Tried And Tested Roses

The GN team’s pick of the best rose varieties to try in your garden!

CAROL KLEIN

‘New Dawn’

I love so many roses, but perhaps my favourite rose is one of the first I ever met. I remember ‘New Dawn’ climbing along the black fence in our li le garden in Walkden, near Bolton. Its neat buds opening to the palest creamy-pink are enchanting set among glossy, dark green foliage. Nobody had painted the fence, it was black from factory smoke! But the sulphur in the air kept rose disease at bay and there was never blackspot on the leaves. Come to that, ‘New Dawn’ is resistant to most pests and diseases, but it’s the simple beauty of its flowers and its light appley scent that’s so alluring.

DAVE KENNY

‘Elina’

“A rose to soothe the spirit and refresh tired eyes” – this quote from the late Egremont Nurseries owner John Martin sums up ‘Elina’. It’s one of the best roses ever produced, with the plant, foliage, vigour and habit complementing each other. The colour is a blend of lemon-yellow and cream and the flower form is perfect. It grows well almost everywhere, is highly disease resistant and is excellent for cutting, showing and in the garden. It was inducted into the World Federation of Rose Societies’ Hall of Fame in 2006, and credit for breeding ‘Elina’ is shared by Colin Dickson and his dad, the late Pat Dickson. What more could you want in a rose?

NAOMI SLADE

‘Kiftsgate’