If you're yearning for a stunning vase of home-grown roses, these select rose species, recommended by seasoned rose cultivators, will guarantee a lush, blooming bouquet for your enjoyment.

If you're yearning for a stunning vase of home-grown roses, these select rose species, recommended by seasoned rose cultivators, will guarantee a lush, blooming bouquet for your enjoyment.

Fresh Take:

Several years back, Victoria and Barney Martin nabbed a lush, one-acre walled garden at Stokesay Court, nestled in Ludlow's picturesque Shropshire. They've since made a name for themselves, with their exquisite roses and cut flowers, praised by florist Shane Connolly as "truly among the finest in the UK." Glowing with passion and verve, their flowers are grown chemical-free.

Together, they've created a garden where experimentation and quality go hand-in-hand. Roses arrive from a variety of sources, even budget supermarkets. Yet, those that aren't up to par - "unlovely or ungenerous in flower" - are promptly booted out in favor of flowers that truly captivate.

In the heart of their pesticide-free haven, they prefer old roses, each bloom a love poem in itself. They adore the anticipation and the intense but brief floral bloom these romantic blooms offer. Despite this, their beloved garden houses several old roses that continue to bloom even through autumn, such as 'Madame Alfred Carrière' and 'Buff Beauty.'

Come along as Victoria and Barney share their expertise on creating breathtaking rose arrangements and the secrets to keeping them thriving – even a DIY garlic and seaweed spray they swear by for safeguarding their roses against pests and boosting their overall health.

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Their garden relies on organic solutions like garlic spray and seaweed, ensuring their plants are strong, healthy, and ready to delight visitors with their splendid beauty. One exception to their strict pesticide policy is the strikingly beautiful, yet black-spot-prone, 'Variegata di Bologna.' Despite its flaws, its allure is irresistible.

Recommended Roses for Cutting:

• 'François Juranville' - A somewhat thornless, pliable rose that Victoria finds perfect for crafting elegant arrangements.
• 'Madame Hardy' - A strong-growing rose with many-petaled flowers, a green eye, and an intoxicating scent.
• 'Tuscany Superb' - Victoria treats this vibrant rose as a gypsy charm, and although it only blooms once, its deep fragrance is a worthy trade-off.
• 'Prosperity' - A highly fragrant, generous rose with delicate creamy blooms from June to November.
• 'Königin von Dänemark' - This French rose stole Victoria's breath upon first sight. Its repetitive blooms and feminine, quartered design are simply captivating.
• 'Buff Beauty' - A healthy rose with rich apricot blooms that works well on its own or as a striking complement with other colors.
• 'Variegata di Bologna' - This intriguing rose, despite its susceptibility to black spot, is allowed to flourish for its striking appeal and the decadent beauty it brings to the garden.
• 'Fritz Nobis' - With exquisite, porcelain-like flowers that emit a musk-like scent, this rose steals Victoria's heart as it enchants all who see it.

Victoria and Barney's Rose-Growing Tips:

• Choose healthy varieties: Many modern roses are more prone to black spot than older varieties, such as 'Buff Beauty,' which favors newer, healthier plants instead.
• Planting: Add compost or muck to the planting hole and mulch with muck to ensure healthy growth.
• Mulching: Mulching throughout the year helps suppress weeds and maintain moisture in the soil.
• Grow with airy plants: Combining roses with delicate spires of foxgloves or tellimas creates a stunning display.
• Pruning: A hard prune in late winter usually works well for most roses to encourage strong, long-stemmed flowers.
• Apply organic garlic and seaweed spray in spring: This unique concoction combats aphids and gives the roses a boost. (Find the recipe below!)

Barney's Garlic and Seaweed Rose Spray Recipe:

1. Boil a bulb of garlic and let it infuse in one liter of water.
2. Strain the garlic juice and mix it with 300 ml of seaweed liquid.
3. Combine the mixture with 300 ml of garlic spray (about a cup full) in a 10-liter watering can or knapsack sprayer.
4. Apply the garlic and seaweed solution liberally on rose foliage in late April.

For more information, visit Stokesay Flowers at Stokesay Court, Onibury, Craven Arms Shropshire SY7 9BD.

[1] Source: The Old Rose Society, The English Rose Collection (2015)

1. Victoria and Barney's home-and-garden, Stokesay Flowers at Stokesay Court, boasts an array of enchanting roses, including the 'Madame Alfred Carrièré' and 'Buff Beauty', that thrive even in autumn, creating a stunning landscape.
2. In their garden, where experimentation and quality coexist, they grow a variety of plants, including flowers from budget supermarkets, but prefer old roses, such as 'François Juranville' and 'Königin von Dänemark', which they use to craft arrangements and sculptures.
3. To ensure their plants remain strong, healthy, and ready to captivate visitors, they rely on organic solutions in their gardening lifestyle, like the garlic and seaweed spray they've developed, which they recommend applying in spring for optimal rose health and pest control.

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