Climate change is affecting how our beloved roses grow, so which types are best to plant? Try these pretty picks for reliable results Munstead Wood rose Red Robin (Photinia fraseri) Libertia grandiflora We’re moving into rose season. A warm spell in May has coaxed the buds open and for the month of June, we can enjoy their beautiful blossoms. But how easy are they to grow, and how do you choose from the vast range available? And more critically, do we realise the effect that climate change has had on some of our favourites from the last few decades? Our gardens in Ireland are subject to a climate that is becoming warmer but wetter.
Rain arrives in torrential downpours and the mild weather causes chaos, with many species seemingly flowering out of season. The results of this are that our plants are newly susceptible to pests and diseases. And it’s not just gardens — farmers have been hit badly this year, with land too wet to sow potato crops.
But in our gardens, I’m going to use a trusted brand of roses as an example of changes that are hitting home. David Austin is a rose breeder that has perfected the modern English shrub rose. He bred hundreds of thousands of new varieties and from them selected a small choice collection of beautiful roses, which instantly became garden favourites not only in the UK but in Ireland and the world over.
They combined the beauty of old-fashioned roses with modern disease resistance, and we have many in our gardens. But over the last few.
