SIMPLY GORGEOUS™ – lavender tea-hybrid rose - Ford
Imagine a sheltered coastal veranda where you can enjoy afternoon tea, protected from brisk breezes by an elegant rose that feels at home in salty, windy, sunny conditions and brings a sense of instant refreshment after a walk on the shore. SIMPLY GORGEOUS™ forms a compact, upright hedge or specimen, easy to place even in small gardens or shingle beds where space must work hard. Large, high‑centred blooms in misty lavender and silvery‑mauve tones appear through the season, ideal for cutting so you can bring that seaside calm indoors. The strong, sweet fragrance lingers around seating areas, while dense foliage and slightly thorny stems help the plant anchor itself and create a soft visual screen. As an own‑root rose it settles steadily, with roots in the first year, bolder flowering shoots in the second, and full ornamental value by the third, supporting a reassuringly long garden lifespan with modest maintenance.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Coastal veranda containers (40–50 litre) |
The upright, bushy habit and moderate spread make SIMPLY GORGEOUS™ easy to manage in substantial 40–50 litre pots beside a seating area, providing a calm, lavender-toned focal point with strong scent after seaside walks for the coastal beginner. |
| Small family front garden feature |
Its compact size suits narrow front borders where you want impact without overgrowth; the large, exhibition-style blooms add refinement while own-root strength promises a stable, long-lived presence for the busy homeowner. |
| Cutting patch by the back door |
High-centred, long-stemmed flowers are ideal for vases, and the well-scented character means just a few stems perfume the kitchen, giving reliable, repeat flushes through summer for the home flower-arranger. |
| Low, scented screening by a patio |
Dense, mid-green foliage and upright growth create an effective low screen around seating, with blooms at eye level and a sweet fragrance that softens hard surfaces for the small-garden owner. |
| Mixed border with grasses and perennials |
The naturalistic look of lavender-toned blooms pairs well with ornamental grasses and cranesbills, giving a relaxed, coastal feel that still looks considered and tidy for the informal stylist. |
| Coastal-style shingle or gravel bed |
This variety copes well in a bright, airy position where shingle helps drainage and mimics a seaside setting, settling into breezy, salty conditions without fuss for the seaside romantic. |
| Repeated along a path or driveway |
Planted at the suggested spacings, a line of bushes delivers a gentle, scented guide towards your door, with colour that remains interesting as it shifts through soft lavender shades for the welcoming host. |
| Statement plant in a sunny corner |
As a single specimen with space around it, the changing flower tones are easier to appreciate, while own-root resilience means it can mature into a reliable, season-long highlight for the patient gardener. |
Styling ideas
- Harbour-Veranda – Position one or two plants in 40–50 litre tubs with pale gravel mulch and a weathered wooden bench to echo Cornish harbour textures – ideal for coastal-style lovers.
- Lavender-Ribbon – Alternate SIMPLY GORGEOUS™ with low Lavandula along a path so scent and soft mauve tones mingle with each step – suited to relaxed family gardens.
- Shingle-Dune – Set plants in a shingle bed with sea kale and blue Festuca to suggest a gentle dune edge while keeping maintenance modest – perfect for time-pressed homeowners.
- Tea-Nook – Flank a small patio table with two shrubs so high-centred blooms and sweet fragrance frame your afternoon tea – for those who enjoy quiet, fragrant corners.
- Cottage-Contemporary – Blend its exhibition-style flowers with airy grasses and cranesbills for a look that feels both traditional and fresh – appealing to informal, design-conscious gardeners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid Tea group rose, commercial type and group hybrid tea; registered as FORmaui, marketed as Simply Gorgeous™ Hybrid tea rose FORmaui for garden and cutting use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by John Ford of Ford Roses, Palmerston North, New Zealand; introduced to the UK market by Style Roses around 2014 as a premium lavender-toned garden and exhibition hybrid tea. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy shrub reaching about 80–110 cm in height and 60–85 cm spread, with slightly thorny stems and dense, slightly glossy foliage that emerges bronzy-red before maturing to mid-green. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high-centred, pointed-bud flowers with around 26–39 petals, mainly borne singly on stems; remontant habit ensures a strong second flush and good suitability as a classic cutting rose. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Powdery lavender-lilac with silvery-mauve tones; buds deep lavender-purple with bronze edge, ageing to silvery lavender with creamy rose-brown centre, offering soft, shifting colour through opening and fading. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, sweet fragrance of classic rose character; scent is easily noticeable around seating areas and in cut stems, adding significant sensory value in small gardens or when used for indoor arrangements. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional small, spherical hips about 10–14 mm across, orange-red (RHS 34A) when ripe; ornamental in autumn but generally secondary to the cultivar’s role as a repeat-flowering garden and cutting rose. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −15 to −12 °C (RHS H6, Swedish zone 2, USDA 7b); disease resistance moderate for powdery mildew, black spot and rust, benefiting from standard preventative care in damp seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well-drained soil; plant 50–60 cm apart for hedging or 90 cm as a specimen, integrating routine feeding and occasional plant protection to support repeat flowering and overall vigour. |
SIMPLY GORGEOUS™ offers large, fragrant lavender blooms, compact form for small spaces, and the long-lived stability of an own-root rose, making it a thoughtful choice for a relaxed, coastal-inspired family garden.
