One of the loveliest single heritage roses, R. 'Complicata' will still carry bright red hips in autumn, brightening the rose garden when few of your bushes are flowering. 'Complicata' is a single pink with pretty golden stamens and she will flower all summer long. Plant her where she has plenty of room for she is a big-ish shrub, and remarkably disease-free.
Cultivation Plant in a sunny position away from strong winds as the long canes can catch the wind and loosen the bush in the soil. Add well-rotted compost to provide a good loamy soil, mulch in summer to retain moisture.
Propagation Cuttings
Large, bright red flowers with yellow stamens on this lovely old Gallica rose are very fragrant. Early summer flowering only. Upright habit and abundant dark green leaves.
Cultivation Plant in a sunny position and add well rotted compost to develop a good loam. Needs little attention during the year. 1.5m x 1.2m
Propagation Cuttings
(syn R. omeiensis pteracantha)
The fine thorns carried on the stems of this rose are its main feature. Glowing red and translucent, the brilliant 'wings' catch the eye when planted with the sun behind them. Rosa sericea pteracantha atrosanguinea has deeper red thorns.
The spring flowers are single, with only four petals, white with yellow stamens. Bright orange-red hips on follow on R. s. pteracantha , black on R. s. pteracantha atrosanguinea.
As with shrubs grown for colourful winter stems the new growth is where it's at. Prune hard to remove older growth as the colour of the thorns fades with age. Grows to 3m by 1.8m (10ft x 6ft) and toerates poorer soils and you can plant it in light shade or woodland.
Not as readily available as it might be, ask at the nursery and try your local chapter of Heritage Roses for this beauty!
(Syn. 'Yellow Cecile Brunner') Clusters of honey pink flowers open from red buds, becoming almost flesh-toned, apricot as the open fully. Flowers appear over most of the year. A vigorous growers and resisting most disease, "Perle d'Or' is a lightly branched shrub that can be trained as a low climber. A real toughie.
Cultivation Plant in a sunny position and add well rotted compost to develop a good loam. Tolerates shade, poorer soils and needs little attention during the year. The books suggest 1.5m x 1.2m (5ft x 4ft) but it can become larger if left unpruned.
Propagation Cuttings
A cluster flowered rose with white, double blooms and a slight perfume. Good foliage and repeat flowering, it is similar to its parent R. 'Iceberg'.
Cultivation Plant in a sunny position. Add well-rotted compost to the soil when planting to provide a good loamy soil. Relatively disease free.
Propagation Cuttings
R. 'Dainty Bess' The large single flowers in silver pink have striking maroon stamens. Very fragrant. A vigorous plant (despite its name) which is continuous flowering.
Cultivation: Plant in a sunny position, and add well-rotted compost to the soil when planting although will tolerate lighter, poorer soils. 0.9 x. 06m.
Propagation: Cuttings
R. 'Sexy Rexy' A small dense floribunda rose. The fully double soft pink blooms open flat. Fragrance is light but fresh. Already a standard choice in the rose garden as it is reliable, healthy and long-flowering. Bred here in New Zealand by Sam McCredy who shocked the rose establishment with the saucy name (you may find it as R. 'Macrexy').
Cultivation Plant in a sunny position, secure well if in a windy position. Dead head regularly to maintain continuity of blooming. Add well-rotted compost to the soil when planting to provide a good loamy soil.
Propagation Cuttings
Gallica 'Anais Segalas' has beautifully formed flowers that are dark mauve-pink and held in clusters. The flowers open flat around a central greenish eye. Light green foliage on a neat plant.
Cultivation Plant in a sunny position, adding well-rotted compost when planting and as an annual mulch. Dead head regularly. Grows to 1.0m (3ft) and tolerates poorer soils and a little shade. Copes as a container plant. Prune out only tangled, spindly stems and very old or diseased wood.
Propagation Cuttings
