ROSES FROM ROUND THE CORNER!

The showiest roses tend to have their origins in exotic places, with China and India contributing a rich heritage. In commerce most roses reflect those origins - people want rich colours, interesting flower forms, and above all repeat flowering from the end of May to the first frosts. In return, such roses tend to be demanding in terms of growing conditions - feeding, watering, the right amount of sun, control of problems, and (according to some) a complex routine of pruning a couple of times a year.

We often forget that roses are native to most of the temperate world - including of course northern Europe. Native roses tend to be quieter, with more muted colours, and flowering once only from end of spring - early summer. Lacking the qualities demanded by many buyers, less attention has been paid to them by commercial breeders, so forms available are fewer, and harder to find. We think they are so easy and worthwhile, they are worth the hunt!

We're fond of a little group of roses that are based on Rosa pimpinellifolia. These grow in Scotland (among other places) and seem to have become a national emblem 'The Burnet Rose'. This rose is great for really poor soil, and thrives in sand and on shallow ground over rock. It flowers once only (but for about six weeks) on ferny blue-green foliage, then bears black hips loved by birds. It forms a thicket, spreading by underground runners. Here are a few from our garden.

This is the basic species, Rosa pimpinellifolia, aka 'The Burnet Rose'. There is a pinkish version called 'Stanwell Perpetual'- ours is not flowering at the moment, so no picture.

The origins of some of the hybrids are pretty unclear. Here is is the pink/red hybrid 'Andrewsii' - very vigorous, it spreads like mad, but we still love it!

Another old hybrid is 'Harrisonii' - a fine sulphur yellow double, and very floriferous.

A simpler single yellow is this 'Ormiston Roy'.

A fine clear red double? Try 'William III'.

Finally an oddly attractive example, our oldest example of this species, and becoming a very wide bush: 'Marbled Pink'.

The runners of all of these make viable plants true to colour, ideal for swopping with gardening friends and neighbours in the very best cottage gardening tradition!