Timeless English Roses

Some roses seem to hold a story in their petals, and Rosa Penelope Lively is one of them. Named for the much-loved writer, this English Shrub Rose carries both elegance and quiet depth, a living tribute to a voice that has shaped contemporary literature.

When we speak of “shade” in the garden, it is important to be precise. Few roses will prosper in deep shadow, but many are perfectly happy with four or five hours of sunlight a day. Think of those north-facing walls or quiet spots that bask in morning or evening light. These are not wasted spaces; with the right roses, they can become some of the most enchanting areas of the garden.

Guest blog by Helen Cross - Author, Journalist, Presenter, and School Gardening Champion. At the start of every gardening session with a new group of children, I always ask them what flower, fruit, or vegetable they would like to grow in their school garden. You might be surprised, but over the last five years, three or four out of every ten children have told me they want to grow roses.

David Austin^® Roses are loved for their beauty and character, yet they serve two very different purposes. Our garden roses are created to live and flourish outdoors, returning year after year with timeless colour, fragrance and charm. Our Wedding Roses by contrast, are grown exclusively for the floral industry, crafted to create exquisite bouquets and floral arrangements for life’s most memorable moments.

When we picture allotments, most of us think of tidy rows of beans and brassicas, the glint of fruit cages, and perhaps a weathered shed with a kettle always warm. Roses are seldom part of that picture. Yet they deserve a place in such spaces, bringing scent, colour and gentle structure in ways that support both the eye and the ecosystem.

Few roses are held in such regard as Gertrude Jekyll^® (Ausbord). Valued for its rich, mid-pink blooms and one of the strongest Old Rose fragrances in cultivation, it has become a familiar name among gardeners. Yet it is not only the scent that secures its place. This is a rose with structure, presence and the ability to draw planting together. It offers more than a single season’s beauty. It gives shape to the garden and settles easily among other plants, whether used in formal arrangements or in looser, more naturalistic schemes.