Trouble-Free Roses: Breeding for Health, Vigor, and Disease Resistance
Effortless Blooming Roses
Traditional gallica and rugosa roses are typically trouble-free, but other varieties often face issues such as mildew, blackspot, and rust. To cater to gardeners who prefer to avoid fungicides due to potential harm to bees, rose breeders are now focusing on creating new rose varieties that are not only beautiful but also healthy and disease-resistant.
In the past, fungicides were widely used to prevent or cure diseases in roses.However, due to links between fungicide use and declining bee populations, more gardeners are opting for chemical-free gardens. These new rose variations ensure a vibrant display without the worry of disease.
For a more detailed guide on growing roses, experts at David Austin Roses have shared their top tips, including tips on watering roses to prevent disease spread.
Here are some disease-resistant rose varieties to consider:
Rosa 'Charles de Mills'
This gallica rose features double, magenta-pink flowers with a powerful scent and is suitable for growing in mixed borders, shrubs, or as an informal hedge. It reaches a height and width of 120cm.
Rosa 'Thomas á Becket'
This shrub rose resembles a wild rose and boasts healthy vigor. It bears rosettes of crimson flowers with an old rose fragrance and a hint of fresh lemon, growing to a height of 100cm and a width of 120cm.
Rosa 'Mortimer Sackler' (renamed Rosa 'Mary Delany')
This tall shrub rose has few thorns, small, dark green leaves, and bears soft pink, cup-shaped double flowers with an 'old rose' fragrance. It grows to a height of 360cm and a width of 130cm.
Rosa 'Roseraie de L'Hay'
This rugosa rose forms a shrub with light green, crinkled leaves and produces bright, cerise-pink double blooms with a strong fragrance. From summer to autumn, it also produces bright red hips. It reaches a height and width of 250cm.
Rosa 'Boscobel'
This shrub rose has red buds opening to large, salmon-pink flowers with a fragrance combining hints of myrrh, elderflower, pear, and almond. It is compact, suitable for growing in pots, and reaches a height and width of 90cm.
Rosa 'Lady of Shalott'
This robust, bushy shrub rose has excellent disease resistance, mid-green leaves, and produces large orange-red double blooms with a delicate tea fragrance. It reaches a height and width of 130x100cm.
In the pursuit of a healthier and more eco-friendly garden, one may opt for cultivating disease-resistant roses like 'Rosa 'Charles de Mills', a gallica rose ideal for home-and-garden landscapes as they demonstrate vigor and offer a beautiful, scented lifestyle. Similarly, 'Rosa 'Thomas á Becket', a shrub rose with a wild rose appearance and an old rose scent, can thrive in your home-and-garden, ensuring a robust and vibrant addition to your home-and-garden life with its disease-resistant features.
