Tim Clapp, of
Mattocks Roses in Oxford, has a relatively small garden so he's particularly selective in the varieties of roses he chooses. They must have good scent, a long flowering period and great disease resistance.
"If I have to choose a favourite that would come with me to a desert Island, it would be 'Summer Wine'. This is a wonderful climbing rose with semi-double peach flowers and an exquisite fragrance. It simply out performs other climbers time and time again, and easily matured the quickest when planted in our new rose garden. Semi-double flowers are not everyone's cup of tea, however this one has something about it.
"Fragrance is of course absolutely imperative to me and I have three roses that produce superb scents. 'Roseraie de l'Häy' is a well known rugosa that can be planted as a hedge. I only have room for just the one, but it really stands out in a mixed border.
"Probably the most fragrant of all roses 'Buxom Beauty' is brand new this year and I just cannot rave enough about it. The flowers are enormous and the scent even challenges 'Fragrant Cloud'. The added benefit is it has very good disease resistance for a Hybrid Tea.
"One of the best roses for disease resistance, 'Fragrant Memories' has only had a sniff of fungicide and remains completely disease free. It has a superb fragrance and is ideal at the back of my mixed border.
"Finally I do have a couple of roses that are simply colour in a can. Easy to grow and ideal for brightening up any border Roses 'Lancashire' and 'Cheshire' make wonderful displays on their own. Easy to grow, they are ideal for beginners and are probably some of the most disease resistant varieties on the market."
Tim likes to combine roses with other types of plants. Not all plants are suitable and every garden requires a certain amount of editing now and then. Tim is looking forward to a bit of editing himself because "the builders who originally landscaped the garden in their wisdom had planted about a dozen Rose 'Albertine' in a small area for ground cover. Really, a rambler like this will quite easily fill the neighbourhood - I think I have a replanting job for the winter, although I will keep one for the front of the house!"
