Floribunda Roses

When choosing bare root roses in autumn, don’t discount floribundas as recent introductions are perfect for borders or pots. Val Bourne reveals why.

- Val Bourne

ROSES were once voted the nation’s favourite flower (they still come out on top whenever there’s a poll). However, many gardeners have a real downer on floribundas, so much so that rose growers often label them ‘small shrub roses’ instead. They tell me their customers think floribundas are like those roses the late Tommy Cooper used to pull out of his hat: sparse upright stems topped with a few gaudy flowers. Mention the f-word (that’s floribunda, by the way) and apparently a rose sale is lost.