The Latin translation of this name means "Many Flowering" or "Abundance of Flowers". They are defined as this due to the multiple clusters of blooms which are produced on each bush, generally between 5 and 15 per stem. Floribundas originated through cross breeding between Hybrid Teas and Polyantha's in the 1920s. They are the brightest in colour of all the rose varieties and they grow to a smaller and more compact height than a Hybrid tea. Because of this the Floribunda rose isn't ideal for taking cuttings from as the stems are to short and they come in clusters which are difficult to separate. So if you want one you have to take the whole lot! Therefore they are predominantly a garden display flower. They are often preferred by gardeners, over the Hybrid Tea as they tend to flower longer and have excellent repeat blooms in September. The actual flowers vary in shape and size. You can purchase a Floribunda which has the bloom appearance of a stereotypical Hybrid Tea but with come in clusters, so the best of both plants combined. Its colour accents the various sections of my garden and their shorter and less dense structure allows them to fit in nicely with a mixed border. I have mine mixed in with some Lavender and Asters. For maximum impact always plant in groups of odd numbers and no less than three.
EXAMPLES: Friends Forever, Iceberg, Fellowship, Arthur Bell, Purple Tiger, Sheila's Perfume, Rhapsody in Blue, Cinco de Mayo, Mardi Gras, Singin in the Rain, Burgundy Iceberg, Glenfiddich
Often thought of as the most popular type of flower in the world the Hybrid Tea is a combination between Hybrid Perpetuals and Tea Roses. Of the Old English Rose category this is the most modern of its type. The blooms are single on long, strong stems which grow quite tall, they can grow up to 2 metres! The blooms are perfectly formed large, high centre buds which makes them an excellent cut flower. Hybrid Teas exude elegance in a garden. They can be grown singularly or in groups and they can provide an eye catching centrepiece to any border. They produce a lot more foliage than the Floribunda so they fill out a border more. If looked after the Hybrid Tea will flower continuously from June through to October. I visited my father's house last weekend and his selection of Hybrid Teas were still absolutely stunning and had dozens of blooms. The occasional sprinkle of Top Rose will ensure that they are happy. I have just purchased my first selection Hybrid Teas and I have gone with PEACE which is pictured above. My other roses are very blousy so I have decided to mix it up a bit with a bit of structure and elegance.
EXAMPLES: Peace, Savoy Hotel, Elina, Icecream, Belle Epoque, Twice in a Blue Moon, Mr Lincoln, Perfect Moment, Cesar E. Chavez, Royal William, Gold Medal, Black Baccara, Wainwright
The English Rose variety is lush and romantic in nature. They are characteristically tightly packed full of petals which almost explode out. When looks like a relatively average size bud could produce a bloom as big as a hand span. Most English Roses have a very strong scent when are reminiscent of an Old Tea Rose. They have a healthy repeat of blooms which are although reduced in size, still make a wonderful visual impact. The blooms are either single or come in clusters of up to three so this makes an excellent cutting for a magnificent floral display. They produce a healthy amount of foliage which makes it an excellent choice for the border. as it is a dense shrub it mixes perfectly with a variety of perennials. This is by far my favourite variety of rose and easily the most common in my garden. The rose pictured on the left is a Braithewaite produced by David Austin. They can grow up to about 2 metres tall and about 1.5 metres wide.
EXAMPLES: L.D.Braithewaite, Graham Thomas, Lady Emma Hamilton, Grace, Gertrude Jekyll, Claire Austin, Queen of Sweden, Charlotte, A Shropshire Lad, Generous Gardener, Falstaff
As the title clearly states the Climbing Rose has a growth which allows you to train it up walls, over pergolas, gazebos, up the gable end of a house and fences. The Climbing Rose is, more often than not, a variation or a shrub or bush rose. They can produce blooms on either a single stem or in large clusters. Climbing roses tend to differ from Rambling Roses by the size of the bloom. Climbing Roses have a much bigger bloom, some of which have to most incredibly strong scent such as David Austin's Gertrude Jekyll as featured in the picture to the left. They also differ from Ramblers because they have repeat blooms and are a bit more stouter in form. Once planted they need to be secured to the structure upon which they climb. It also helps if they are initially secured horizontally as this encourages growth and the strength of the stems produced. Ultimately a fan shape should be created once a certain height is reached. The foliage is always healthy and it is possible to purchase thorn less varieties which is especially useful if one is planted by a regularly used walkway. The eventual heights can vary from 12ft to 25ft.
EXAMPLES: Gertrude Jekyll, Climbing Madame Testout, William Morris climbing, Etoile de Hollande, Creme de la Creme, Paul's Lemon Pillar, New Dawn, Ophelia, Gloire de Dijon
The Rambling Rose is rambling by name and rambling by nature. Its fast growing stems are fantastic for growing through edges or over walls as long as they are either trained and supported using ties or if they have something to cling onto such as Ivy, Jasmine or Honeysuckle (the latter of which is the case in my garden). Its strong stems help support its vigorous and great width of growth. They do not need pruning very much, only if a stem appears to not be thriving or to thin out areas that have become too dense. It is definitely not advised to prune at all in the first few years. The Rambling Rose can reach metres in length. I have a Paul's Himalayan Musk rambler in my garden and that will eventually reached a length around 25 metres. The blooms are small in comparison to the other rose breeds but they do come in very large clusters which resemble miniature rosettes or small English Roses. This type of rose requires very little attention as it requires little or no pruning and it is extremely hardy against disease. If you have Wisteria growing across the front of your house or an apple tree this variety of rose would look fantastic weaving its delicate blooms through the foliage.
EXAMPLES: Paul's Himilayan Musk, Malvern Hills, Crimson Shower, Long John Silver, Chevy Chase, Rambling Rector, Albertine, Rambling Rosie
This is an ideal rose for the smaller garden, but it looks fantastic at the front of a border or put in a hanging basket or container. Miniature roses came about purely by accident through cross breeding in the 1930s and they are such a lucky discovery. The average height is less than 2ft and they have an excellent amount of foliage which is why they are sometimes used as hedging. Aside from a little extra protection at winter the Miniature Rose is treated like its larger relatives. I love having them in my garden as it allows a gardener to add a little injection of colour at a more ground level. I have a few bright yellow ones which are mixed between some bright purple Campanula and they look like little gems poking through. You would expect that because they are small they will be less hardy but that isn't so. They are actually hardier than most Hybrid Teas! I have only had mine for a few months but I have been extremely pleased with the number of blooms it has had. They generally have a single bloom per stem but they can come in clusters of up to three. These don't really make a good cutting plant but if you are interested in making miniature floral craft displays then these would be ideal. They would also make a good pressed flower.
EXAMPLES: Flower Power Gold, George Best, Pretty Polly, Honeybun, Earthquake, Starry Eyed, Wildfire, Green Ice, Rainbow's End, Carousel, Scentimental, Irresistible, Hurdy Gurdy
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