Golden Delicious Rose Bushes

• Variety: Golden Delicious
• Type: Hybrid Tea
• Colour: Golden yellow
• Fragrance: Slight
• Height: 90cm (3ft)
• Flowering: Repeat flowering, June–October
• Aspect: Full sun
• Good for: Cut flowers, borders, specimen planting
• Sold as: Bare root (November–March) and potted plants
• Delivered: By next-day courier. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Golden Delicious is a bright golden yellow hybrid tea rose with fully double blooms that repeat throughout the summer. It reaches 90cm (3ft), flowers from June to October, and makes an excellent cutting rose for arrangements. We rate it highly for its dependable colour and garden performance.

Golden Delicious, a Cheerful Hybrid Tea for Summer Borders

Golden Delicious delivers exactly what its name promises: rich, glowing golden yellow flowers that hold their colour well in sun and rain. The blooms are fully double, opening from pointed buds into warm, generous flowers that sit proudly on strong stems, making them perfect for the vase as well as the garden. This is a rose that makes you smile when it opens, and it keeps doing so from June right through to the first frost.

At 90cm (3ft), Golden Delicious is a manageable height for borders and garden beds. It's a repeat-flowering rose, so deadheading spent blooms will encourage wave after wave of flowers throughout the summer months. The growth habit is upright and tidy, making it ideal for formal planting schemes or as a specimen in a dedicated rose border. Its slight fragrance means you'll appreciate the visual beauty without being overwhelmed by scent.

This is a rose that performs reliably year after year. It has the classic hybrid tea form that gardeners love: elegant buds opening to exhibition-quality flowers. If you want a straightforward, cheerful performer in the garden, Golden Delicious is a solid choice.

A Cut-Flower Rose that Lasts in the Vase

Golden Delicious is particularly valued by those who like to bring roses indoors. The long stems and full, shapely blooms are ideal for cutting, and the flowers have good vase life if you condition them properly and refresh the water regularly. The colour is vivid enough to brighten a room without any of the artificial intensity of some modern hybrids. It's the kind of rose that makes you want to cut a few stems on a bright June morning and enjoy them at the kitchen table.

For best results, cut flowers in early morning or late evening when stems are turgid, and strip any foliage that would sit below the waterline. A good flower food will extend vase life considerably. Golden Delicious will reward you with blooms for weeks if you treat them well.

Growing Golden Delicious in Your Garden

Plant Golden Delicious in full sun, in soil enriched with well-rotted compost or farmyard manure. Good drainage is essential; roses hate waterlogged roots. Space plants at least 60cm (2ft) apart to allow air circulation, which helps prevent disease. Prune in spring as growth begins, removing dead or damaged wood and shaping to an open goblet form. Cut back hard in the first spring after planting to encourage a strong framework. Through the growing season, remove faded flowers to promote further flowering. A balanced rose fertiliser applied monthly from June onwards will keep plants strong and flowering.

Companion Plants for Cheerful Roses

Golden Delicious works beautifully with cool-coloured companions that let its warmth shine. Try pairing it with lavender plants for a classic summer cottage feel, or soften the yellow with purple-tinged herbaceous perennials like salvias. White-flowered companions such as clematis plants create striking contrast, while ornamental allium bulbs add architectural interest. For a harmonious yellow scheme, combine with other roses from our rose collections.

Why Buy Your Roses from Ashridge Nurseries?

We've been supplying keen gardeners since 1949. Our roses are budded onto vigorous rootstock and grown by specialist growers to exacting standards. We're Which? Gardening Best Plant Supplier award winners and holders of the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. Browse our complete hybrid tea rose collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I prune Golden Delicious?

Prune in spring as growth begins, removing dead wood and shaping to an open form. Deadhead spent flowers throughout the season to encourage repeat blooming. See our pruning guide for detailed instructions.

Is Golden Delicious suitable for beginners?

Yes, it's a reliable, straightforward variety that performs well with basic care. Plant in full sun, good soil, and deadhead regularly. It's forgiving and rewarding for new rose gardeners.

How tall does Golden Delicious grow?

Golden Delicious reaches approximately 90cm (3ft) in height, making it ideal for borders and beds. Exact height depends on growing conditions and pruning technique.

Can I grow Golden Delicious in a container?

While possible in a large pot with excellent drainage and regular feeding, hybrid teas perform best in open ground. If container growing, use at least 45cm (18in) diameter pots and water daily in summer.

What's the difference between bare root and potted roses?

Bare root roses (November–March) are dormant, cheaper, and excellent value; potted plants can be planted year-round and are ideal for summer planting. Both establish equally well when planted correctly. Choose based on planting time and budget.