Princess Alexandra of Kent™ Rose (Ausmerchant)

Princess Alexandra of Kent (the rose) is a rare treat. Every one of her attributes is exaggerated to challenge credulity: each flower consists of about 130 petals. Deeply cupped they are disproportionately large compared to the rose bush itself so the effect is all flower. The fragrance has won awards around the world and starts off as fresh tea maturing to a citrusy lemon scent as time passes and she never gets ill! One hates to call her the Cindy doll of the rose sorority but the comparison bears scrutiny. And all of that before we have discussed the inviting, warm pink with a hint of blue colour that Princess Alexandra of Kent exhibits. The outer petals are a softer pink giving the flower an aura of light. The petals themselves are so numerous that the rose almost looks like a particularly frothy peony. Gosh! A real princess in our collection of roses for sale.

Place for a Princess

Being well bred, Princess Alexandra mixes with all sorts with equanimity. She slots into a pretty cottage garden along with Lychnis coronaria, Alliums and purple geraniums. Include Phacelia tanacetifolia, a bell shaped mauve flower, that is particularly good at attracting hover flies and bumble bees - aphid eaters and pollinators respectively. The colour works well in quite strong colour combinations; what about employing bright blue meconopsis? Equally paler pastels or whites like Marie Boisselot clematis or the gorgeous Winchester Cathedral are brilliant too. Grow the plants in groups of three so that the number of flowers is balanced by the amount of bush. Princess Alexandra would also look wonderful grown in the grey of stone or lead pots.

Features

Height: up to about 1.2 m
Width: up to 0.9 m
Colour: warm pink, paler outer edge of petals
Shape of flower: deep cup, large flowers
Scent: strong
Flowering: repeat through summer
Group: English Shrub Roses
RHS AGM Winner

Why the name?

Obviously this rose was named after the elegant Princess Alexandra of Kent, grand-daughter of King George V and so a cousin of the queen who was brought up in Buckinghamshire. She is a very keen gardener and particularly loves roses.

How to plant Princess Alexandra of Kent roses

Dig a hole deep enough to allow the graft to finish at soil level when planted and with plenty of room for the roots. Improve the soil from the hole by removing large stones, weeds, roots and other rubbish and mixing in about 25% by volume of well rotted compost or manure. Wet the roots and sprinkle with Rootgrow so it stays in contact with the roots. If planting a pot grown plant gently loosen some of the roots before planting.

Position your rose so the roots are spread out and it is set at approximately the same level in the soil as it was before being transplanted. The union should be level with the soil when you have finished planting. Backfill the hole with the planting mix, firming it down as you go. Water in thoroughly. Water again a day or two later and then keep watering in dry spells.

Read our full terms and conditions here.

Delivery: The basic delivery charge for orders of bareroot plants is £6.50 + vat, which increases to £12.55 + vat if you add any pot-grown plants, standard trees or fruit trees to the order.
Because couriers sometimes experience delays, we schedule delivery by week, not by day. Therefore, please plan your planting day for the weekend at the end of the delivery week or for the week following delivery, at the earliest.
We will email you the day before your plants are due to arrive.

*Surcharges to the Highlands and Islands still apply.

Payment: We do not charge your card until we begin to prepare your order for packing.

Guarantee: If any plants die within a year, we will replace them. We only ask that you follow our planting & growing instructions and sent us clear photographs of the dead plants in situ, so we can help to make sure that the replacement plants succeed. You only pay for the delivery of the replacements.

Please note that our guarantee is void if there is a hosepipe ban in your area: your newly planted hedging must be watered in dry weather while it is establishing. The best way to water is very thoroughly every few days: at least once a week if there is no heavy rain.

Our nursery has been supplying container grown and bareroot hedging plants to gardeners, farmers and town planners since 1949. Our website started in 2003, so we do understand the concerns that you may have about buying hedging plants online. If any of your plants are damaged when they arrive or if you are otherwise not satisfied with your order after you inspect it, please repackage it and contact us. We will give you a refund or send replacements and send a courier to come and collect the unwanted plants.

Misc	RHS AGM, Shrub
Area	Coastal Areas, Exposed Windy Areas, Frost Pockets, Scotland & The North
Soil	Acidic, Alkaline/Chalky
Colour	Pink - Medium
Type	David Austin, Screening
Also Good	Fragrant, Repeat Flowering

	NUMBER OF ROSES
SIZES	1-2	3+
BAREROOT ROSE	Stock = 2 £13.95	Stock = 2 £12.65

Princess Alexandra of Kent Rose (Ausmerchant) - RHS AGM Winning Rose

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Princess Alexandra of Kent™ Rose (Ausmerchant)

Place for a Princess

Features

Why the name?

How to plant Princess Alexandra of Kent roses