Some roses bloom just once in full bloom. But if you want to enjoy roses for longer, look for roses that bloom multiple times. We asked rose experts Michael Marriott and Philip Harkness to recommend some of their favorite repeat-blooming garden roses.
Most repeat-flowering roses do not bloom continuously. They bloom in early summer, rest for a few weeks, and then bloom again. There are many repeat-flowering roses that are suitable for our English gardens, especially since many modern rose breeders want to combine the beautiful flowers and fragrance of old roses with the modern vigour of repeat-flowering.
Despite their prolific flowering nature, you should still regularly deadhead your roses to encourage them to continue flowering and ensure they thrive by keeping them well cared for in the summer, watering them heavily if the weather is hot and dry.
To help you get started, Michael Marriott, former employee of David Austin Roses, and Philip Harkness of Harkness Roses, share some of their favorite multi-blooming roses.
“Modern gardens need roses that are not only beautiful, but also high-performing, long-lasting and add value to any space,” explains Philip Harkness.
The ever-popular classic rose tops Phil’s list of favorite repeat bloomers, including ‘Scarborough Fair’, has semi-double cup-shaped flowers with a wonderful old rose fragrance and blooms regularly from June through fall. Also ‘Scepter Island’Although its flowers are more profuse and have a strong scent of myrrh. ‘Brave Heart’ has coral-salmon tones.
Beautiful pink flowers of ‘Bonica’ flowers in clusters, and are always in different stages of flowering. This seems to extend their presence from late June onwards. “Another top recommendation is ‘Just Sally’, with clusters of single pink apple blossoms. “It’s a round plant that blooms continuously. Much more interesting than potted geraniums,” says Philip.
Michael’s Favorite Food ‘Harlow Carr’ made a huge impression while still in the testing field, for “a perfect, continuous semicircular wreath; old rose-scented roses, deep pink, from head to toe, blooming very rapidly throughout the rest of the year”, he said.
With deep purple pink tones, ‘Skylark’ carries semi-double flowers that are lightly scented, while ‘Wild Edric’ Michael suggests this is a hardy rose, suitable for difficult borders or dense hedges.
‘Honey Buns’ is a type of ‘patio’ rose. These roses have very small leaves compared to most shrub roses and they form short, compact plants around 35cm tall, making them ideal for growing in containers. Despite their small size, there is no shortage of flowers: this free-flowering rose can produce a colourful display like any summer groundcover, except that you get to enjoy it year after year. The flower clusters start out orange before turning pink.
Philip recommends using simple and single white flowers. ‘Keros’ to brighten a dark corner. “This rose blooms continuously with incredible gusto. It simply doesn’t know how to stop blooming. It blooms three times, not twice, probably because the fragrance has diminished.”
Small rose bush ‘Drifting Pearls’ will add a touch of freshness to the garden in summer. Its pearly white flowers have a delicate pink tinge and striking yellow stamens that are loved by bees. Formed in large clusters, the flowers continue to bloom for months.
If you like red roses, ‘Thomas A Becket’ is a velvety red double-flowered variety, its flowers nodding seductively on the stems. Its old rose fragrance has a hint of citrus and the plant itself has a natural, shrub-like habit. ‘Time’ Is one The brilliant red Floribunda is completely covered in clusters of flowers. The foliage is dark and glossy, creating a brilliant rose in the summer sun.
A leading lady for plum blossom is ‘Lady of Shalott’Recommended by Michael for its reliable double flowers that open from red buds. Free flowering, ‘Golden Beauty’ is one of the most prolific of the floribundas, producing brilliant amber flowers from late spring until the first frost.
‘Pat Austin’ is one of the most strongly scented, multiple blooming roses available to gardeners and combined with a wonderful blend of coppery orange hues, this is a truly special shrub rose. It grows well and forms an elegant plant that will give any flowering shrub in a border a run for its money.
Fast growing, sun loving ‘Golden Wedding’ has bright yellow flowers from July to September. Try ‘Amber Queen’ for its crisp, wavy petals in a brilliant yellow. The leaves are a deep green to contrast well with the clustered flowers. Compact and hardy, this is the perfect plant for a sunny garden space.
There are very few roses that are true continuous bloomers, meaning they bloom continuously throughout the summer and beyond, rather than blooming at both ends. Some bloom well year-round in Mediterranean-like climates.
Rose x fragrant ‘Pale’formerly known as ‘Old Blush China’, shortens the flowering period from May to December in the UK. China roses prefer warmer climates, such as R. x fragrant ‘subject to change’ ‘Hermosa’ And ‘Sophie’s Perpetual’, also limited to the warmest parts of the UK.
Michael suggested ‘Rosy Cushion’ is ‘a standout rose for its flowering ability. ‘This modern shrub rose has continuous clusters of pale pink single flowers, but sadly no fragrance,’ he says. ‘Kew Gardens’ has white flowers, is lightly fragrant and has an upright habit, when planted tightly will form a beautiful long flower hedge.
‘Mayflower’ is a beautiful, classic looking, double pink rose that is imbued with the fragrance of old roses and is rarely out of bloom. A great low growing ground cover rose is ‘Center Stage’, spreading and covered with beautiful single pink flowers. It starts in June and lasts until November.
One of the few climbing roses that can bloom multiple times is ‘Alister Stella Gray’, A beautiful butter yellow rose with double rosettes, appearing first in small groups then in large repeating branches. Popular ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’ is one of the most beautiful classic white climbing roses, with large flowers that have a tea rose scent. And ‘The iceberg is climbing’ is a pure white climbing plant with a honey-like scent.
To attract bees, Philip chooses climbing plants with simple flowers, such as ‘Easy life’. “This is a fragrant, pale pink variety that blooms in clusters of 11-14 flowers, throughout summer and fall,” he explains. Similar but smaller, ‘Lakeland Rose’ It is also very good for bees. It has two long flowering periods in the summer.
A rare wanderer is ‘Pink Skyliner’, A great repeat flowering variety for threading through trees. It is small and fragrant with semi-double blooms and medium sized foliage. It blooms from late spring until frost. Purple and white varieties are also available.
