double baby pink flowers emerging from darker pink flower buds. Mild fragrance.

Registration name: Rosa 'MATtwom'. Bred by Bob Matthews (New Zealand). Named to commemorate the centenary of midwifery.

Plant in full or partial sun, in any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Strong and healthy rose with pretty pink flowers for beds or borders, as a single specimen or in groups. Can be grown as a standard or a bush rose. Good for picking.

One of the best known old garden roses (unknown breeder, 1500s or earlier). Matte green foliage. Flowering for about three weeks in late spring or early summer with fragrant, semi-double, pale pink flowers with fuchsia-pink stripes. The flowers are semi-double with a diameter of about 7 cm.

Also known as Rosa gallica var. officinalis 'Versicolor', Rosa gallica var. versicolor, Rosa gallica var. variegata, Rosa gallica 'Variegata', and Rosa mundi.

Prefers a sunny position in any well-draining soil that contains a generous amount of organic material Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Good disease resistance, but may get aphids. Prune after flowering.

Delightful shrub rose with striking, moderately scented flowers. Great for a sunny border, on its own, in groups, or as an informal hedge.

Vigorous deciduous shrub with tall, arching branches, flowering profusely during spring with snowball-like flower clusters. Maple-like leaves with toothed and three-lobed margins, mid green, turning yellow or reddish purple in autumn. Flower clusters are 6-8 cm wide, greenish cream initially, changing to pure white, and finally pale pink.

Synonym: Viburnum opulus 'Sterile'

Viburnum opulus is native to Europe, northern Africa and central Asia. Its flower clusters consist of an outer ring of sterile flowers with conspicuous petals, surrounding a centre of tiny fertile flowers. Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' flower clusters consist entirely of sterile flowers, which is why this plant does not produce fruit, whereas on plants of the parent species the flowers are followed by red fruits.

Prefers a position in full sun or part shade and well-drained soil. Tolerates a wide range of soil types. Generally survives (but not thrives) in shade, or in wet and dry soils. Prune as needed straight after flowering. If the shrub becomes too overcrowded, you can thin it out by cutting back about one-third of the oldest branches to near ground level. Prone to aphids. Frost hardy.

A magnificent sight when in flower during spring with fluffy snowball-like flower clusters hanging at the ends of the arching branches.

Vigorous, deciduous shrub of hybrid origin, also known as Weigela 'Vanicek'. Parent species are native to eastern Asia. Deep crimson red, tubular flowers in spring. Mid-green, oval to elliptic leaves with toothed margins, arranged in opposite pairs.

Prefers a sheltered spot in full sun or partial shade and any, well-draining soil. Weigela flowers on previous year's growth, so prune straight after flowering down to a side-shoot. Relatively shallow-rooting. Likes ample moisture and nutrients. Frost-hardy (zones 5-10), but heavy spring frosts may cause some damage.

Weigela 'Newport Red' is easy to grow, and puts on a gorgeous show in spring. Give it sufficient space to show off the spreading, somewhat arching branches. Remember to prune Weigela in time, so that you don't remove the stems that will flower next spring.