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Rose Gardens

Rosemoor has become known for its two outstanding rose gardens - The Queen Mother's Rose Garden, featuring modern roses, and the Shrub Rose Garden, planted with old traditional roses.

Looking its best in...

  • Spring Muscari, daffodils and Camassia
  • Summer The incredible scent of hundreds of roses fill the air

Test driving roses in the West Country

The Rose Gardens were the first plantings in the Formal Garden, and were originally seen as a test case for West Country gardeners. 

Thanks to the warm, damp climate and the lack of air pollution, roses grown here can be susceptible to diseases such as black spot. That's why we chose cultivars with disease resistance, vigorous growth and a free-flowering nature. If you live in the South West and want to grow roses, we hope the Rose Gardens will be an inspiration.
 

The Shrub Rose Garden

The Shrub Rose Garden is planted with old traditional roses, represented by Albas, Damasks, Moss and Gallicas mixed in with some modern shrub roses. An especially lovely feature is the clematis planted among the climbing roses, extending the season of display.

Other plantings include Astrantia, Stachys, Alchemilla, Geranium and Nepeta.

Early season additions, which include Muscari, Narcissus and Camassia, provide colour and interest before the roses start flowering.

Curator's choice: Five disease-resistant roses
This rose can be trained as a climber. It is exceptionally vigorous and reliable with pink flowers and a fruity tea rose fragrance. Disease resistant and repeat flowering.  

Rosa A Shropshire Lad (‘Ausled’)

This rose can be trained as a climber. It is exceptionally vigorous and reliable with pink flowers and a fruity tea rose fragrance. Disease resistant and repeat flowering.
 

More on this plant

 An alba rose that is shade tolerant, growing to 1.2m x 90cm (4x3ft). Bears white, highly fragrant flowers, good disease resistance but not a repeat flowerer. Very thorny and makes a good hedge.  

Rosa ‘Félicité Parmentier’

 An alba rose that is shade tolerant, growing to 1.2m x 90cm (4x3ft). Bears white, highly fragrant flowers, good disease resistance but not a repeat flowerer. Very thorny and makes a good hedge.
 

More on this plant

Large, single, pure white flowers of silky texture. Continuous flowering with a sweet fragrance. Good for hedging and ideal for poor soil. Introduced 1899 with good disease resistance.  

Rosa rugosa ‘Alba’

Large, single, pure white flowers of silky texture. Continuous flowering with a sweet fragrance. Good for hedging and ideal for poor soil. Introduced 1899 with good disease resistance.
 

More on this plant

According to Rosemoor curator, Jon Webster, careful plant choice is a key to growing healthy roses in the South West of England. 'Doing your research, and buying one with good disease resistance, will pay off,' he says. Here, Jon recommends five disease-resistant roses to consider.  

According to Rosemoor curator, Jon Webster, careful plant choice is a key to growing healthy roses in the South West of England.

'Doing your research, and buying one with good disease resistance, will pay off,' he says.

Here, Jon recommends five disease-resistant roses to consider.
 

Produces a mass of pure white flowers late in the season. It is vigorous, reliable and disease resistant with a musky scent.  

Rosa ‘Long John Silver'

Produces a mass of pure white flowers late in the season. It is vigorous, reliable and disease resistant with a musky scent.
 

MORE ON THIS PLANT

One of the oldest roses in cultivation. Flowers are blush-pink striped and spotted with crimson, with a delicious old rose fragrance.  

Rosa gallica ‘Versicolor’

One of the oldest roses in cultivation. Flowers are blush-pink striped and spotted with crimson, with a delicious old rose fragrance.
 

More on this plant

This rose can be trained as a climber. It is exceptionally vigorous and reliable with pink flowers and a fruity tea rose fragrance. Disease resistant and repeat flowering.  

Rosa A Shropshire Lad (‘Ausled’)

This rose can be trained as a climber. It is exceptionally vigorous and reliable with pink flowers and a fruity tea rose fragrance. Disease resistant and repeat flowering.
 

More on this plant

 An alba rose that is shade tolerant, growing to 1.2m x 90cm (4x3ft). Bears white, highly fragrant flowers, good disease resistance but not a repeat flowerer. Very thorny and makes a good hedge.  

Rosa ‘Félicité Parmentier’

 An alba rose that is shade tolerant, growing to 1.2m x 90cm (4x3ft). Bears white, highly fragrant flowers, good disease resistance but not a repeat flowerer. Very thorny and makes a good hedge.
 

More on this plant

Large, single, pure white flowers of silky texture. Continuous flowering with a sweet fragrance. Good for hedging and ideal for poor soil. Introduced 1899 with good disease resistance.  

Rosa rugosa ‘Alba’

Large, single, pure white flowers of silky texture. Continuous flowering with a sweet fragrance. Good for hedging and ideal for poor soil. Introduced 1899 with good disease resistance.
 

More on this plant

According to Rosemoor curator, Jon Webster, careful plant choice is a key to growing healthy roses in the South West of England. 'Doing your research, and buying one with good disease resistance, will pay off,' he says. Here, Jon recommends five disease-resistant roses to consider.  

According to Rosemoor curator, Jon Webster, careful plant choice is a key to growing healthy roses in the South West of England.

'Doing your research, and buying one with good disease resistance, will pay off,' he says.

Here, Jon recommends five disease-resistant roses to consider.
 

Produces a mass of pure white flowers late in the season. It is vigorous, reliable and disease resistant with a musky scent.  

Rosa ‘Long John Silver'

Produces a mass of pure white flowers late in the season. It is vigorous, reliable and disease resistant with a musky scent.
 

MORE ON THIS PLANT

One of the oldest roses in cultivation. Flowers are blush-pink striped and spotted with crimson, with a delicious old rose fragrance.  

Rosa gallica ‘Versicolor’

One of the oldest roses in cultivation. Flowers are blush-pink striped and spotted with crimson, with a delicious old rose fragrance.
 

More on this plant

Spring Highlights

Camassia leichtlinii Caerulea Group

camass Caerulea Group
Camassia cusickii

Cusick's camass
Muscari armeniacum

Armenian grape hyacinth

The Shrub Rose Garden showcases old historical roses, blended with modern shrub roses, while the Queen Mother's Rose Garden highlights a collection of the more modern hybrid teas and floribundas. These gardens provide a high point of interest in midsummer.

Philip, RHS Garden Rosemoor Horticulturist

Plants in the Shrub Rose Garden

  •
Geranium sanguineum 'Album'
  • 0.1–0.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Geranium</em> <em>sanguineum</em> 'Album'
Clematis 'Venosa Violacea' (Vt)
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Clematis</em> 'Venosa Violacea' (Vt)
Rosa Graham Thomas ('Ausmas') (S)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 1–1.5 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Graham Thomas</span> ('Ausmas') (S)
Rosa Mary Rose ('Ausmary') (S)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Mary Rose</span> ('Ausmary') (S)
Rosa Rosemoor ('Austough'PBR) (S)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Rosemoor</span> ('Austough'<sup>PBR</sup>) (S)
Iris 'Braithwaite' (TB)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.1–0.5 metres
<em>Iris</em> 'Braithwaite' (TB)
Rosa 'Tuscany Superb' (G)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'Tuscany Superb' (G)
Clematis 'Perle d'Azur' (LL)
  • 2.5–4 metres
  • 1–1.5 metres
<em>Clematis</em> 'Perle d'Azur' (LL)
Rosa 'Ballerina' (HM/Poly)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'Ballerina' (HM/Poly)
Rosa 'Golden Wings' (S)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 1–1.5 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'Golden Wings' (S)
Geranium sanguineum 'Album'
  • 0.1–0.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Geranium</em> <em>sanguineum</em> 'Album'
Clematis 'Venosa Violacea' (Vt)
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Clematis</em> 'Venosa Violacea' (Vt)
Rosa Graham Thomas ('Ausmas') (S)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 1–1.5 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Graham Thomas</span> ('Ausmas') (S)
Rosa Mary Rose ('Ausmary') (S)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Mary Rose</span> ('Ausmary') (S)
Rosa Rosemoor ('Austough'PBR) (S)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Rosemoor</span> ('Austough'<sup>PBR</sup>) (S)
Iris 'Braithwaite' (TB)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.1–0.5 metres
<em>Iris</em> 'Braithwaite' (TB)
Rosa 'Tuscany Superb' (G)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'Tuscany Superb' (G)
Clematis 'Perle d'Azur' (LL)
  • 2.5–4 metres
  • 1–1.5 metres
<em>Clematis</em> 'Perle d'Azur' (LL)
Rosa 'Ballerina' (HM/Poly)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'Ballerina' (HM/Poly)
Rosa 'Golden Wings' (S)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 1–1.5 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'Golden Wings' (S)

The Queen Mother's Rose Garden

This area features modern roses chosen for their scent, stature and colour range. Hybrid tea (large-flowered), floribunda (cluster-flowered) and shrub roses form a delightful mix with climbing roses and ramblers.

Did you know?

Although roses prefer heavy soil, they resent waterlogged conditions, so Rosemoor’s heavy clay required drainage before planting. Pipe drains were laid and plenty of organic matter added to improve the soil.

Plants in the Modern Rose Garden

  •
Rosa 'English Miss' (F)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'English Miss' (F)
Rosa Royal William ('Korzaun') (HT)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Royal William</span> ('Korzaun') (HT)
Rosa 'Sander's White Rambler' (Ra)
  • 2.5–4 metres
  • 4–8 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'Sander's White Rambler' (Ra)
Rosa Chandos Beauty ('Harmisty'PBR) (HT)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chandos Beauty</span> ('Harmisty'<sup>PBR</sup>) (HT)
Rosa Iceberg ('Korbin') (F)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Iceberg</span> ('Korbin') (F)
Clematis 'Star of India' (LL)
  • 2.5–4 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Clematis</em> 'Star of India' (LL)
Clematis 'Betty Corning' (Vt)
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Clematis</em> 'Betty Corning' (Vt)
Rosa Elina ('Dicjana') (HT)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Elina</span> ('Dicjana') (HT)
Rosa 'English Miss' (F)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'English Miss' (F)
Rosa Royal William ('Korzaun') (HT)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Royal William</span> ('Korzaun') (HT)
Rosa 'Sander's White Rambler' (Ra)
  • 2.5–4 metres
  • 4–8 metres
<em>Rosa</em> 'Sander's White Rambler' (Ra)
Rosa Chandos Beauty ('Harmisty'PBR) (HT)
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Chandos Beauty</span> ('Harmisty'<sup>PBR</sup>) (HT)
Rosa Iceberg ('Korbin') (F)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Iceberg</span> ('Korbin') (F)
Clematis 'Star of India' (LL)
  • 2.5–4 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Clematis</em> 'Star of India' (LL)
Clematis 'Betty Corning' (Vt)
  • 1.5–2.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Clematis</em> 'Betty Corning' (Vt)
Rosa Elina ('Dicjana') (HT)
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Rosa</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Elina</span> ('Dicjana') (HT)

You may also be interested in...

Read our extensive advice on roses

Read our extensive advice on roses »

Read Curator Jon Webster's tips on growing roses in the South West

Read Curator Jon Webster's tips on growing roses in the South West »

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