Royal Mail Celebrates the Beauty of Roses with a New Stamp Collection
Royal Mail has unveiled a new collection of stamps celebrating the rose, featuring ten botanical watercolour illustrations created by the acclaimed artist Marie Burke.
The collection captures a range of roses, from delicate wild species to well-loved garden varieties. Among them is Rosa Constance Spry, the first English Rose bred by our founder, David C. H. Austin.
Released on 26th February 2026, the stamp set brings together ten different roses, each chosen for its beauty, character and place in the story of the rose.
The full collection features:
Dog Rose (Rosa canina)
Rosa ‘Queen Elizabeth’
Rosa ‘Just Joey’
Rosa ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’
Rosa ‘Étoile de Hollande’
Rosa gallica ‘Versicolor’ (Rosa mundi)
Field Rose (Rosa arvensis)
Rosa ‘Charles de Mills’
Rosa ‘Peace’
Rosa ‘Constance Spry’
Roses from the Collection to Grow in Your Own Garden
Several of the roses featured in the stamp set are varieties we are proud to offer to gardeners. Each has its own distinctive charm and history.
Rosa ‘Constance Spry’
For us, ‘Constance Spry’ holds a particularly special place. Bred by David C. H. Austin and introduced in 1961, it was the very first English Rose. Its large, cupped blooms are a delicate shell pink and carry a wonderfully rich myrrh fragrance.
Although it flowers once in early summer, the beauty and perfume of its blooms have ensured its lasting popularity with gardeners for more than sixty years.
Rosa ‘Peace’
Few roses are as well-known as ‘Peace’. Introduced at the end of the Second World War, it quickly became one of the most widely grown roses in the world. Its large blooms blend soft yellow with gentle pink edges, creating a flower that feels both luminous and serene.
Rosa ‘Charles de Mills’
Among the oldest roses still grown today, ‘Charles de Mills’ belongs to the historic Gallica group. Its blooms are large and beautifully quartered, coloured in deep crimson-magenta tones. Flowering in early summer, it brings a sense of heritage and character that only old roses seem to possess.
Rosa ‘Étoile de Hollande’
Deep crimson and richly scented, ‘Étoile de Hollande’ is a rose with real presence. Its velvety blooms have been admired for more than a century and bring a sense of classic elegance to the garden. The fragrance is strong and deeply satisfying.
Rosa ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’
When ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’ comes into flower, the effect can be truly spectacular. In early summer it produces vast clusters of soft blush-pink blooms that tumble over trees, arches and walls. The overall impression is one of abundance and romance, as though the garden has been gently draped in flowers.
Rosa ‘Just Joey’
Few roses glow quite like ‘Just Joey’. Its large blooms open in warm shades of apricot and copper, the softly ruffled petals catching the light beautifully. With its strong fragrance and elegant flowers, it remains one of the most admired hybrid tea roses ever introduced.
A postage stamp may be small, yet in the hands of a skilled botanical artist it can capture something quite special. Through Marie Burke’s watercolours, this collection offers a charming tribute to the rose and to the enduring place it holds in gardens and imaginations alike.
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Royal Mail Celebrates the Beauty of Roses with a New Stamp CollectionRoyal Mail has unveiled a new collection of stamps celebrating the rose, featuring ten botanical watercolour illustrations created by the acclaimed artist Marie Burke. The collection captures a range of roses, from delicate wild species to well-loved garden varieties. Among them is Rosa Constance Spry, the first English Rose bred by our founder, David C. H. Austin.
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