Cluster-flowered roses

Arthur Hellyer, MBE, VMH, concludes his choice of the finest cluster-flowered (floribunda) rose varieties and we’ve included those that are still available today

- Arthur Hellyer

THE cluster-flowered roses are also called floribundas. Their main characteristics are that they produce their flowers in clusters and flower again very quickly. From June to October they are rarely without blooms and at the height of each successive flush they are capable of producing a mass of colour.

The shape and size of the flowers varies greatly, including singles, semi doubles and full doubles, quartered blooms, rosette shapes and high centred flowers like those of the old hybrid tea roses, but usually smaller in size. They are the finest roses for making a continuous display in the garden and some make excellent cut flowers.

Honeymoon [‘Korhemtra’]

This rose has light-green leaves and large, canary-yellow flowers, which are of a full-petalled, flat-topped, rosette shape. This vigorous rose can reach 3ft (91cm), is usually healthy and branches well. It was raised by Wilhelm Kordes in 1959.

Korona [‘Kornita’]

At its best, this is one of the brightest orange-scarlet roses ever raised and a wonderful sight, but this does not happen in all gardens. It has been suggested that virus infection may account for the comparatively poor performance of Korona in some places, so it is important to buy plants from a really reliable source, where they are known to be doing well. Flowers are of medium size, semi-double, loosely formed and very freely produced. Introduced in 1955, its height can be up to 31⁄2ft (1m).

‘Woburn Abbey’

This is one of the best true-orange cluster-flowered roses. The cup-shaped, medium sized flowers are produced in good trusses. The glossy dark-green leaves have a bronze tint when young. Introduced in 1962, the height of is about 3ft (91cm).

Lilli/Lili Marlene [‘Korlima’]