Modern bush roses

RHS Genus Guide

Modern bush roses (Rosa) include Hybrid Tea roses and Floribunda roses. Hybrid Tea roses have double flowers, in single or small clusters with shapely, often scrolled flowers. Floribunda roses have double flowers in large clusters, usually with cup-shaped blooms. Flowers are all colours of the rainbow (except true black and blue), blooming over a long period in summer and early autumn. New cultivars often offer increased disease-resistance and vigour and will repeat-flower well.

Dorling Kindersley Ltd

Appearance

Modern bush roses produce masses of flowers, sometimes richly fragrant, in colour shades of white, cream, yellow, pink, red, crimson, purple and orange; some are striped, bi-coloured or multi-coloured. Hybrid Tea roses are usually upright and vase-shaped with large pointed flower buds and bear each flower, or small clusters, on a single stem. Floribunda roses are rounded and bushy and produce blooms in large clusters.

Preferences

Modern bush roses grow best in a sunny site. They like free-draining soil that is slightly moisture-retentive, ideally enriched annually with well-rotted manure or garden compost. They enjoy generous feeding (with a proprietary rose fertiliser) in spring and again in early summer.

Dislikes

Modern bush roses don't like shade or very light, poor or waterlogged soil. A windy site can lead to uneven growth.

Did you know?

All rose flowers are good for cutting but the large, usually double and fragrant flowers of Hybrid Tea roses with long upright stems and well-shaped flowers are great for flower arranging.

RHS Growing Guide