Petersham nurseries specialises in old fashioned roses. These fabulous roses are all highly fragrant and available in a variety of sizes, shapes and hues to fit every garden situation. The nursery also stocks a large number of favourite species, modern shrub, climbing and rambling roses. With over 150 types to choose from, many of which are unique to Petersham, you are unlikely to find a better selection. 

 

November is a good time to plant roses.  Before planting, soak the roots in a bucket of water for about an hour. Trim off any flower buds, twiggy shoots and damaged roots. Dig a hole deep and wide enough to contain the roots and about 1 inch of green stem. Add some rose fertiliser into the hole and carefully hold the rose at the correct height whilst backfilling with soil.

 

Climbing and rambling roses should be planted at least 15 inches from walls and angled slightly towards it. Tie stems loosely onto wire or wooden supports on the wall.

Alba Roses

An ancient group probably introduced by the Romans. Strong growing shrubs they have highly scented flowers and few thorns.

 

Believed to have first appeared in the 16th century. They have globular blooms are fragrant and are extremely hardy.

 

Moss Roses

First appeared as mutation of Centifolia roses in 1720, they have moss-like growth on their stems and a balsam-like fragrance when touched. They were very popular with the Victorians who relished such curiosities.

 

An ancient group comprising short, compact shrubs with bristled stems and excellent foliage. The flowers range in colour from pink to darkest maroon and are prized for their wonderful scent and medicinal properties.

 

Damask Roses
Summer Damasks flower only once and are large, quite thorny open growing shrubs with intensely fragrant pink to white flowers. Autumn Damasks are shorter, more compact shrubs with the ability to repeat flower in Autumn.

 

First recorded in 1824, started by the natural hybridization of a China rose and Autumn Damask. There is a fantastic assortment of mostly repeat flowering hybrids.

 

Extremely hardy and disesase resistant with wonderful wrinkled foliage, a strong fragrance and an ability to repeat flower. Many varieties have huge red hips in Autumn.

 

A mixed bunch, most have quite large blooms. Taller varieties can be used as pillar roses. Colour range includes white, pink, red, purple and crimson and includes some good striped varieties.

 

A wonderful group of repeat flowering shrub roses. The flowers are medium sized and come in large clusters. Many are strongly scented.

China roses were first introduced from China n 1792, they are small shrubs that are excellent for repeat flowering. Best places in sheltered positions.

 

Prized for their large blooms, repeat flowering ability and come in a huge range of colours, shapes and sizes.

 

These are mostly more modern hybrids of very mixed ancestry. All are highly useful in their own individual ways.

 

These are hybrids of old roses and modern roses bred by David Austin. They blend the best from both old and new, a mix of old rose shapes and scents with the repeat flowering, extended colour range and more compact habit of more modern varieties.

 

Wider than they are tall. Most are excellent landscaping roses.

 

A range from Poulsen of Denmark. They have an old fashioned scent and are all strongly scented. They are hardy, healthy and perpetual flowering.

 

These have larger blooms than ramblers, have the ability to repeat flower and have stouter growth. Good for covering walls, fences, arches and pergolas while the shorter varieties can be trained around poles and tripods so form pillars.

 

More pliable in growth than climbers and generally flower only once. The individual blooms tend to be smaller and come in large trusses, but for sheer quantity are unsurpassed. They can be trained upwards to cover trellis, fencing, walls etc.

Please contact us to find what you're looking for