What do we mean by “romantic roses”?

With us this group includes:

• English roses (David Austin breeds),
• nostalgia roses (varieties from other breeders with an English feel, full flowers and often with fragrance).

Their garden use is similar; the main difference is the breeding background.

Why choose this?

• Quick romantic garden feel.
• Full flower shape, many varieties also with scent.
• Focal point: impressive from close up as well.

Conditions for success

• A sunny position for the most beautiful flowering.
• Consistent water and nutrients, especially in summer.
• Airy planting so that foliage dries quickly.

Placement

Romantic roses are at their strongest when they are “in your way”.

• by the entrance, gate, front garden,
• next to the terrace and seating nook,
• as a focal point in a flower bed: 1–3 plants as accents or 3–5 plants as a drift,
• together with perennials and ornamental grasses.

Planting logic

• In a small garden 1–3 plants are already effective.
• For a unified patch, plant 3–5 of the same variety together.

PharmaRosa® ORIGINAL 2 litre

Well-rooted, own-root container rose: easy to plant, starts reliably.

Quick decision pathway – 3 questions

• Are mood, fragrance and full flowers more important than a “sea of blooms”?
• Will you plant it where you can enjoy it from close up?
• Are you prepared to water and feed regularly during the season?

What do we mean by “historic roses”?

Heirs of types from before (or the very beginning of) modern breeding. Many varieties flower once, but at that time they are especially fragrant and spectacular; several types may repeat or have a prolonged season.

Why choose this?

• Rich, classic fragrance.
• Shrub form and spatial structure, not just flowers.
• Collection feel: clearly different characters.
• More natural, relaxed garden picture.

Conditions for success

• Give them space and air: plant openly.
• Patience: the final shrub form develops over 1–2 seasons.
• Flowering rhythm: many types have a single peak in late spring–early summer.

Placement

• in borders, near seating areas,
• along fences, in back rows, in shrub groups,
• in a collection bed with several types,
• trained (where relevant) on walls and pergolas.

Subgroups in brief

A quick guide to choosing:

• Alba – pale, elegant, subtly romantic.
• Bourbon – fragrance + often a longer flowering season.
• Centifolia – very full, classic flower shape.
• China – lighter character, often a long flowering tendency.
• Damask – fragrance-focused, old garden atmosphere.
• Gallica – strong character, often once-flowering but unforgettable.
• Moss rose – special “mossy” buds, a curiosity.
• Noisette – airy clusters, often suitable for training.
• Hybrid Perpetual – larger flowers with a tendency to repeat.
• Portland – more compact, often with better repeat flowering.
• Old garden rose – the classic “grandma’s garden” feeling.
• Sempervirens – historic climber, good for filling space.
• Tea – refined, “perfumy”, airy elegance.

PharmaRosa® ORIGINAL 2 litre

Well-rooted, own-root rose: a solid basis for building a characteristic shrub form.

Quick decision pathway – 3 questions

• Is it acceptable that many types flower once, but are outstanding in fragrance and mood?
• Are you looking for shrub and garden character rather than a “formal rose bed”?
• Do you have an airy spot where the shrub can develop freely?

The essence of the hybrid tea

Its strength is not masses of flowers, but the “starring role” of individual blooms: large, shapely and often fragrant. Mostly a tidy shrub of about 50–150 cm which, with proper care, flowers repeatedly.

Why choose this?

• Large, elegant “wow” flowers.
• Excellent cut flower: long stems, beautiful buds.
• Impressive even with a small number of plants.
• Tidy, classic appearance.

Conditions for success

• Sunny position.
• Consistent water and nutrients (energy demanding).
• Airy planting for healthier foliage.

Placement

• As a focal point: by the entrance, at path turns, in a feature bed.
• In a cutting bed: 3–7 plants are already a rewarding number.
• In a rose row/back strip: along a fence in a regular rhythm (1–2 shades look more elegant).

Companions

• clean-lined perennials,
• ornamental grasses,
• low edging plants for framing.

PharmaRosa® ORIGINAL 2 litre

Well-rooted, own-root container rose: a reliable start and a good basis for flower quality.

Quick decision pathway – 3 questions

• Would you like cut flowers from your garden?
• Do you prefer a few large, perfect flowers to a mass of blooms?
• Do you have a sunny place and can you water and feed it?

What does “bedding rose” mean for us?

Cluster-flowering, repeat-blooming types which, planted in groups, create a uniform, striking surface. Subcategories: polyantha – floribunda – grandiflora.

Why choose this?

• In season there are almost always flowers.
• In groups they quickly create a “finished bed”.
• Combine well with perennials and ornamental grasses.
• Provide a steady rhythm along borders and paths.

Conditions for success

• Sunny position.
• Watering is crucial in the first year.
• Remove spent flowers to encourage new flushes.
• Plant in groups: 3–7 plants give real impact.

Quick chooser

• for low edging → polyantha
• for medium-height, long-flowering drifts → floribunda
• for taller, stronger presence → grandiflora

Polyantha

Low, compact rose for edging and small areas. Many smaller flowers in clusters over a long season; most effective in groups.

Floribunda

The classic “bedding rose” experience: medium-height shrub, abundant flowering, easy to combine. 3–5 plants already form a drift, 7–9 plants make a “finished bed”.

Grandiflora

Taller, more powerful shrubs with larger flowers: for back rows, in front of fences or at representative points. Give them space.

PharmaRosa® ORIGINAL 2 litre

Container roses with a stable start when you want a quickly establishing, flowering surface.

Quick decision pathway – 3 questions

• Do you want a profusion of flowers and long-lasting colour?
• Can you plant at least 3–5 plants in one spot?
• Are you looking for edging, a medium-height bed or a back row?

What does this group include?

• Landscape roses: vigorous shrubs, often with repeat flowering.
• Wild roses: more natural character, often once-flowering but with hips and ecological value.

Why choose this?

• Spatial structure and a “framework” for the garden.
• Good adaptability and stability.
• Natural, living garden appearance.
• Longer season: flowers + foliage, often with hips.

Conditions for success

• They need space: they are at their best when they can spread.
• They do not need constant shaping; pruning too tightly can reduce their character.
• Water in the first year; after that many varieties are more self-sufficient.

Landscape rose

For along fences, larger beds and shrub groups. Strong presence, many varieties repeat. 3–5 plants set loosely give a real garden picture.

Wild rose

Natural shrub shape, pollinator-friendly flowering and often striking hips. Ideal where natural rhythm is more important than continuous flowering.

PharmaRosa® ORIGINAL 2 litre

Well-rooted, own-root plants: a good basis for a balanced shrub.

Quick decision pathway – 3 questions

• Are you looking for a rose that gives structural “backbone” as a shrub?
• Would you use it for screening and shaping space as well?
• Is a natural look more important than intense flower overload?

What does this group include?

Long shoots trained onto supports create a wall of flowers. Two main directions:

• Climber: about 2–3 m, many varieties flower repeatedly.
• Rambler: more vigorous, up to 5–6 m, often once-flowering but with great abundance.

Why choose this?

• Extends your space: more impact on the same footprint.
• Screening and shading on fences, walls and pergolas.
• Garden design potential: training/tying gives real shapeability.
• Strong mood factor.

Conditions for success

• A stable support is essential.
• In the first 1–2 years the shoots must be trained.
• Sunny position for abundant flowering.
• Flowering tip: guide long shoots more horizontally to encourage more side shoots.

Climber

If you want a manageable size and repeat flowering, for smaller pergolas, arches, walls or fences. Do not only let it grow upwards: the more shoots you bring close to horizontal, the more flowering side shoots you will get.

What does this group include?

Generally 20–40 cm compact shrubs with smaller flowers but abundant and long-lasting flowering. Even a small area can be covered with continuous colour.

Why choose this?

• Striking even in a small space.
• Low, tidy form.
• Long-season colour effect.
• Excellent for edging and containers.

Conditions for success

• Sunny spot.
• More frequent watering in containers.
• Good drainage – do not let the compost stay waterlogged.

Placement

• Balcony/terrace: in pots and troughs.
• Edging and framing: along paths, at the front of beds.
• Memorial planting: stays compact and tidy.
• Modern rhythm: using 1–2 colours as a theme.

Planting logic

• In containers 1–3 plants in a larger pot.
• In edging, several plants in a row create a “finished frame”.

PharmaRosa® ORIGINAL 2 litre

Well-rooted, own-root container rose: quick establishment and a reliable start even in small spaces.

Quick decision pathway – 3 questions

• Are you looking for a rose for a small space?
• Do you want a tidy, low-growing plant with a long flowering period?
• Can you water regularly (especially in containers)?

What does this group include?

Lower, spreading roses that build cover: they spread sideways, shade the soil and, in season, blanket it with flowers.

Why choose this?

• Quick, flowering cover even for larger areas.
• Once closed, there are fewer weeds and less evaporation.
• Looks tidy overall, not only when in flower.
• Especially good on slopes and in hard-to-maintain places.

Conditions for success

• Sunny position for good flowering and coverage.
• Watering and weeding in the first year are crucial.
• Avoid standing water and very heavy soils.

Placement

• slopes, banks,
• 40–80 cm strips in front of fences,
• front of beds, path edges,
• “no man’s land” strips that are difficult to maintain.

Design tip

True groundcover effect comes from several plants: the goal is a continuous carpet, not individual shrubs.

Two quick directions

• lower, carpet-like effect → for a floral “rug”
• slightly taller, arching habit → for slopes and larger areas

PharmaRosa® ORIGINAL 2 litre

Well-rooted, own-root container rose: easy to plant, reliable start and faster coverage.

Quick decision pathway – 3 questions

• Would you like a flowering cover with low shrubs?
• Are you looking for a solution for a hard-to-maintain area?
• Are you prepared to water regularly in the first season?

Conditions for success

They look their best in sunny to semi-shaded positions with well-drained soil. Very hard pruning and too much nitrogen can spoil the natural habit. The shrub form develops over time in its final position.

Placement

• boundary strips, hedge-like plantings,
• loose shrub groups, naturalistic perennial beds,
• slopes, sunny banks, landscape areas,
• places where the autumn hips are also an ornamental feature.

PharmaRosa® ORIGINAL 2 litre

Manageable, well-rooted own-root plants: a reliable start, with the natural shrub form building up gradually.

Quick decision pathway – 3 questions

• Is a natural flower and shrub character more important to you than a “flower show” effect?
• Are you looking for a long-term stable rose that needs little shaping?
• Do you have space for a natural, landscape-style effect (garden edge, shrub group, ornamental grass and perennial bed)?