Features: Tudor roses for modern gardens

If, while wandering round the gardens here at Hampton Court, I stumbled upon a convenient door through time, and found myself at the palace of Henry VIII, I would take great care not to comment on the King’s eating habits, or the way he might be treating whichever wife I came across; but I’m sure that he and I would have pleasant conversations about music, poetry, and, above all, that we would share a passion for roses.

Henry’s father had united the warring factions of the north, each of which had a rose for its emblem – the Red Rose for Lancaster, the White Rose for York. I would expect to find both these roses at Henry’s Hampton Court, as well as another ancient rose associated with medieval English Kings, a beautiful red and white rose, Rosa gallica versicolor, possibly named in honour of the Fair Rosamund, mistress of Henry II., and better known today as Rosa Mundi.

If Henry VIII were to leap forward to the 21st century via that same time warp, and visit my garden in Worcestershire, he would be amazed at the variety of new flowers that I grow. But he would be equally surprised, and, I hope pleased, to find that there are many roses from Tudor England that I still grow – including those of York and Lancaster. I do so not for historic interest (though that adds to their charm) but because they’re well worth growing.

These roses from the 16th Century are worthy rivals of any rose bred since. We continue to grow them for their form, their colour, their scent, their good health, their ease of maintenance, their historic associations, but - above all - for their beauty.

So, here are half a dozen roses that Henry may have grown, all of which you should definitely have in your garden:

Rosa gallica officinalis (the Red Rose of Lancaster, or, because of it’s medicinal usage, the Apothecary’s Rose). David Austin, our most distinguished living breeder of new roses, says “it deserves a place among the very finest garden shrubs of any kind.” And he’s right, of course, which is why I grow it. Any red-blooded Lancastrian, or for that matter, any English gardener who isn’t growing it, should order one now to plant, bare-rooted, in the autumn. It’ll flower next June, and reach its full size (90cmx90cm) in a few years. It forms a little thicket, and now and again gives you the bonus of new plants through runners. Come midsummer, it puts on a brilliant display of bright crimson, scented flowers. It’s also easy to maintain – simply take about a third or more off the top of your bush with a hedge-cutter or shears after flowering (there’s no need to fiddle about and look for an outward-growing bud). It will then put on new pale green gallica leaves hanging down like ripe bananas to please you through until winter.

Rosa gallica versicolor (Rosa Mundi) is an ancient sport of officinalis, and has all the fine qualities of its parent, but the flower is now a splashed and mottled mixture of gallica red, white and pink. Even today, hundreds of years after it first appeared, its gaudy, vibrant show of shocking pink, bright red and white is a surprise and a delight. Henry would have loved it, and so do I.

Rosa alba semi-plena, (1.8 x 1.2m) the white Rose of York is equally desirable. Every respectable garden should have at least one ‘alba’ rose. They’re easy to grow, easy to maintain, disease free, highly-scented, and include, to my mind, some of the most beautiful of all roses. All the Albas tolerate shade and a north aspect better that most – and poor soil if you must.

Rosa moschata 'Princess de Nassau'. My time-travelling monarch would also find that I am growing Shakespeare’s Musk, or something like it. Rose experts don’t agree about which rambler Shakespeare (and Henry) knew, but I favour this one because it’s manageable on a pergola or wall – about eight to 10 feet high – flowers late, from July onwards, which extends the rambler bloom, has pretty pale green foliage, light musk scent, and little lemony white flowers with golden stamens that display themselves like tiny pin-cushions.

'Tuscany' – “The Old Velvet Rose”, certainly known in Tudor times, (it’s in Gerard’s Herbal) and one of the most desirable of all roses. Beautiful rich dark red petals surrounding bright yellow stamens like a velvet crown, good health, delicious perfume, few thorns. These days it’s easier to find 'Tuscany Superb', which has all the same qualities but a little more so. Grow both. You won’t be disappointed.

'Maiden’s Blush' – another alba, and therefore easy and rewarding. Typical grey-green alba foliage, delicate blush pink flowers, refined perfume, it grows to about 1.8mx1.5m. Those with limited space can buy 'Maiden’s Blush, Small', (120x90cm) with all the same attributes but on a smaller scale.

Unlike so many modern roses, all these roses are disease-free and easy to maintain. All have prominent yellow stamens, so my bees and other insects love them. They probably formed the basis for Hampton Court Gardens in the reign of Henry VIII. and should definitely be at the heart of any new rose garden today.