Free Delivery over £60
Money Back Guarantee
Roses are one of the most loved garden plants, seen as symbols of beauty, romance, strength, and history intertwined across cultures and centuries. At Golden Valley Plants, we’re passionate about helping gardeners grow spectacular roses, especially our winter pruned pot grown ones, which give you an early start and vigorous growth when planted now. In this blog, we’ll explore where they originated from, how they’ve been used throughout history, the many types you can grow today and highlight some gorgeous varieties you can buy from our Perfect Roses collection
Roses: A Journey Through Time
Roses are native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity of species found in Asia and smaller numbers native to Europe, North America and parts of northwest Africa. Wild ones typically have five petals and simple forms, but gardeners and breeders have expanded their beauty into the thousands of varieties we enjoy today.
Their cultivation stretches back thousands of years. Some of the earliest deliberate rose gardens were in ancient China as far back as 3,000 BCE, where they were grown for rosewater, perfumed oils, medicinal uses and for celebration in cultural rituals. Confucius even noted roses in the Imperial Palace gardens by 500 BCE.
Roses also held importance in Ancient Persia, where they were cherished for fragrance and symbolised divine beauty in poetry and art. The famed Damask rose, valued for its scent and uses in perfume, likely originated here before spreading westward.
The Romans carried roses across their empire, planting them in public gardens and using petals to scent rooms, banquets, and even as confetti at celebrations. By medieval times, they were cultivated in monastery gardens across Europe for religious and medicinal purposes.
Beyond ancient cultivation, roses also played roles in history and symbolism, from medieval tapestries and religious iconography to England’s War of the Roses (where the white rose represented York and the red rose represented Lancaster).
Uses Through the Ages
Prized not just for their beauty, but for practical uses:
Symbolism & Culture: Red roses are timeless symbols of love and romance, used in poetry, art and ceremonies.
Health & Healing: Rose hips (the fruit of the rose) are rich in vitamin C and were once used in syrups and traditional remedies.
Culinary Delights: Rose water and petals feature in dishes and sweets in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines.
Garden & Decoration: Roses have long been cherished as cut flowers and garden specimens that offer colour, fragrance and structure.
Different Types You Can Grow
Over centuries of breeding and selection, roses have evolved into many classes, each suited to different garden situations and tastes. Here’s a breakdown of some of the main rose types you might consider:
1. Climbing Roses
These are vigorous and robust, perfect for covering walls, fences, arches and pergolas. They produce long canes that can be trained vertically or horizontally to give abundant flowers throughout the season. Many classic and modern climbing roses are repeat-flowering, making them a dramatic feature in any garden.
2. Patio Roses
Patio roses are compact, often no taller than about 60 cm, and ideal for containers, terraces, small gardens, or borders. They bring all the beauty of larger roses into a size that suits urban or courtyard spaces.
3. Shrub & Landscape Roses
These are bred for reliability and ease of care. Many modern shrub roses are disease-resistant and flower repeatedly. Perfect for low-maintenance gardens or mixed borders.
4. Hybrid Tea & Floribunda
Hybrid tea roses are classic garden roses with large, high-centred flowers on long stems, a favourite for cutting and bouquets. Floribundas produce clusters of flowers, offering a splash of colour that’s robust and continuous in summer borders.
5. Old Garden Roses
These are traditional forms that existed before modern hybrid roses, prized for rich fragrance and often historical charm. Examples include Damask and Gallica, loved for their heritage value.
No matter your garden style, large border, patio pot, or romantic rose bed, there’s a rose type to fit your vision. There are even ones you can eat!
Three to Try from our Perfect Rose Collection
Whether you’re starting your rose collection or adding standout performers to your garden, here are three lovely roses we recommend from Golden Valley Plants:
Rose Kiss Me Kate®
A modern climbing rose with a passion for pink and a penchant for playful romance. Rose Kiss Me Kate® flowers from June through to November.
Why we love it: Ideal for training over trellises or pergolas. A vigorous, easy-care climber that’s perfect for walls and arches, producing fragrant flowers ideal for cut flowers while also attracting wildlife to the garden, a truly stunning feature in any garden.
Rose Glorious Parfuma®
A divine, richly scented rose with gorgeous white petals that stand tall on strong stems. Rose Glorious Parfuma® flowers from June through to November.
Why we love it: This is the perfect choice for any garden; its flowers make stunning bouquets as well as a standout garden presence.
Rose Top Hit®
This rose lives up to its name, with its warm red hue making it a popular choice for patios. Rose Top Hit® flowers from June through to November.
Why we love it: A compact shrub that’s fragrant, easy to care for and popular with pollinators.
Growing Tips: Winter Pruned Pot Grown
Choosing winter pruned pot grown roses gives you a head start in spring. These are pruned and lifted into containers during their dormant season, ensuring strong root systems and easier planting.
Benefits include:
Stronger establishment once in the ground
Reduced transplant shock
Easier handling and planting flexibility (especially in cooler weather)
To help them thrive:
Plant in a sunny spot with well-drained soil
Water regularly in the first year
Prune lightly in late winter once growth starts
This approach lets them settle quickly, encouraging vigorous growth with flowers year after year.
Why They Still Captivate Us
They have endured through history not just because of their stunning flowers, but because they carry meaning, love, beauty, celebration and heritage. From ancient palace gardens to today’s modern borders, they continue to hold a timeless charm that every gardener can appreciate.
At Golden Valley Plants, we’re delighted to offer a diverse range from climbing and patio types to classic hybrid teas, giving you all the inspiration you need to grow your own piece of history.
Visit our rose collection here and start planning a garden that will be bursting with beauty and heritage.
