Rosa 'WILLIAM MORRIS' shrub rose by David Austin

A tall shrub with attractive, rather arching growth and glossy foliage. The flowers are of a lovely glowing apricot-pink and of formal rosette shape. It is extremely hardy and reliable, making it an ideal rose for further back in the border, where it will withstand some competition better than most. It has a strong fragrance, which is difficult to describe but is nonetheless pleasing. Excellent repeat-flowering, especially for a shrub of its size. Good disease-resistance.

Planting instructions: Prepare a hole of size 30x30 cm. Put your rose in the way that the grafting point is 3 cm deep in the soil. Water well and cover new shoots with soil or bark mulch about 15 cm high. Roses tolerate wide range of soils but thrive in deep, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun.

Pruning: English roses don’t need hard pruning like tea hybrids. Just cut last year’s growth by one third to maximum one half in the spring (after frosts) to achieve desired shape, and strong and reliable framework. Cutting it back to 3-5 live buds is possible for re-juvenating. To support extra flowering during the season remove twigs past blossom: cut them off the first leaf with 5 bracts. Mulch well before winter, preferably with leaf-mould.

Last update: 24-01-2009.