Birthday Girl Floribunda Roses

Birthday Girl Rose

Birthday Girl is a pretty, delicate affair; a delight of a rose, full of cheery colour and glossy good looks. First introduced in the late 80s, she's remained popular for her ability to flower profusely all summer and to the first frosts (many happy returns indeed) – as well as for her good disease resistance and fabulous shiny foliage. Each rose looks like a prize-winning watercolour: a semi-double flower with rich pink edges that blend gently towards the centre first to pale pink, and then into a lovely deep cream colour. A little like those old-fashioned rhubarb and custard sweets from the jar. Fully open, the flowers reveal golden stamens at the centre. There are lots of them, too, held in typical floribunda fashion on upward-facing clusters. All in all, she's one of the best floribundas you can buy – although there are plenty more varieties to choose from here, should you be after yellow, white, deep crimson, pale pink, peach or pretty much any other colour under the sun...

Well suited and booted

Being small and well behaved, she's a popular choice in all kinds of gardens, where she makes a most delightful low hedge – around the veg patch maybe or to surround a patio, bringing scent and colour all summer long. She's also well suited to any kind of informal cottage garden planting scheme, combining well with a whole range of perennials such as lavender, nepeta, delphiniums, cosmos and hardy geraniums, for a riot of colour – in average or clay soil. She will do well in a roomy pot, too, given plenty of water and the occasional feed – maybe pop her by the front door to greet you as you come home. She's brilliantly disease resistant, so a good fit if you're an inexperienced gardener.

Features of Birthday Girl

• Height: to 80cm
• Spread: to 80cm
• Colour: soft yellow with cerise edges
• Shape of flower: semi-double
• Size of flower: medium
• Scent: light scent
• Flowering: repeat through summer
• Group: Floribunda rose
• Glossy foliage

A treat for more than a day each year

Birthday Girl was introduced by Meiland rose breeders of France, in 1989, when she won a fair few awards. She's obviously a popular choice for summer birthdays and will be appreciated for many years to come.