WSU Clark County Extension

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Garden Mastery Tips
from Clark County Master Gardeners

July 2007

English Roses


The English rose is a relatively new type of rose, developed in the l960's. It is appropriately named for its country of origin. The best known hybridizers are David Austin's English Roses and English Legend Roses by Harkness of England. These two nurseries have bred and successfully introduced over 150 different varieties of English roses.

The very best of their parents' characteristics prevail in the offspring of this cross between the spring-flowering Old Garden rose and the modern hybrid tea and floribunda. The most notable of these characteristics are:

  1. delicate charm and fragrance of an old rose in nearly all the descendants
  2. repeat blooms with old-fashioned flower form, providing a long season of color from early June and usually well into October
  3. growth from 2 to 6 feet high and 3 to 5 feet wide, with climbers growing from 8 to 14 feet high
  4. varying sizes provide bedding plants as well as taller plants that are well-suited for placement behind other plants
  5. can be used to form both hedges and barriers
  6. roses have gained a reputation for being easy to grow with excellent health and clean foliage
  7. plants are garden-tested and hardy in zones 5–10
  8. there are at least 20 thornless varieties
  9. at least 16 varieties will prosper when grown on north facing walls and in other partly-shaded areas, providing they get 4–5 hours of sun per day
  10. there are climbers that will ascend arches and pergolas, grow high into trees and cover the sides of unsightly buildings

Consider all of these positive attributes, including a wide range of color, when adding these wonderful plants to your garden. To see English roses growing in Vancouver, Washington, visit Esther Short Park, where you will find about 2 dozen different plants in the north/center section of the park garden. The garden is maintained by volunteers from the Ft. Vancouver Rose Society.

References

David Austin Roses, retrieved May 29, 2007 http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/

Heirloom Roses retrieved May 29, 2007 http://www.heirloomroses.com

American Rose, published by the American Rose Society

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