BIG BEN™ – creamy yellow climbing rose – O’Connell
Bring the memory of Cornish sea air into your garden with BIG BEN™, a creamy-yellow climbing rose that offers effortless refreshment in small family spaces. Planted against a south- or west-facing wall, it shrugs off blustery days and creates a gentle screen that helps with coastal windbreaks and salt-laden breezes. Its large, cup-shaped blooms open a soft, pastel colourwash of butter and cream, fading towards white and echoing sunlit shingle. Strong, lingering fragrance makes it ideal beside a veranda chair where you pause with tea after collecting seashells. The pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL own-root form offers quiet longevity, maturing steadily from settling roots to fuller shoots and finally a stable, three-year display that needs only light, seasonal maintenance.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Small coastal veranda screen |
Train BIG BEN™ along a light trellis or wire frame to create a fragrant, semi-transparent screen that softens wind around a compact seating area without overwhelming limited space; ideal for tea corners by the sea for beginners. |
| House wall or sunny garage wall |
Its moderate height and dense, glossy foliage allow you to green up a sun-facing wall, with creamy-yellow flowers brightening brick or render while own-root vigour gives a reassuringly long-lived structure for homeowners. |
| Archway at a garden entrance |
Planted one each side of a metal or wooden arch, the flexible canes can be tied in to form a welcoming tunnel of scented blooms that repeat through summer, offering high impact with modest routine care for busy-gardeners. |
| Pergola end-post or corner post |
Use a single plant to clothe a corner post, letting side shoots run along overhead beams; the semi-double cups provide dappled shade and scent above a bistro table, rewarding simple annual pruning for hobby-gardeners. |
| Large container on sheltered balcony |
In a 50–60 litre container with good drainage, BIG BEN™ anchors well and can be fan-trained on a railing, giving vertical colour where soil is limited, while own-root resilience supports recovery if watering lapses for urban-owners. |
| Clay soil family garden boundary |
Set in improved but moisture-retentive clay near a fence, its climbing habit provides height without taking much ground space, and with basic support it copes steadily with frequent rain and onshore winds for coastal-families. |
| Cutting corner for scented stems |
Clustered, long-lasting blooms on manageable canes make it easy to snip a few stems for vases without stripping the plant, so even occasional gardeners can enjoy indoor fragrance without complex rose-growing for new-gardeners. |
| Pollinator-friendly cottage-style nook |
The semi-double flowers, with accessible central stamens, offer moderate interest to bees while still looking full and romantic, making a good bridge between wildlife planting and classic roses in relaxed corners for nature-lovers. |
Styling ideas
- Sea-breeze veranda – Train BIG BEN™ on a slim trellis beside a bistro set, underplant with sea kale and blue Festuca to echo shingle and surf – perfect for coastal veranda owners.
- London terrace nod – Reference its Big Ben name by clothing a brick wall, pairing with dwarf box in containers for a structured, townhouse feel – ideal for style-conscious city gardeners.
- Soft cottage arch – Let its creamy blooms spill over an arch with lavender and Lychnis at the base, blending scent and movement – suited to romantic cottage-garden enthusiasts.
- Family play-garden edge – Use it on a boundary fence, keeping stems tied back so it rises above play areas while providing colour and privacy – good for families needing beauty and practicality.
- Balcony vignette – In a 50–60 litre pot, combine with trailing rosemary and silver grasses, creating a layered, Mediterranean-style corner – attractive for balcony and small-patio gardeners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
BIG BEN™ – creamy yellow climbing rose – O’Connell; large-flowered climbing rose from the Climbing rose collection, ARS exhibition name ‘Big Ben’, sold as a premium own-root 2-litre plant. |
| Origin and breeding |
Spontaneous climbing sport of ‘Compassion’® discovered by Colleen O’Connell, bred circa 2002, introduced by Matthews Nurseries in 2008 in New Zealand and by Jackson & Perkins in the USA in 2024. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous climber reaching about 2.4–3.9 m high with a 0.9–1.6 m spread, moderately thorny canes and dense, glossy dark green foliage; best grown with firm support and regular tying-in. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double, large cup- to goblet-shaped clusters, around 13–25 petals per bloom; remontant habit with an abundant second flush, providing extended seasonal interest on trained frameworks. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Creamy-yellow blooms (ARS YB; RHS 158C outer, 11D inner) opening butter-toned then fading to near white with a soft yellow throat; colour is delicate and can bleach quickly in strong sun. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long-lasting scent typical of classic fragrant climbers; ideal for planting where breezes can carry the perfume across seating areas, paths or near doors and windows. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces moderate quantities of small, ellipsoidal hips about 10–14 mm across, turning orange-red (RHS 40A) as they mature, adding subtle late-season ornamental interest for observers. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately –26 to –23 °C (RHS H7, Swedish Zone 4, USDA 5b); disease resistance is medium, with average tolerance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust under typical garden conditions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Prefers full sun, moist but well-drained soil and sturdy supports; plant 140–250 cm apart depending on use, prune and deadhead regularly, and monitor for pests and diseases as part of routine care. |
BIG BEN™ – creamy yellow climbing rose – O’Connell offers strong fragrance, vertical impact in small spaces and reassuring, long-lived own-root growth; consider it where you want a gentle, seaside-scented focus in your garden.
