Rosa Sherwood

The lemon-yellow flowers of Rosa Sherwood call to mind the strange light that reigns in the famous forest associated with the legend of Robin Hood. This English bush rose is part of a series of modern hybrids called English Legend, gathering varieties created in England in the 1990s by the famous breeder Robert Harkness. With their repeat-flowering and delicate scent, these slightly old-fashioned roses express all the charm of English roses. Sherwood is vigorous and has healthy, disease-resistant foliage. Its large double roses exhale a light spicy fragrance with notes of anise and cinnamon. It flowers in abundance from spring to the first frost. Ideal in beds and borders, its roses are also beautiful in a vase.

Rosa Sherwood, a hybrid tea type, is characterised by an upright habit and vigorous growth. This bush quickly reaches about 1m (3ft) in height and 80cm (32in) in spread. Its thorny stems bear reddish young shoots that unfold into medium green leaves, divided into 5 finely toothed leaflets. The foliage is relatively resistant to diseases under good growing conditions. Its flowering is long and abundant, renewing in successive waves from May-June to October if the soil remains moist. The flowers are solitary. 10 to 11cm (4in) wide, they consist of 50 to 60 petals arranged in a cup shape. Their colour is a light and fresh yellow, sometimes discreetly edged with red, the heart of the flower is animated by a greener hue. The floral bud is green. Their fragrance is lightly intense, reaching its peak at noon and in the evening, after a hot and sunny day. The foliage is deciduous, falling in autumn.

English shrub roses can be used to create beautiful small hedges, planted mixed along a patio, or in borders with moderately sized shrubs. Plant them with perovskia, Mexican orange blossoms, or caryopteris, for example. They are good companions for delphiniums and tall gypsophila. This 'Sherwood' variety will be enhanced when planted in groups of 3, forming an extremely bright bush. It can be surrounded by catmints and perennial salvias with blue, red, or white flowers. This very hardy rose requires little maintenance. It will thrive in full sun or partial shade. It will satisfy all gardeners, beginners or experienced.