No-one takes Roses more seriously
The rose is part of our heritage, tied to royal dynasties and symbolic of historic wars.
David Austin did more than anyone to inspire the move away from old fashioned rose gardens and his garden is the place to go in June if you want to immerse yourself in the scent and sight of roses.
The mark of a good rose garden is dead-heading. Even the best rose loses impact if tarnished by tired heads. This garden knows it is an ambassador for the rose and employs teams of dead-headers to ensure each looks its best. The site is split into rooms with roses set off by other planting and connected by rose garlanded walkways. It’s far from the sterile old shrub rose beds you still sometimes see. Go in June and your senses will reel.
Star Plants
Scepter'd Isle
Shrub Rose
Clear pale pink blooms come from deeper red buds. Embellished folds at its centre. Still flowers in September.
Golden Gate
Climber
Rich yellow, fading to lemon, Golden Gate offers profusion, perfection and semi-evergreen foliage
Gertrude Jeckyll
Shrub Rose
David Austin’s finest has a glorious scent and is named after the UK’s most influential gardener
Rambling Rector
Rambler
Clear white with a yellow eye, Rambling Rector will romp up a tree or garland a wall in no time
Reasons to go
- An overwhelming experience – a shrine to the rose, a bombardment to your senses
- The rose garden reinvented by the man who made it possible
- Attention to detail – no rose is allowed to look shoddy
- If you’re looking to buy… there’s every type of rose in every type of situation
- Good facilities: shop, cafes and garden centre
- Attentive and knowledgeable staff
In a nutshell
- Time to allow: 2-3 hours including cafe
- Favourite area: Central walkway – mindblowing
- Best for: Beautifully-presented roses
- Run by: David Austin Roses
- Unusual for: attention to detail
- Good points: packs a lot into a small site; if you’re looking for a rose… well; labelling of plants; everything smacks of professionalism; free
- Bad points: narrow lane to reach
For the latest garden information, prices and opening times: