Best English Roses for Pots and Containers

Container Gardening, Best English Roses

Best David Austin Roses, David Austin Fragrant Roses, Top Roses for containers, Best Fragrant Roses for containers, Fragrant Roses for containers, container Gardening

Container gardening is a very pleasant and easy way to grow English roses. Their dazzling beauty and seductive fragrance are right up to eye and nose level for your guaranteed pleasure. Containers are also a fabulous option for those rose enthusiasts lacking garden space or facing soil and drainage issues.

English roses are not only sumptuous and fragrant, they also have the great advantage of repeat flowering in flushes, producing exquisite blooms time and again over a long season extending from late spring through to the first frosts. They also enjoy a particularly strong disease resistance, which, coupled with their graceful, slightly arching, bushy habits, make them ideally suited to be grown in large pots and containers.

The care requirements of potted roses are identical to those of landscape roses except for extra watering and fertilizing. Simply place your pots or containers in any sunny location, such as your deck, terrace, balcony, patio, or rooftop garden, where you can enjoy their fabulous blooms and perfume daily.

The following English roses are mostly recommended for pots and containers. As you will note, most of them won the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Guide Information

Hardiness	4 - 9
Plant Type	Roses
Genus	Rosa, Rosa - English Rose
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height
Spread
Maintenance	Average
Water Needs	Average
Soil Type	Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts	Butterflies
Landscaping Ideas	Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles	City and Courtyard, Formal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden

Best English Roses for Pots and Containers

Rosa Anne Boleyn (English Rose)

Adding excitement to the garden, English Rose Anne Boleyn features lovely rosette-shaped, small blossoms (2.25 in. or 5 cm), packed with petals (110 petals) of the softest, warmest pink. They are produced in large sprays and borne on gracefully arching stems atop a soft green, highly polished foliage. Free-flowering and highly disease resistant, ‘Anne Boleyn’ has a mild fragrance and makes a superb choice for the border or pots and containers.

Hardiness	6 - 10
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Rosa Benjamin Britten (English Rose)

This exceptional English rose features deeply cupped, double blooms transitioning from deep salmon pink to vibrant pink-red rosettes. Graceful, arching stems with glossy green foliage enhance its beauty. With strong fruity fragrance, disease resistance, and a long blooming season, it’s perfect for gardens and cut flowers, combining charm and practicality.

Hardiness	6 - 10
Height	4' - 10' (120cm - 3m)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Rosa Darcey Bussel (English Rose)

English Rose Darcey Bussell produces masses of fully double, deep crimson blooms with a mauve tint over time, beautifully contrasting with bright yellow stamens. Prolific and fragrant, this compact, bushy shrub thrives in containers or beds. Its fruity-scented flowers ensure charm and romance in the garden for months.

Hardiness	5 - 10
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)

Rosa Gertrude Jekyll (English Rose)

Fabulously scented with an old-rose fragrance, English Rose Gertrude Jekyll produces clusters of the most beautiful, large, fully double flowers of rich glowing pink. This beauty is considered one of the finest creations of David Austin. Vigorous and reliable, it truly deserves a spot where its strong, rich perfume can be appreciated. Fairly versatile, it may be grown as an upright and bushy shrub or trained as a short climber. Good repeat bloomer.

Hardiness	4 - 8
Height	5' - 10' (150cm - 3m)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)

Rosa Golden Celebration (English Rose)

A top-notch English Rose, this variety showcases very large, deeply cupped golden-yellow flowers with a full complement of petals (55-75). The dark, glossy green foliage complements the blooms. Highly fragrant, it emanates a delightful perfume blending Tea rose and fruity aromas. Its compact, rounded, slightly arching shrub form makes it ideal as a short climber or for the back of the border.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Height	4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm)
Spread	4' - 5' (120cm - 150cm)

Rosa Grace (English Rose)

Grace, an enchanting English Rose, delights with its delicious apricot blooms. The large, fully double, cupped blossoms (80 petals) showcase breathtaking shades of pure apricot, deeper at the center and paler toward the edges. From pointed buds to mature rosettes, the blooms are stunning at every stage. With a strong tea fragrance, they create a striking contrast against fresh, apple green foliage. Grace is truly a unique rose and an excellent repeat bloomer.

Hardiness	5 - 10
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)

Rosa Harlow Carr (English Rose)

Rosa ‘Harlow Carr’ is a charming English Rose with perfectly shaped, fully double pink blooms and a strong ‘Old Rose’ fragrance. Its bronze foliage matures to green, complementing the flowers. This bushy, sturdy shrub blooms from late spring until frost, offering reliable, repeat-flowering beauty almost to ground level.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)

Rosa Jubilee Celebration (English Rose)

Exuding a delightful fruity fragrance, Rosa Jubilee Celebration is an enchanting English Rose variety. Its large, fully double blossoms boast a unique color: rich salmon-pink with golden tints on the petal undersides. The young flower emits a refreshing lemon zest scent, evolving into a delectable fruity rose fragrance with hints of lemon and raspberry. Held elegantly above semi-glossy dark green foliage on sturdy stems, this vigorous and healthy shrub rose offers months of colorful blooms from late spring to frost. It is a superb repeat bloomer and one of the most fragrant English roses available.

Hardiness	5 - 10
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)

Rosa Lady Emma Hamilton (English Rose)

English Rose ‘Lady Emma Hamilton’ adds vibrancy to the garden with its cupped, double blossoms of tangerine, orange, and yellow, opening from dark red buds. With 45 petals, the blooms contrast beautifully against foliage that transitions from deep red to bronze and blue-green. Introduced by David Austin in 2005.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Rosa Munstead Wood (English Rose)

Rosa Munstead Wood is a repeat-flowering English Old Rose Hybrid with velvety crimson blooms, about 74 petals, transitioning from light crimson buds. Its strong Old Rose fragrance with fruity notes complements red-bronze foliage maturing to green. Bushy and healthy, this David Austin rose, introduced in 2007, is both stunning and fragrant.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Rosa Roosemoor (English Rose)

Repeat-flowering and fragrant, English Rose Rosemoor features small, double, soft pink rosette-shaped flowers (41 petals) with a deeper pink center and a tiny green eye. Exuding a strong ‘Old Rose’ fragrance with hints of apple and cucumber, this vigorous, shade-tolerant, disease-resistant shrub blooms abundantly throughout the season.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Rosa Wildeve (English Rose)

The English Rose ‘Wildeve’ produces perfectly rosette-shaped, distinctly quartered, fully double flowers with 70 petals, measuring 4-6 inches wide (10-15 cm). The abundant blush pink blooms, delicately touched with apricot, are rain-resistant and emit a fresh, medium-strong fragrance. Vigorous and hardy, it blooms repeatedly until frost.

Hardiness	5 - 10
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Growing Roses in Pots and Containers

Choose as large a pot as possible to provide ample space for the roots – at least 25 liters or half a barrel. Roses have deep roots, taller pots work best.
Container may be plastic or clay. Plastic fares better in cold climates where freezing may actually crack clay containers. Clay containers however provide cooler conditions for the roots during hot weather. If you opt for plastic, pick a light terra-cotta color rather than darker colors, as they heat up faster.
Make sure your container has drainage holes
Place your potted roses in a location with adequate light – At least 6 hours for a full sun rose variety or 4-6 hours for a shade tolerant rose variety.
Place a layer about 1 in. deep (2 cm) of gravel or other medium sized rocks in the bottom of the container.
Combine 1/3 good quality potting soil, 1/3 garden compost (if not available, then substitute more of the potting soil) and 1/3 well-composted mushroom or steer manure.
Add one cup of bonemeal to the soil. To increase the nutrient level, fishmeal and bloodmeal may be added.
Fill the container about 2/3 with the soil mix. Place the rose, then fill in around the rose with the remaining earth. Press down gently and firmly. The soil surface should be level with the bud union (where the rose is grafted onto the rootstock).
Water thoroughly.
Containers dry out more quickly than soil in the ground. Therefore, it is critical to water regularly your potted roses (or use drip irrigation) to keep the soil moist
For health reasons, provide good air circulation it is necessary to place the rose in a situation where it receives some moving air. This will reduce the incidence of fungus-related rose diseases.
Feed frequently to encourage blooming. First in spring, then after each flush of blooms – about every 4 to 6 weeks.
Re-pot every 2-3 years to refresh the soil
Containers may be mulched, wrapped with burlap, and placed against the side of a building for winter protection.

You may want to review these useful guides too

Best English Roses for Cutting from the Garden

Best English Roses for Hedges

Best English Roses for Mixed Borders

Best English Roses for Partial Shade

Underplanting Roses – Companion Plants for Roses

Learn How To Plant And Care for Your English Roses

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Photo courtesy: David Austin Roses (www.davidaustinroses.com)

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.