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Back to show & events home page..... Hampton Court Palace Flower Show There is something of a Rose Revolution at Hampton Court this year with twenty new roses launching. It's no surprise to see roses top two of the latest polls as the gardeners' favourite flower - it's certainly mine and I think one of the most valuable flowers you can have in your garden. Matthew Wilson, Curator of RHS Garden Harlow Carr, has noticed something of a revolution occuring in borders: "Most gardeners haven't got space to dedicate to a traditional rose garden, and growing roses together in one area can be more of a challenge, as pests and diseases are harder to control in a monoculture, making the use of chemicals a necessity, which many gardeners don't like," he says. At Harlow Carr in a break from rose garden tradition they have created a Rose Revolution in the borders - naturalistic borders of flowering perennials, roses, ornamental grasses, bulbs and shrubs with foliage interest. The idea is that the plants complement and support each other - it's certainly the way I have used roses for several years now and I just love it. Interplant your roses with a mixture of herbaceous perennials such as asters and salvias, bulbs and grasses to reduce the risk of disease such as black spot. You can grow clematis through roses and they look brilliant with ornamental grasses.
The Rose of the Year 2007 'Tickled Pink' (pictured above) is a bold and impressive floribunda with masses of large and scented full petalled blooms in an absolutely gorgeous and seductive shade of pink. Among the new roses launched at Hampton include 'Thumbs Up' introduced by Peter Beales Roses, an unusual rose with large fully double scented flowers of soft yellow and pastel pink stripes. 'Honeybun' and 'Little Cherub' come from Pococks Roses and are both compact patio varieties. 'Honeybun' has mandarin-orange coloured flowers, unique in garden roses and 'Little Cherub' has clusters of dark red flowers graduating to bright red at the centre of the bloom. And just when you think its safe to go out of the rose marquee you find a rose that smells like wine! The Fetzer Syrah Rosé rose is unusual in that its named after a specific wine. This stunning highly fragrant rose has a colour and scent that so closely matches the Fetzer Syrah Rosé wine that it is a match made in heaven – believe me! The Roses UK website has a rose locator which will help you track down new and old varieties - you can view the Roses UK website and Rose Locator facility at: © Reckless Gardener Magazine 2005 - 2006 Mill Cottage New Media |
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