Garden designer Libby Russell's own garden in Somerset covers three acres and sits in a valley, backed by a shelter belt of native woodland. Here are a selection of her favourite roses that she grows there and recommends planting.
1
Rosa ‘Buff Beauty’
A classic hybrid musk rose with the best buff colour. It repeats well and will form a vigorous, medium-sized shrub. 1.2m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.
2
Rosa Lyda Rose (= ‘Letlyda’)
A romantic small rose that looks like a wild rose but repeats. It associates well with ox-eye daisies and wildflowers. 90cm. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.
3
Rosa ‘White Grootendorst’
An elegant relation to the pink version, with frilly flowers that are wonderful for picking. It will continue flowering right into autumn. 1.2m. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.
4
Rosa Awakening (= ‘Probuzení’)
The double version of pink ‘New Dawn’. Continues to flower throughout the season, even on a north-facing wall. 3m. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.
5
Rosa gallica ‘Versicolor’ (rosa mundi)
A favourite historic rose. Its highly fragrant pink flowers are striped and spotted with crimson. 1.2m. AGM. RHS H7, USDA 5a-9b.
6
Rosa Perennial Blue (= ‘Mehv9601’)
A lovely magenta rambler with a delicate fragrance that repeats really well. Healthy but, unlike some ramblers, will not rampage out of control. 3m. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.
7
Rosa ‘Sally Holmes’
Its large, soft-white to apricot-pink flowers are almost luminous around the banks in this garden and it repeats reliably. 1.2m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.
8
Rosa ‘Felicia’
Libby’s favourite pale-pink hybrid musk rose, with a wonderful fragrance. A vigorous cultivar that repeats so well and is a perfect warm pink. 1.5m. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.