Which Shrub Rose To Buy ?

Somerset, United Kingdom

I'd like to plant a shrub rose in the front garden and i don't know where to start regards which one to choose.
I know that i want repeat flowering and i don't want one with a bloom that's too 'open', i like a tradional looking bloom !

The position will be south-south west facing and the soil before improvement is a good well drained soil and alkaline.

I'd prefer it to reach 5' maximum and less than that in width .... i've looked at my old Rose book in The Expert series and can see that some can be 5' in height but only 3 or 4 in width .... that would be perfect .... if this still applies .... my book's years and years old !!!

The rose will be on a boundary/edge of the garden where a path will be 'behind' it (path leads to the next 2 houses).
The plant itself will be part of the backdrop for a herbaceous border and will be between a Euphorbia mellifera and a Pittosporum tenuifolium.

I've never bought a shrub rose and i'd be grateful if anyone has any input (good and/or bad) on them.

25 Jul, 2009

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Answers

Bamboo

Go and get yourself a copy of D. G. Hessayon's The Rose Expert - not too old a copy (which is what the library might have) so that you get lists of all the more recent roses as well. He'll tell you which roses are available and whether their reputation is realistic or not. It's worth its weight in gold, that book, and it's less than tenner.

25 Jul, 2009

Wagger

There are loads of second hand ones on Amazon very cheap.

25 Jul, 2009

Louise1

I was kind of hoping that i'd get some 'personal' advice from people who have these growing in their own gardens.
Thanks though :)

25 Jul, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

Gertrude Jekyll is often cited as an excellent shrub rose. It's flower shape should fit the bill too being not too open.

25 Jul, 2009

Louise1

Thanks Fractal, i'll look into her in a minute :)

26 Jul, 2009

Bamboo

Sorry, Louise, not something I've ever grown, not being a rose lover myself!

26 Jul, 2009

Louise1

Ah !
Thanks Bamboo :)

I've now done a lot of reading aswell as a lot of 'searching' and ..... i've decided on a David Austin rose called 'Port Sunlight'.

An apricot coloured flat rosette type of bloom that has a strong scent and is an excellent repeater, very hardy and disease resistant !

Whatsmore, i just rang the garden centre i use a lot and they have 1 left which i'll colllect tomorrow :)))

Now there's a result !!!

26 Jul, 2009

Bamboo

Great - I'd love to know if it lives up to the hype though - can you let me know. I'm not convinced by David Austin roses, but the jury's still out, so more evidence would be very useful. I look forward to a report next year, if poss;-)

26 Jul, 2009

How do I say thanks?

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