Rosa Rose de Cornouaille

Rosa Rose de Cornouaille may be the variety that best embodies the spirit of English roses among the modern hybrids of the English Legend series. Its large, fully double flowers, in a delightful shade of pink, emit a powerful rose fragrance. They bloom from late spring until the first frost on a well-branched bush adorned with beautiful glossy dark green foliage. Easy to grow, generous, and disease-resistant, this rose is perfect in flower beds and its roses are also stunning in a vase.

The roses of the English Legend series bring together varieties created in England in the 1990s by the famous breeder Robert Harkness. These repeat-flowering and delicately scented creations combine a slightly old-fashioned style with the qualities of modern roses. Rose de Cornouaille, a hybrid tea type, is characterised by a well-branched habit. This bush quickly reaches approximately 80 to 90cm (32 to 35in) in height and 75 to 80cm (30 to 32in) in width. Its thorny stems bear reddish young shoots that unfold into dark green, shiny leaves, divided into 5 finely toothed leaflets. The foliage is relatively resistant to diseases under good growing conditions. Its flowering is long and abundant, occurring in successive waves from May-June to October if the soil remains moist. The flowers are solitary or gathered in small clusters of 2 to 3 units. They measure 10 to 12cm (4 to 5in) wide and are composed of 80 to 100 petals arranged in quarters. Their colour is a tender pink, with the centre of the flower warmed by a slightly salmon-pink hue. Their fragrance is pronounced and reaches its peak at noon and in the evening, especially after a hot and sunny day. The foliage is deciduous and falls in autumn.

English shrub roses can be used to create beautiful small hedges, planted mixed along the edge of a patio, or in modest-sized shrub beds. Combine them with Mexican orange blossoms, dwarf barberries, or bluebeard, for example. They are good companions for panicle phlox and tall baby's breath. Rose de Cornouaille will be enhanced when planted in groups of 3, forming delightfully romantic large bush. It can be surrounded by catmints and perennial or shrub salvias in shades of pink, blue, mauve, or white, for example. This hardy rose requires little maintenance. It will thrive in full sun or partial shade, where it will delight all gardeners, whether expert or novice. Its delicately scented roses are delightful in bouquets.