David Austin^® Roses are loved for their beauty and character, yet they serve two very different purposes. Our garden roses are created to live and flourish outdoors, returning year after year with timeless colour, fragrance and charm. Our Wedding Roses and Rose Bouquets, by contrast, are grown exclusively for the floral industry, crafted to create exquisite bouquets and floral arrangements for life’s most memorable moments.

Few roses are held in such regard as Gertrude Jekyll^® (Ausbord). Valued for its rich, mid-pink blooms and one of the strongest Old Rose fragrances in cultivation, it has become a familiar name among gardeners. Yet it is not only the scent that secures its place. This is a rose with structure, presence and the ability to draw planting together. It offers more than a single season’s beauty. It gives shape to the garden and settles easily among other plants, whether used in formal arrangements or in looser, more naturalistic schemes.

From the kitchen window of Bowling Green House, the view is quiet but alive. Beyond the old glass panes, a narrow canal runs still beneath the branches of the weeping ash, its surface shifting with light and the soft wake of ducks. Native reeds and waterlilies fringe the banks, creating a scene that feels more discovered than designed. David C. H. Austin had it dug after admiring something similar in a friend’s garden. Here, it became the garden’s steady centre, a reflective ribbon running through the planting, anchoring moments of calm.

Even the smallest of spaces can be transformed into places of beauty. A balcony may offer only a few square metres, yet with thoughtful planting, it can become a sanctuary of colour, fragrance and joy. English Roses, known for their charm and reliability, are particularly well suited to growing in containers, making them a natural choice for balcony gardens.

Roses offer their beauty in graceful waves. Most repeat-flowering varieties bloom in two or sometimes three distinct flushes throughout the growing season. The first flush typically emerges in early summer, producing the garden’s most abundant and dramatic display. After this, the rose takes a quiet pause to replenish energy, during which flower production slows or nearly stops.

Deadheading roses can feel a bit like clearing up after something quietly wonderful. One flower fades, its colours softening and edges curling, while another is just beginning to open, full of promise. Suddenly your hands are full of petals - soft, warm from the sun, and still carrying that unmistakable, subtle scent of the garden. It’s easy to let them drop back to the soil, returning to where they came from. But sometimes they feel too lovely to leave behind, as though they’ve still got more to offer.

David C. H. Austin, known for his deep love of dogs, was rarely seen without his Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bertie. Whether wandering through the rose gardens, riding on his gator, or enjoying quiet moments in the restaurant, their bond was unmistakable. David always believed that a garden should be a place for everyone to enjoy - and that includes our four-legged companions.

As April arrives and gardens begin to stir into life, one flower stands out not only for its vivid beauty but for its rich connection to history, healing, and literature. Rosa gallica officinalis, known as the Apothecary’s Rose, is more than an ornamental bloom. It carries with it centuries of meaning and a deep-rooted place in both horticulture and the poetic imagination.

We asked Harry Hoblyn, Head Gardener at Charleston, to share his insights into the remarkable garden that surrounds this historic home. Deeply intertwined with the artistic legacy of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, the gardens at Charleston are a living expression of their creativity.

A garden is more than just a collection of plants – it’s a living, breathing space that reflects your personality and creativity. One of the most powerful ways to shape your garden’s atmosphere is through colour.

There’s something truly special about a living wall, an ever-changing display of colour, scent, and texture. If you’ve ever dreamed of covering a wall, fence, or even a bare corner with a cascade of blooms, English Roses are the perfect choice. With their soft, romantic beauty and repeat-flowering nature, they will transform any vertical space into a floral haven.

A garden border is where the heart of your garden comes alive – where colour, fragrance, and nature come together in perfect harmony. If you're looking to fill yours with beauty and fragrance, English roses are the perfect choice. With their timeless charm and repeat-flowering nature, they’ll transform your garden into a space you can cherish all year round.