Add a touch of originality to your garden with these 7 unusual roses

Greensleeves ‘Harlenten’ belongs to floribunda roses, arising from hybridisation between polyantha roses and tea roses, renowned for their abundant flowering in clusters. Its roses, averaging 6 cm in diameter, form terminal bouquets with informal beauty.

Ideal for pot culture or for growing in the ground, it prefers a sunny exposure and clayey or ordinary, well-drained soil. Greensleeves harmonises well with perennials such as nepetas, hardy geraniums, campanulas and foxgloves, for a romantic ambience. Its flowers are perfect for cut flower arrangements.

Introduced in 1909 by the Italian rosarian Bonfiglioli, the Bourbon rose ‘Variegata di Bologna’ descends from the Bourbon rose, discovered on Réunion Island. This sturdy, open shrub can reach over 1.8 m tall and 1.5 m across. Although its disease resistance is average, especially in humid climates, it captivates with its abundant flowering and its hesperidium scent, which varies with temperature.

For optimal growth, choose a sunny, well-ventilated location in fertile soil. The ‘Variegata di Bologna’ adapts to various uses: romantic bouquets, landscape hedges, climbing on an arch, or a solitary specimen. Its bicoloured flowers harmonise with the silvery foliage of wormwoods or the dark foliage of Physocarpus or purple-leaved hazels, as well as with paniculated Gypsophila.

Introduced by Fryer in 2014, ‘Mokarosa’ reaches about 70 cm in height with a 50–60 cm spread. Its glossy dark-green foliage bears double flowers 9 cm in diameter, with petals delicately crimped. Their heads, arranged in cut flower arrangements of 3 to 5, brighten the garden all summer and make wonderful cut flower arrangements when mixed with other subtle colours.

This rose, with its retro charm, fits perfectly near the house or in a large pot on a terrace or balcony. It harmonises with a wide palette of colours, from white to chocolate and to ‘black’, enriching any garden with its romance. It pairs well with roses in salmon-toned, old-rose, dark purple or mauve shades, and ideally with delicate perennials such as Asters, Penstemons, Lavenders.

This rose, with a somewhat untidy habit, can reach 1 to 1.5 m in height and spread. After four years, it forms a dense shrub. Its repeat flowering extends from May to the end of summer, with bluish-green buds that develop into double pom-poms of 4 cm in diameter, composed of pale green bracts.

The cultivation of Rosa chinensis Viridiflora, once reserved for the Forbidden City, testifies to its historical and botanical importance. Its presence in a garden underscores an interest in antique roses and adds a touch of originality thanks to its unusual flowering. Ideal near the house or along a path to appreciate its distinctive beauty, it pairs with light herbaceous perennials or ornamental grasses for a contemporary touch. In floral displays, its green pom-poms add an extravagant yet refined note.

Derived from the hybridisation of ‘Minnie Mouse’ and ‘Altissimo’, Hanabi (‘WEKroalt’) was introduced in 1999 and has since won more than 80 international medals. This sarmentous rose, vigorous and supple, can reach 2.5 m in height and 1 to 1.25 m in spread, but can be kept more compact by pruning. Its glossy, disease-resistant foliage highlights the unique variegation of its flowers, which bloom abundantly from June to October and consist of 5 to 10 undulated petals arranged in an informal cup.

Hanabi® requires little maintenance, apart from regular watering during hot spells. It harmonises well with roses bearing pink or white flowers and sits perfectly in English-style gardens. Rose arches create charming passages, and Hanabi® can be paired with large-flowered clematis for a soft contrast.

The Rosa omeiensis pteracantha, known as the silky rose, is a hardy botanical rose native to China, prized for its striking translucent red prickles that catch the light when backlit. This shrub is dense and bushy and blooms in early summer, offering delicate white blossoms on dark green foliage reminiscent of ferns. Adapted to dry conditions and preferring sunny exposures, it makes a striking addition to any large garden or country hedge, and its branches are prized in floral arrangements.

Discovered in the Chinese mountains by Father Delavay in 1884 and introduced to France around 1890, the Rosa sericea subsp. omeiensis f. pteracantha is distinguished by its upright, vigorous habit, reaching 2 to 2.5 m in height. Its young shoots, grey-green tinged with red, bear broad, triangular prickles that become opaque with age. Its June flowering is distinctive, with four-petalled flowers, followed by yellow-orange fruits turning red.

This rose is low-maintenance and very hardy, fitting perfectly into a defensive hedge or a wild garden, offering a striking visual display when its thorns are illuminated by backlighting. It harmonises with large asters, the Cotinus, and the spindle trees for an autumnal effect.