It's a Wonderful Life Rose Bushes

• Variety: It's a Wonderful Life
• Type: Floribunda
• Colour: Deep golden yellow
• Fragrance: Moderate — fruity, sweet
• Height: 100cm (3.5ft)
• Flowering: June to October, repeat-flowering
• Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
• Good for: Borders, hedging, containers, cutting
• Sold as: Bare root (November–March) and potted plants
• Delivered: By next-day courier. Collection from Castle Cary also available

It's a Wonderful Life is a floribunda rose bearing deep golden yellow, large double blooms in generous clusters from June to October. Bred in 2021 and crowned Rose of the Year 2022, it combines healthy vigorous growth with genuinely good scent for a yellow floribunda, making it one of the finest modern yellows we stock.

It's a Wonderful Life, the Rose of the Year

The award committees got this one right. It's a Wonderful Life earned its Rose of the Year accolade because it ticks every box: strong, clean growth, prolific flowering over a long season, and blooms that hold their colour beautifully as they age. Named after the beloved 1946 film, this rose has a warmth and optimism baked into its character from the start.

The flowers are substantial — large, fully double, and produced in handsome clusters that give real weight to the display. That deep golden yellow is particularly fine: not the pale butter tone you see on some varieties, but a rich, confident colour that sits somewhere between egg yolk and ripe corn. Most importantly, it does not fade to washed-out lemon as the bloom ages; the colour holds beautifully right through to the petal drop. In a border, this matters enormously. You get weeks of proper gold, not weeks of pale yellow.

The fragrance is moderate but distinctive: fruity and sweet, with a rounded, comfortable presence. For a yellow floribunda, this is genuinely good. It is not a powerhouse perfume rose, but it deserves a spot near a path or seating area where you will notice it.

A Workhorse for Modern Borders

It's a Wonderful Life grows as a compact, bushy floribunda at around 100cm tall. The plant is vigorous and healthy, with glossy green foliage that shows good disease resistance in the field. It flowers continuously from early summer through October, making it one of the longest-flowering roses we sell. For border work, hedging, or container planting, it is utterly reliable.

This rose loves full sun but will perform respectably in partial shade. It responds well to good soil, regular feeding, and a tidy prune in spring. Unlike some floribundas, which can become leggy or congested, It's a Wonderful Life maintains an open, balanced shape that looks good from every angle throughout the year.

Ideal for Cutting and Arrangement

The large, fully double blooms and sturdy stems make It's a Wonderful Life a superb choice for cutting. The flowers last well in the vase, the colour is bold enough to work with a wide range of companion flowers, and the fruity scent will drift gently through a room. Plant extra plants if you cut regularly — the more you cut, the more blooms it will produce.

Companion Plants for Golden Yellow Roses

Pair It's a Wonderful Life with cool-toned perennials and shrubs to amplify its warmth. Lavender in purple or blue creates a classic warm-cool contrast. Deep-purple clematis varieties woven nearby add sophistication. White or pale pink shrub roses soften the gold. Allium with purple flower heads bridges both palettes beautifully, and cool-toned herbaceous perennials like salvia or delphiniums add height and airy texture to the planting.

Why Buy Your Roses from Ashridge Nurseries?

Our roses are budded onto vigorous rootstock and grown for us by specialist growers we have trusted for decades. We are winners of the Which? Gardening Best Plant Supplier award and hold the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. Browse our full rose collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant It's a Wonderful Life?

Bare root roses are planted November to March when dormant. Potted plants can be planted year-round, but autumn and spring are ideal. See our guide to growing roses for detailed planting instructions.

How much sun does this rose need?

It's a Wonderful Life performs best in full sun (six hours minimum daily), but will tolerate partial shade. Fewer flowers may develop in heavy shade. Good air circulation helps prevent disease.

How do I prune It's a Wonderful Life?

Prune in late March or early April, removing dead wood and cutting stems back by roughly one-third. This encourages bushy, flowering growth. Deadhead spent blooms during summer to keep flowers coming.

Is this rose suitable for containers?

Yes. It's a Wonderful Life grows well in large pots (at least 45cm diameter) filled with rose compost. Water regularly in summer and feed fortnightly with rose feed. Container roses may need extra winter protection in hard frost.

Does It's a Wonderful Life have thorns?

Yes, like all roses, it has thorns. These are moderate in number and size. Wear gloves when pruning or cutting flowers to avoid scratches. The thorns do not pose significant issues for border planting.