Rosa grandiflora Oxford

With the discreet elegance of its pastel flowers and the charm of their fragrance, Rosa Oxford embodies the spirit of this classically-inspired English city. It is part of a series of modern English-style hybrids called English Legend, which includes varieties created in the UK in the 1990s by the renowned breeder Robert Harkness. These repeat-flowering and delicately scented creations express all the charm of English roses with a slightly old-fashioned style. This bushy variety is vigorous. Its double roses exude a beautiful fragrance with notes of bergamot and lemongrass. It flowers from spring until the first frost, making it perfect for borders and flower beds. Its roses are stunning in a vase.

Rosa Oxford ('Harzola'), a floribunda type, is characterised by a well-branched, bushy habit. The bush quickly reaches about 90cm (35in) in height and 70 to 80cm (28 to 32in) in width. Its thorny stems bear reddish young shoots that unfold into slightly glossy medium green leaves, divided into 5 finely toothed leaflets. The foliage is relatively disease-resistant under good growing conditions. Its flowering is long and abundant, and it renews itself in successive waves from May-June to October if the soil remains moist. The flowers are gathered in small clusters of 3 to 5 units. They are 8 to 10cm (3 to 4in) wide and are composed of 40 to 45 petals arranged in a cup shape. Their colour is a soft pink, with a warmer salmon tint at the centre. The fragrance is pronounced, reaching its peak at noon and in the evening, especially after a hot and sunny day. The foliage is deciduous, falling in autumn.

English bush roses can be used to create beautiful small hedges, planted mixed along a patio, or in borders with smaller shrubs. Combine them with Mexican orange blossom, lavender, or bluebeard, for example. They make good companions for panicle phlox and tall baby's breath. Oxford will look wonderful when planted in groups of 3, forming an extremely bright bush. For example, it can be surrounded by catmints and perennial salvias with pink, blue, purple, or white flowers. This very hardy rose requires little maintenance. It will thrive in full sun or partial shade, where it will satisfy all gardeners, whether expert or novice.