Rosa x floribunda 'Bukavu' - Shrub Rose

The 'Bukavu' Rose Bush is a medium-sized variety with a repeat flowering habit and good resistance. Its flowers, gathered in clusters, bloom from June until the first frost. More suited for green spaces than bouquets, they charm with their simple, childlike style reminiscent of wild roses. Despite their medium size, they attract attention with their profusion and dark pink to crimson colour, adorned with a white heart. It is easy to cultivate and deserves a special place in the garden, whether in a landscaped bed or as part of a flowering hedge.

The 'Bukavu' or 'Lenbrirus' Rose Bush is a creation of the Belgian company Louis Lens, dating back to 1998, and awarded a gold medal at the Geneva competition the following year, and subsequently awarded in the Czech Republic in 2000 and the Netherlands in 2007. Its name comes from a Congolese city, and in 2006, it was sold as a "humanitarian rose" to finance projects by an association in that city. It descends from the Rush Rose Bush, another creation by Louis Lens dating back to 1986, also with wild rose-like flowers with a white heart but with a pink dress. As a major member of the Rosaceae family, the Rosa genus is rich in botanical species and many horticultural hybrids, classified into broad categories. Bush roses like Rush and Bukavu are considered landscape roses, as their flowers are not the most suitable for bouquets, but their overall appearance is perfectly suitable for gardens and green spaces.

Bukavu is a vigorous and robust rose bush, measuring from 1.20m (4ft) to 1.50m (5ft) in height with an approximate spread of 1m (3ft). It is covered in glossy, dark green cut foliage, ideal for creating a clean background to showcase the flowering. The flowering is abundant from June until October-November, sometimes even longer in mild climates. The medium-sized corollas have a diameter of 6cm (2in). Single, they comprise five petals that open wide, almost horizontally. The slightly scented roses are gathered in large corymbs, forming highly visible bouquets above the dark foliage. The petals, ranging from dark pink to crimson, are adorned at their base with a white macule that forms a contrasting heart embellished with yellow stamens. In autumn, it forms small decorative red fruits (hips) that attract birds.

Its overall appearance, part wild and part cultivated, allows this rose bush to be used in various garden situations: possibly as a standalone, integrated into a medium-sized hedge or within a diverse bed, combining perennials and other shrubs. In a bed, place low shrubs in the foreground, such as the Creamissima Shrubby Cinquefoil, whose pale yellow flowers, similar to your rose bush, will bloom during the same period. The Lilioasphodelus Daylily, a botanical species with small star-shaped lemon-yellow flowers, will also perfectly complement the slightly wild spirit of Bukavu. In the background, opt for tall shrubs with a graceful habit, such as the Smoky Amelanchier, which will provide a profusion of small white flowers two months before the roses, decorative and edible black fruits in summer, and stunning autumn colours.