You should know right away that this is not an unbiased post on what english roses you should grow in your garden. In my ten years spent as a florist, bride after bride would bring a torn page from Martha Stewart magazine of a bouquet featuring english roses (mind you, these were the days before Pinterest when magazines were our best resource…. does that make me old?… I'm not that old… I feel old sometimes when I talk about things like magazines). Anyway. I had to break it to the hopeful and ambitious bride that english roses were not commercially available (at least from our suppliers) and that they would have to settle for a different flower that we could include.
Since that time, long before my garden, I saw english roses as a sort of fairytale. Something magical that was unattainable by the masses… preserved in it's beautiful and elusive to the demands of modern life. English roses are a secret treasure, often reserved only for the gardener and her visitors.
I wanted them. I wanted all of them.
Despite my love, I didn't plant my first english roses until three years ago. Until that point, we'd bounced around the country for work and lived in four different rental houses. It was far from the right time to plant roses (though, looking back, isn't it always the right time to plant roses?).
(I'll cling to the defense that I was already convincing my husband to move cows, sheep, chickens, and children from house to house so maybe roses would've tipped him over the edge).
Anyway. Here we are. Here are the english roses you should grow in your garden. Why? Because I've grown them and they're all fabulous.
You'll notice I'm unashamedly promoting David Austin roses. An English rose breeder, David Austin has long been the leading name in cottage roses. I feel head over heals with his roses a dozen years ago and have never lifted my eyes to another. Call me loyal. I'm in love. You can order your roses here. (For what it's worth, I am not affiliated with David Austin what-so-ever so you know what I speak is truth.)
English roses you should grow in your garden.
Information directly from David Austin's website.
Malvern Hills: This is a pale yellow, vigorously flowering rose I have trained over an arbor by the greenhouse.
A repeat-flowering rambler bearing fragrant, fully double flowers. A rarity in the ramblers – a variety that repeat flowers reliably. Small, fully double soft yellow blooms, held in clusters. There is a delightful musky fragrance. Exceptionally healthy.
- Good for disease resistance
- Repeat Flowering
- Ideal for poor soil
- Highly Recommended by David Austin Roses
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 5 to 11
Teasing Georgia: I had to order this soft yellow rose after I saw the name for my daughter Georgia. We have it climbing up the side of our chicken coop.
A rose of great beauty with rich yellow, rosette-shaped blooms. Lovely, strong tea fragrance. Very reliable, extremely healthy and easy to grow. Repeat flowers well.
- Good for disease resistance
- Repeat Flowering
- Highly Fragrant
- Highly Recommended by David Austin Roses
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 5 to 11
Strawberry Hill: This is another I have trained over an arbor, only this time, it waves in pale pink blooms. I grow one on each side and they meet in the middle.
An award-winning rose bearing fragrant rosettes of superb qualityBeautiful at all stages; bearing pure rose pink, cupped rosettes of superb quality. Strong and delicious myrrh fragrance. Extremely healthy with vigorous, informal growth.
- Good for disease resistance
- Repeat Flowering
- Exceptional Fragrance
- Highly Recommended by David Austin Roses
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 4 to 11
Gertrude Jekyll: Perhaps my most vigorous bloomer to date, I have gentle pink Gertrude Jekyll roses all around the greenhouse. They are a constant source of summer flowers!
Twice voted the nation's favourite roseBeautiful, rich pink rosettes with the quintessential Old Rose fragrance: superb, strong and perfectly balanced. Very healthy and reliable
- Repeat Flowering
- Exceptional Fragrance
- Voted England’s favourite rose by BBC Gardener’s World viewers
- Highly Recommended by David Austin Roses
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 4 to 11
Jude the Obscure: The softest, most beautiful apricot colored roses I've ever seen!
Large, chalice-shaped blooms with an award-winning fruity scentMagnificent, soft yellow, chalice-shaped blooms. Outstanding fruity fragrance. Very free-flowering.
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 5 to 11
Geoff Hamilton: So romantic! So pink! So fragrant!
A strong growing variety bearing lightly fragrant rosettesWarm, soft pink rosettes. Light Old Rose fragrance with a hint of apple. Strong-growing, healthy and exceptionally disease resistant.
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 5 to 11
Sweet Juliet: Another namesake for another daughter, I have very pale pink Sweet Juliet roses sprinkled throughout the potager garden.
Neatly formed rosettes with a strong, fresh tea rose scentGlowing apricot, neatly formed rosettes. Fresh and strong tea rose fragrance. Reliable and disease resistant.
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 5 to 11
The Albrighton Rambler: This is a new one for me, so I've only ever seen a few pale-pink/white blooms, but it dazzles.
A repeat-flowering rambler bearing sprays of small, cupped flowersA charming repeat-flowering rambler. Small, cup-shaped flowers of softest pink held in large sprays. Light musky scent. Exceptionally healthy.
- Repeat Flowering
- Ideal for a rose arch
- Ideal for walls or fences
- Highly Recommended by David Austin Roses
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 5 to 11
Falstaff: A bold burgandy (and a bold choice) for my garden, the depth of this rose captives me. It smells and looks rich.
Large, shallowly cupped blooms with a powerful fragranceRich, dark crimson blooms in the form of large, shallow cups filled with many petals. Powerful Old Rose fragrance.
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 5 to 11
Benjamin Britten: I fell so painfully in love with the scent of this rose, I planted it beneath my bedroom window so that I could smell it while I slept during the summer. It's bold and punchy and beautiful.
A variety of unusual colouring with an intensely fruity fragranceGlowing, deep red-pink rosette-shaped blooms. Lovely, intensely fruity fragrance with hints of wine and pear drops. Very healthy with vigorous, bushy growth.
- Repeat Flowering
- Highly Fragrant
- Ideal for pots and containers
- Highly Recommended by David Austin Roses
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 4 to 11
Lady of Shallot: A beautiful way to incorporate orangey-hues into your garden without going too far overboard, this is a soft and romantic rose that still carries wonderful saturation.
A striking rose, as well as one of our hardiest and most reliableStriking apricot-yellow, chalice-shaped blooms. Healthy with vigorous, bushy growth. Ideal for inexperienced gardeners.
- Good for disease resistance
- Repeat Flowering
- Ideal for poor soil
- Highly Recommended by David Austin Roses
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
- Bred by David Austin
- Suitable for zones 4 to 11
These roses are designed and bred to be beautifully fragranced (has anyone else been sorely disappointed by burying their hopeful nose into a rose only to find the fragrance has been bred out?) and true to their nature. This means that some english roses bloom multiple times a year – other varieties only bloom once. Some sprawl. Some climb. Some are a bush variety.
There's something for everyone.
If you need more information on how to grow roses because you're lacking in confidence because maybe this is your first english rose and you really don't want to screw up it up because how sad would you be if that happened because, after all, you did spent $28.50 on this beautiful rose… (gasping for breath before continuing sentence)…then make sure to visit this fabulous page on David Austin's website that outlines how to care for roses, plant roses, prune roses, train roses, and troubleshoot roses because they know a lot more than you and can teach you their wonderful ways.
(Passes out from lack of oxygen from the longest run on sentence ever).
My seven year old once told me that if I got old and had to move away from our cottage, and then I died, he would make sure to come back to the farm to dig up all my roses before planting them at his house. He promised to take care of them so that I could “live on” and “so could my english roses, because he knows how important they are to me.”
So ya. I guess you could say they're pretty wonderful.
May your english roses, and your garden, be blessed.
Rachel
Absolutely 100% agree with you Shaye. They are incredible, I grow many English roses. Jude is my absolute all time favorite. I must say that I have equal love for damasks, bourbons and moss roses. I may have a slight addiction…….. My 2020 David Austin Handbook of Roses just arrived yesterday. Be still my heart…. Happy planting my friend!
Diane Dileo
Where can you buy david austin Rose’s in Ontario canada?
Dorothy Donatello
Shaye.
I agree with you I have only had David Austin Roses in my garden for years and they are stunning. They smell heavenly. I love to cut some and bring them in the house so their smell permeates the house. I just wish I had room to plant more. I only had room for eight. Keep planting lady.
Erica
Lovely inspiring article! I really want to plat a climber or rambling rose over the front of my cottage but it’s a north facing wall and exposed to strong winds..am I at an ill-wind even attempting such a plant?!
The last few sentences of your article is simply charming to say the least..what a beautiful son to think like that! You are one lucky mama!
Vinita Large
I love my roses , I enjoy taking care of them , David Austin roses have very good luck growing them , as a beginner at this , thank you David Austin.
Botanical Amy
I love their roses. Tip: it seems like purchasing 3 or more plants from them is the threshold needed to get their free rose book sent to you ❤️
Stephanie
Shaye,
I looked at Austins website and Im drooling over the Lady Emma Hamilton variety. So yummy! Thank you for this blog post ❤
Katie
I only have the albrighton rambler so far. I have them planted on either side of the arbor that I am getting married under. I have been in love with David Austin’s since highschool when I worked at my aunt’s rose nursery. I can’t wait to get more!
Shirley Baxter
I live in Bend Or. and want to know what English roses would grow here.i grew English roses in the Seattle area and miss them..
Bre
Thanks Shaye. Although I have been gardening vegetables and herbs for years, I never got into flowers. This year, I aim to start with 5-6 flowers. Have you done a blog post yet on recommended flowers for newbies, and/or 5-6 flowers that go well together? Your insights and experiences would be valuable.
autumn
Thank you for sharing this! I’ve always wondered where a person could find the old fashioned, delicious smelling roses! You’ve inspired me to purchase two climbing, David Austen roses. I too have been hopping around the country and now that we’re finally settled on our tiny farmstead in the mountains, it’s time to put down roots. Rose roots, that is! 😉 And lots of other types as well. So glad you wrote this blog post!
Lea
I just bought my first David Austin rose, The Generous Gardener. Oh my goodness! I’ve always wanted one of his roses and I am so hooked! Will look up all your recommendations, thank you! Garden on!
Sita Seebadan
I just ordered 3of them,this is my first time ordering and i can’t wait to receive them.
Lucy
Hello Shaye,
I live 10 miles from Albrighton, in the West Midlands. David Austin roses are a national treasure – if (when this is all over) you get to visit, it has a beautiful tea room an tbe most stunning gardens showcasing all their roses. I am also not sponsored, but tell you, one rose lover to another. We are pretty spoiled here.
During lockdown I have had more time in the garden – June is always my favourite time when the roses bloom one after another. I have Mary Rose, Silver Jubilee (a stubborn little so-and-so) Roald Dahl and Benjamin Britten.
My best to you from Shropshire,
Lucy
Joyce
I have ordered 3 David Austin roses for the first time and am like a child waiting for Christmas for them to arrive.
Carolyn Batts
I’ve been hearing a lot about David Austin roses and they all are so beautiful it’s very hard to make a decision on which one to plant first. I’m considering Jude the Obscure. What brilliant person picks out all the lovely names for these beautiful
roses!!
Sheryl Gleason
Hi Shaye, over the past 15 years I only have Collected David Austin Roses in my gardens. The. Rest I have given away. I thought I would share what works here in zone 4 in Wisconsin winters and humid summers. Brother Cadfael, Heritage, Crown Princess Margarita, Abraham Darby , Sharifa Asma, Lady of Shalott, Queen of Sweden, Scepter D Isle,Noble Anthony,Jude the Obscure. The roses I could not keep going are Jubilee Celebration , Gentle Hermione ,Boscobel. This spring I’m trying Gabriel Oak, Eustacia Vye, Emily Bronte, The Generous Gardner and Claire Austin. We will see how things go with those. ❤️
Audie
Thank you for what grows in Wisconsin! – Fellow Wisconsinite purchasing her first rose bushes.
Zulekha Ahmed
How do we get to buy these beautiful flowers
Anne Burgess
I love all David Austin Rose’s. I have had to leave them behind in my last house. Fortunately my daughter in law insisted I take some with me. I only have William Morris and Graham Thomas. Alas I only have a tiny patio. I am 86 so mustn’t grumble!