Plant Guide

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Deciduous shrub

rosa-my-mum

Rosa 'My Mum'

Floribunda rose with mid-green foliage, flowering in flushes throughout the seasons with clusters of double pink with apricot flowers.

Registration name : Rosa 'MATTmum'. Bred by Bob Matthews (New Zealand). Another, red with pink and white floribunda rose, registered as Rosa 'WEBmorrow', bred by Robert Webster (UK), was released in the UK as Rosa 'My Mum'.

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. 

Beautiful, healthy rose with gorgeous, full flowers in soft salmon pink shades. Can be grown as a standard or as a bush, as a single specimen or in groups, for flower display in beds and borders. Allow this rose to take centre stage among other shrubs and ground-covers with small flowers in white or pastel colours, such as white Lobelia cultivars. Also looks great with Nepeta (catmint), the traditional choice for under-planting roses.

rosa-new-zealand

Rosa 'New Zealand'

Vigorous hybrid tea rose with semi-glossy dark green foliage, flowering profusely in flushes throughout the season. Soft pink flowers with about 25-30 petals, 10-15 cm wide, to 17 cm wide when fully open. Strong sweet honeysuckle fragrance. Ornamental hips.

Registration name Rosa 'MACgenev', bred by Sam McGredy (New Zealand) from a cross between Rosa 'Harmonie' and Rosa 'Auckland Metro'. Also known as Rosa 'Aotearoa' and Rosa 'Aotearoa New Zealand'. Named to commemorate the 150th anniversary of New Zealand. 'Aotearoa' is the Maori name for New Zealand and means 'Land of the long white cloud'.

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. Excellent mildew and rust resistance. Above average resistance to blackspot.

Lovely rose with good clean foliage and a wonderful fragrance. Looks great in beds and borders, as a single specimen or in groups. Available as a standard or a bush rose. Combine with other pastels or with plants flowering in shades of blue such as Ageratum houstonianum or the deep blue colour of Centaurea montana. Excellent cut flower. Remove the side buds if you want long single-flower stems, or leave the side buds if you like sprays. 

rosa-pacific-glory

Rosa 'Pacific Glory'

Vigorous floribunda rose with glossy dark green foliage and pink flowers in clusters throughout the season. Flowers are pink with a tan to fawn tint, and mature to lavender pink. They are semi-double with 9-16 petals.

Registration name: Rosa 'SOMlinone'. Cross between two New Zealand roses Rosa 'Anniversary' and Rosa 'Sky Tower'. Bred by Rob Somerfield of Tauranga, New Zealand and introduced here as Rosa 'Pacific Glory'.  Introduced in Australia as Rosa 'So In Love'.

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.

Beautiful rose in stunning shades of pink. Excellent choice for flower display in garden beds or borders, as a single specimen or in groups. Can be grown as a standard or a shrub.

rosa-paddy-stephens

Rosa 'Paddy Stephens'

Vigorous, free-flowering hybrid tea rose with strong upright growth, lush, glossy dark green foliage and orange-salmon, slightly fragrant flowers.

Registered name: Rosa 'MACclack', bred by Sam McGredy in New Zealand. Named after New Zealand rosarian Paddy Stephens.

Prefers a position in full sun and any well-drained soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise with rose fertiliser. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Gorgeous rose with subtly fragrant flowers in flushes from spring to autumn. Suitable for containers. Excellent for cutting.

rosa-paul-gauguin

Rosa 'Paul Gauguin'

Hybrid tea rose with healthy mid-dark green foliage, flowering in flushes throughout the season. Flowers in warm red tonings, brushed with white. Stems and thorns are subtly shaded with dark red.

Registration name: Rosa 'JACdebu'. Bred by Jack E. Christensen (USA, 1992). The rose registered as Rosa 'DELstrichoc' (bred in France by Delbard) is also known as Rosa 'Paul Gauguin' and produces multi-coloured flowers in shades of cream, yellow, orange and coral.

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. 

Gorgeous 'frivolous' rose for beds or borders as a single specimen or in groups. The beautiful colourings more than make up for the lack of scent. For a striking and somewhat unusual colour combination, plant Rosa 'Paul Gauguin' next to Loropetalum chinense 'Burgundy'.

rosa-picotee

Rosa 'Picotee'

Compact, repeat flowering patio rose. Semi-double flowers with ruffled edges, produced in clusters. Flowers are about 6 cm across, pink with white margins, center and reverse. The term 'picotee' is used in general to describe flowers that have petal margins of a different colour than the rest.

Registration name: Rosa 'SOMcarpaint'. Bred by Rob Somerfield (New Zealand) from a cross between a seedling of Rosa 'Flower carpet Pink' and Rosa 'Old Master'. There are a couple of other roses with the name 'Picotee'; a red-blend floribunda rose with the registration and trade name Rosa 'Picotee', bred by Frank Raffel (USA), and a red and white miniature rose with the registration name Rosa 'BENpico', bred by Frank A. Benardella (USA).

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. Remove spent flower clusters during the flowering season and prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Charming rose with delightful, bright and cheery colours and a lovely loose, frivolous flower shape. Suitable for containers.

rosa-queen-wilhelmina

Rosa 'Queen Wilhelmina'

Floribunda rose with glossy, dark green foliage, flowering in flushes throughout the season. Clusters of deep yellow, very mildly fragrant flowers with frilly petals, 5-8 cm wide.

Registration name: Rosa 'JACimgol'. Bred by Dr Keith W. Zary (USA). Also known as Rosa 'Golden Girls' and Rosa 'Forever Young'.

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 regularly and prune in winter.

Lovely full flowers in shades of yellow and pale orange. Looks great in groups or as a single specimen for flower display in beds or borders. Cut flowers last well on water.

rosa-raubritter

Rosa 'Raubritter'

Rambling shrub rose with a spreading habit and light to mid green foliage. Flowers once during early summer with clusters of mildly fragrant, rounded cup-shaped, pink flowers, 5-7 cm across.

Bred by Kordes (Germany, 1936) from a cross between Rosa x macrantha 'Daisy Hill' and Rosa wichurana 'Solarium'. Also sold as Rosa macrantha 'Raubritter' and Rosa 'Macrantha Raubritter'.

Prefers a position in full sun, but copes well in partial shade. Any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Tolerates relatively poor soils. Susceptible to blackspot and mildew. Prune in winter.

Charming rose with an old-fashioned flair. Rosa 'Raubritter' makes up for the fact that it is not repeat-flowering by producing one magnificent display of pink flowers, covering the whole plant once established. Use for flower display as a single specimen or in groups, or as a sprawling shrub growing over low walls or banks. Not naturally climbing, but can be trained to behave as a climber. Also suitable for containers.

rosa-rhapsody-in-blue

Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue'

Repeat flowering floribunda rose with mid green foliage and mildly scented flowers in clusters. Dark rosy pink flower buds open to semi-double flowers, 6-8 cm wide, dark purple, yellow stamens, and a splash of white in the center as if someone dropped a bit of white paint on the inside of the flower. The colour fades to a paler blue-purple shade. Hips are not particularly ornamental.

Registration name: Rosa 'FRAntasia'. Bred by Frank Colishaw (UK).

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

A stunning rose with lovely, unusual colour combinations of purple and white petals, yellow stamens and deep rose flower buds. From a distance, the flowers appear purple, so plant this rose where you can observe these subtleties. The flower colour varies from plant to plant. If you would like a particular shade, e.g. dark purple (as opposed to lighter purple, blueish or reddish purple), make sure you have seen the plant in flower prior to purchase. Suitable as a standard, container plant, single specimen or mass planting in beds or borders.

rosa-sally-holmes

Rosa 'Sally Holmes'

Vigorous, repeat flowering hybrid musk rose with relatively few thorns, glossy dark green foliage and large, single to almost single flowers in clusters. Pale apricot-coloured buds open to 8-12 cm wide, creamy white flowers, fading to white, flushed with a faint hint of pink. The flowers have 4 to 8 petals and yellow stamens. They are usually packed in very tight clusters.

Rosa 'Sally Holmes' is the result of a cross between Rosa 'Ivory Fashion' and Rosa 'Ballerina'. Bred by Robert Holmes (UK) and named after his wife.  

Prefers a sunny position in well-drained soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Tolerates more shade than most other roses. Very good disease resistance. Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter. Grows on its own root system and is easy to propagate from cuttings.

The delicate colour combination of the pale apricot flower buds and white flowers is breath-taking and more than makes up for the fact that the flowers are only slightly fragrant. The flowers have a lovely 'loose' texture. Can be treated as a climber and trained to grow up a pillar or against a trellis. Suitable for cutting. Looks good on its own, in groups, or as a rose hedge-row.

rosa-scentimental

Rosa 'Scentimental'

Mildly scented floribunda rose, repeat-flowering throughout the season with striped flowers. Glossy dark green foliage. Showy double flowers with about 25 petals, 10 cm across, burgundy red with white stripes and splashes, or white splashed with burgundy red.

Registered name: Rosa 'WEKplapep'. Bred by Tom Carruth in the USA from a cross between Rosa 'Playboy' and Rosa 'Peppermint Twist'.

Plant in full sun for best flower display. Any soil-type is suitable as long as it is well-draining and contains a generous amount of organic matter. Remove spent flowers to encourage subsequent flower production. Heat and humidity tolerant. Prune as required in winter to early spring. Susceptible to blackspot, but otherwise disease resistant.

Spectacular, free-flowering rose with a lovely mild scent, a very long flowering season, and good disease resistance. Looks great in groups or just by itself in beds or borders. Could also be grown as a loose, informal hedge. Excellent in pots. Flowers last well on water. Good for potpourris.

rosa-serendipity

Rosa 'Serendipity'

Floribunda rose, flowering in flushes throughout the season with bright yellow flowers. Glossy, dark green foliage.

Registered as Rosa HARamity. Bred by Harkness (UK).  There is another rose available as Rosa 'Serendipity' and registered as Rosa 'Serendipity'. This is an orange blend, hybrid tea rose with a mild fragrance, bred by Dr Griffith J. Buck (USA).

Prefers a sunny spot in any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring, and again in early summer. Prune during winter or early spring in cold climates. Very good disease resistance.

A healthy, vigorous rose and an excellent performer throughout the season. Looks lovely in beds or by itself in a mixed border, combined with other yellow flowering plants and/or purple or lavender flowers. 

rosa-star-quality

Rosa 'Star Quality'

Floribunda rose with a compact, rounded habit, mid green foliage, and clusters of semi-double, vibrant coral pink flowers, flushed with white in the center, and yellow stamens. Flowers are about 8 cm wide, and have 10 to 15 petals. They are produced in flushes throughout the season. 

Registration name: Rosa 'SOMsmoko'. Rosa 'Hans Christian Andersen' x Rosa 'Class Act', bred by Rob Somerfield (New Zealand), released in 2006.

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

May take a few years to get established, but once it it is growing well, this is a beautiful, free-flowering rose. The flowers are only very slightly fragrant, but their gorgeous colour more than makes up for that. Good rose for the front of borders, en masse or as a single specimen. Excellent for cutting.

rosa-stargazer

Rosa 'Stargazer'

Floribunda rose, flowering in flushes throughout the season. Matt, medium green foliage. Bright orange-red flowers with a yellow star shape in the centre and yellow stamens. Flowers are single with about 9 petals. Very mild fragrance.

Bred by Harkness (UK) from a cross between Rosa 'Marlena' and Rosa 'Kim'.

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. Plant relatively close together (< 0.45 m) so that the foliage forms a continuous background for the flowers.

Beautiful bright flowers for a cheery display in beds or borders. Not a large-growing shrub, so best planted in groups of three or more.

rosa-the-fairy

Rosa 'The Fairy'

Compact Polyantha rose with arching branches and glossy mid-green foliage, flowering continuously throughout the season from spring to late autumn. Shell-pink to candy-floss pink flowers, about 2.5 cm across, are produced in large clusters, usually covering most of the shrub.

Registration name: Rosa 'The Fairy'. Bred by Bentall in 1932 (UK) from a cross between Rosa 'Paul Crampel' and Rosa 'Lady Gay'. Introduced to the USA in 1941.

Flowers best in a sunny position, but can stand a considerable amount of shade. Suitable for any soil type as long as it is well-draining. Fertilise in early spring, and again in early summer. Remove clusters of spent flowers throughout the season. Prune in winter. Excellent disease resistance.

If you prefer fragrance, then Rosa 'The Fairy' is not for you. If you like an easy-care, healthy, and tough rose that reliably produces an abundance of flowers over a very long time with minimal gardener's input, then look no further! Flowers last well on water. Just watch out for the many thorns when you pick them. This is also one of the best roses for those not so sunny spots in the garden, where you would like some colour. Suitable for containers. Looks beautiful in combination with blue-flowering plants such as Ageratum houstonianum.