A monthly featured rose with planting notes and care guidance. Discover colour, scent, habit and disease resistance at a glance, plus practical tips for UK gardens—from first pruning to late-summer deadheading—so you know what to expect before you plant.
Answer a few quick questions to find roses for your space and style. Tell us about sunlight, soil, and whether you are planting in borders or containers, and we will suggest varieties that match the look and maintenance level you want.
Latest articles
Bare Root
Patience vs a Real Problem Bare root roses usually break dormancy from late March into May, depending on variety, weather, and where you garden. Coastal Cornwall will green up before a cold inland pocket in Scotland—so mid-April panic is often premature. Real problems tend to show as … Continue reading Bare Root Rose Not Growing? A UK Troubleshooting Guide
Bare Root
Climbers Need Forward Planning Climbing and rambling roses sold bare root offer strong value and vigorous roots if planted while dormant—typically November–March when the soil is workable. Unlike bush roses, climbers demand a support plan before you dig: wall wires, trellis, pergola posts, or a fence that … Continue reading How to Plant Bare Root Climbing and Rambling Roses in the UK
Bare Root
Timing Does Not Always Align Mail-order bare root roses usually arrive in peak planting season—late autumn through early spring—but life intervenes: frozen ground, waterlogged clay, builders on site, or bad weather. Dormant plants are resilient if roots stay cool, moist, and aerobic; they fail fast … Continue reading Bare Root Roses: How to Store Them Safely Before Planting
Gardening Calender
Roses as Fundraising Tools Plant sales—whether roses-only or mixed borders—can raise meaningful sums for schools, churches, hospices, and local charities. They can also go wrong: dead stock, unclear charity claims, or biosecurity issues that damage reputations. Experienced nurseries know that seasonality and buyer education determine repeat customers. This article draws on how UK … Continue reading Fundraising with Plant Sales and Rose Events
Rose Of The Month
Symbolism Meets Horticulture A rose for remembrance is a powerful gesture—whether for one person, a group, or an event. The gesture lasts best when the plant thrives. Too often, rushed purchases and poor siting mean a memorial rose struggles or fails, … Continue reading Memorial Roses and Remembrance Gardens
Charity
Why Charity Content Belongs Alongside Rose Advice Roses connect celebrations, grief, community projects, and fundraising. Readers who care about horticultural charities often also want trustworthy plant advice: experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and transparency about how money and plants move through the system—what Google summarises … Continue reading How Rose Growers Support Horticultural Charities
News
Why Summer Care Matters Summer is when roses should shine. Without deadheading, sensible watering, and a watchful eye on pests and disease, repeat-flowering types can slow down early, and stressed plants invite blackspot and mildew. At Harkness we trial hundreds … Continue reading Deadheading and Summer Care: Keeping Your Roses Flowering
Charity
Why Plant Companions with Roses? Roses do not have to stand alone. The right companions improve the look of your borders, extend the season of interest, attract beneficial insects, and can help keep pest and disease pressure in balance. Whether … Continue reading Companion Planting with Roses: What to Grow Next to Your Harkness Roses
Bare Root
The Case for Bare Root Roses If you are new to growing roses, the idea of buying a plant with no soil around its roots can feel counterintuitive. Potted roses look ready to go: they have leaves, sometimes flowers, and … Continue reading Why Bare Root Roses Establish Better Than Potted
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Choosing between potted and bare root roses is one of the most common decisions gardeners face. Both can…
Patience vs a Real Problem Bare root roses usually break dormancy from late March into May, depending on variety, weather, and…
Climbers Need Forward Planning Climbing and rambling roses sold bare root offer strong value and vigorous roots if planted while dormant—typically November–March when…
Timing Does Not Always Align Mail-order bare root roses usually arrive in peak planting season—late autumn through early spring—but life…
Roses as Fundraising Tools Plant sales—whether roses-only or mixed borders—can raise meaningful sums for schools, churches, hospices, and local charities. They can…
Symbolism Meets Horticulture A rose for remembrance is a powerful gesture—whether for one person, a group, or an…
Why Charity Content Belongs Alongside Rose Advice Roses connect celebrations, grief, community projects, and fundraising. Readers who care…
Why Summer Care Matters Summer is when roses should shine. Without deadheading, sensible watering, and a watchful eye…
