The Churchill Rose Bushes

The 'Churchill Rose' Shrub Rose. 4 Litre Pots.

A dreamy pale, but not pallid, apricot rose that develops light pink tints as it matures. The cupped, double flowers repeat through June to November, with a bit of a break in August. Mid-green, glossy foliage with maroon edging on new growth. Bushy to around 120cm x 120cm.

Browse our other shrub roses, or all our rose varieties.

Features:

• Type: Shrub
• Colour: Apricot, light pink tints
• Flower shape: Double, full, cupped
• Scent: Strong
• Bushy to 120cm x 120cm
• Repeats in flushes June-November
• Disease resistance: Good

Growing The Churchill Rose

Good, well drained soil in a sheltered, sunny spot is ideal, but it will tolerate some shade well.

In Your Garden Design

The subtle peach-coloured flowers would look good offset by salvia 'Blue Marvel'. It is thought by many that it is wise to plant salvias under roses to prevent black spot and to keep mildew at bay, just as roses are planted at the end of vines to keep pests away.

Did You Know?

Bred by Colin P. Horner (1933-2005) and introduced by Peter Beales Roses in 2011 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Churchill College, Cambridge.

It was planted in the garden at 10 Downing Street by Prime Minister David Cameron in the presence of Lady Soames, Churchill's daughter, Sir David Wallace, Master of Churchill College, and Richard Beales.

There is a hybrid tea rose of the same name, as well as a Churchill daffodil.

Registration code HORoften.

How to plant Modern Shrub Roses

You can order bareroot roses for delivery from November to March. Containerised plants are available year round. 

Soak your roses' roots or pots for a little while before planting. This is an opportunity to prune the stems down to six to ten inches, and inspect the roots to trim off damaged ones.

Choose a spot with reasonable light: semi-shade will do, but full shade will not. Prepare the soil by breaking it up with a fork while removing roots, stones, etc.

• On dry, sandy and chalky soil, dig a big hole, then backfill it with a soil mix improved with three quarters organic material, including compost and manure for fertility, and leafmould or our Rocket Gro soil improver for water retention.
• On good garden soil, adding some organic material is beneficial, especially manure. Dig a shallow hole, deep enough to allow the graft/union to settle right at soil level, and wider than the roots.
• On really heavy clay, which rose roots love, you do not need to dig: slit planting is good, and you can use organic material as a mulch on top.

Spread some Rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi around the bottom of the hole,  where it will make contact with the roots.

Arrange a mound on the floor of the hole to set your rose's roots on, so they spread out, and the graft-union is slightly above soil level. Backfill the hole with the planting mix, firming it down as you go, at first with your hand to fix the rose in place, and then with your heel to firm it. Dust some bonemeal on the surface and water in thoroughly. In the process, the soil will settle down so that the graft is clear of the soil. 

How to prepare and plant a bareroot rose Video.

Mulch well in spring, and keep well watered during dry periods for the first year. Deadhead repeating roses to encourage continuous flowering. 

Newly planted roses shouldn't need much rose food, maybe a dash on poor dry soils. When they are settled in the second year onwards, feed them during the growing season with homemade compost teas and foraged sea weed, or some of our Neudorff rose food.

Mature shrub roses need gentle pruning compared to floribundas and hybrid teas. Prune to tidy the shape in winter. First remove the usual dead, diseased and badly positioned wood, ideally cutting out whole shoots back to a main stem, or outward facing bud. Then remove the wispiest stems, and some of the oldest wood from the centre.