The PLANTS project: roses at Malleny Garden

There have been roses growing in Malleny Garden since at least the 1930s. It’s thought that these were most likely hybrid tea and floribunda roses, popular at the time and suited to the sheltered walled garden and richly cultivated soil. The Gore-Browne Hendersons are believed to have introduced shrub roses to the garden when they moved into the property in the early 1960s. The Trust then expanded this collection after the property was donated in 1968, which led to it becoming a National Collection of 19th-century shrub roses in 1986. A few of the many wonderful specimens carefully tended to in the garden include Rosa ‘Blanche Fleur’ and Rosa ‘Prince Charles’. The latter is a beautiful old rose that varies in colour from deepest purple to a pale crimson or lilac, depending on how well the plant is doing. Pale flowers indicate the plant is under stress but a dark purple hue, like the lovely specimen at Malleny, shows the rose is being well-fed and growing happily. Rosa ‘Duchesse de Montebello’ is another charming old rose that is part of the National Collection. The showy flowers open blush pink and fade to a mother-of-peal white. It is a Gallica rose bred by Jean Laffay in 1829 at his nursery outside Paris. The rose was named after the wife of Jean Lannes, one of Napoleon’s notorious generals and Duke of Montebello.

In recent years, Malleny Garden has been working with Plant Heritage as part of their Plant Guardian scheme. An important part of this scheme, as well as the Trust’s work, is caring for and conserving our plant collections. At Malleny, this of course focuses on the roses. Cultivars such as Rosa ‘Hamburg Phönix’ are given extra special attention because they are now rare in cultivation, so the rose is grown in the garden to preserve it for future generations. Rosa ‘Hamburg Phönix’ was the first Kordosii hybrid, developed by Wilhelm Kordes in the 1940s at his nursery in Germany. This cultivar is named after Hamburg’s rise from the ashes following World War II.

One of our favourite roses we surveyed in the garden was Rosa ‘Tuscany Superb’, a large flower with deep purple petals, which contrast with yellow stamens. This rose is unusual, as it is one of the few Gallica roses bred in England by the successful fruit tree breeder Thomas Rivers. Another rose that caught our eye was Rosa ‘Anne of Geierstein’. Named after the Sir Walter Scott novel, it’s a hardy rubiginosa rose, also known as a sweet briar rose, often confused with the similar-looking dog rose (Rosa canina). This plant was bred by Lord Penzance in 1894 and produces scented semi-double crimson flowers, followed by scarlet red hips in the autumn. It is suitable for planting in woodland or as a hedge, and is ideal if you’re looking to attract wildlife.

Alongside the National Collection, Malleny is home to many different groups of roses. The Royal Horticultural Society recognises 26 distinct groups of roses, of which there are 13 at Malleny Garden. Examples of these include Damask roses, like Rosa ‘De Resht’, said to have been brought back by the Crusaders in the 12th and 13th centuries. They have richly scented petals which are used in perfume making. Another group of roses that are still popular today are rambler roses. These vigorous plants were developed towards the end of the 19th century. Rosa ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’ is a beautiful example of a rambler rose grown over a doorway in Malleny Garden. This particular cultivar was bred in the UK by William Paul and puts on a wonderful display in the garden come summer. The lilac-pink flowers fade to white and give off the scent of musk. Perfect for training up walls and over fences, this rose will climb quickly and provide an abundance of long arching stems with sprays of attractive flowers.

With so many roses on display, photos cannot convey the scent throughout the garden. Visit this tranquil space and enjoy the fragrance throughout the summer.

Plant Listing at the National Trust for Scotland (PLANTS) is the biggest horticultural audit project undertaken by the Trust and aims to celebrate, protect and better understand the flora and vegetation across our gardens and designed landscapes.

Read more about the PLANTS project