With 2022 shaping up to be a year of plant shortages, including roses, I thought I would provide a little insight on a few of my personal favourites that we still have available. Some are fairly new introductions, while others have been around for decades, during which time I have been able to enjoy them year after year.

Rosa ‘Maurice Utrillo'

I am not normally attracted to striped roses like ‘Scentimental’ or ‘Rock & Roll’, as I find them a little garish. But then the Clean ‘n Easy line introduces the floribunda rose ‘Maurice Utrillo’ a few years back and somehow this unusual combination of red, white, creamy-yellow, and pink-striped flowers seem as breathtaking as an impressionist painting – which is probably why it was named after the French artist. Add to that its disease resistance and delicate fragrance and you have a rose worth planting in your garden.

Rosa ‘Nicole'

Although only lightly fragrant, this floriferous floribunda rose literally smothers herself in clusters of pure-white flowers brushed with raspberry-pink edges all summer long. This Kordes introduction is relatively disease resistant and also features glossy, deep-green foliage that contrasts the blooms nicely.

Rosa ‘Hot Cocoa’

Another unusual floribunda with clusters of uniquely coloured smokey chocolate-orange flowers that we rarely see in roses. This 2003 AARS winner thrives in the heat of summer and has inherited its disease resistance from one of its parents, ‘Livin’ Easy’. It was also used to breed the miniature rose ‘Coffee Bean’ (also available on our website for preorder HERE) and features a moderate fruit fragrance.

Rosa ‘St. Tropez’

This disease-resistant member of the Clean ‘n Easy line was bred from ‘Easy Going’. Despite being a floribunda, it bears massive 5” hybrid tea-like blooms of pure apricot with a strong sweet licorice fragrance, making it a great cut flower. These are borne throughout the season over glossy deep-green foliage.

Rosa ‘Blue Girl’

This classic hybrid tea was a real colour breakthrough when it was first introduced back in 1964. With ‘Sterling Silver’ as one of its parents, ‘Blue Girl’ produces large 5” lavender-blue flowers on long stems that emanate a lovely rose, fruit, and lilac fragrance.

Rosa ‘Sheila’s Perfume’

Another floribunda rose that exhibits more like a hybrid tea with very large blooms of yellow edged in cherry-pink. Add to that award-winning spicy rose fragrance as well as disease resistance and it’s no wonder that ‘Sheila’s Perfume’ has been a top seller for nearly forty years now.

Rosa ‘Don Juan’

A climbing hybrid tea rose that can reach heights of 12-14’ tall. It comes to us from Italy (1958) and features very large five-inch-wide dark velvety-red flowers with an intoxicating old-rose fragrance. These are borne throughout the season and can even be used as cut flowers. A classic climber that lives up to its reputation.

Rosa ‘Julie Andrews’

Here's a newer compact hybrid tea introduction from the Clean ‘n Easy line, which features abundant four- to five-inch-wide fuchsia-pink flowers with a yellow reverse that shows through in the center. It was named "Most Beautiful Rose of the Century" in France and it also bears a spicy, old-rose fragrance. Add to that disease-resistant deep-green foliage and you have the "perfect" rose.

If you can’t decide which colour of rose to purchase, then here’s a climber for you. ‘Joseph’s Coat’ bears red buds that open to yellow flowers edged in carmine-red, fading with hints of orange, pink, and rose. No two blooms look the same on this unique climber which was introduced back in 1965 and grows 8-12’ tall.

Hopefully, I’ve provided some of you with a little rose inspiration. If you love roses but you're wondering how to keep them looking their best, you may also enjoy this video!