As the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show enters its final day two new Floribunda roses continue to take the attention of visitors on the Pococks Roses exhibit in the Tudor Rose Festival.
Rose ‘Durrell' is a very unusual colour. With coppery red young growth, each semi-double flower is deep red and boldly flecked and streaked with white - rather like very dark strawberry ice cream - with the occasional very dark unmarked flower. The flowers are lightly scented, the plants are bushy and reach 90-120cm/3-4ft in height.
As you might guess from the name, this rose is named to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Gerald Durrell Wildlife Park in Jersey and a donation of £1.00 will be made to The Durrell Foundation for every rose sold.
The second newcomer from Pococks Roses is ‘Abbie's Rose'. This is a very pretty, small-flowered rose with tiny pointed dusky red buds set amongst very dark leaves. The flowers mature to be almost fully double and coloured soft rose pink with peachy overtones and darker purplish flecks at the edges of the outer petals. The flowers are lightly scented, and the bushy plants reach only 60-75cm/2-2.5ft and bloom from June to November.
Bred by Rosen Tantau in Germany, 'Abbie's Rose' is named for Abbie who died of Adrenal Neuroblastoma in 2006. A royalty from each rose sold will be donated to Abbie's Fund.
You can buy these two new roses at the Show, or order them online from the Pococks Roses website.