Roses for London gardens: best varieties for clay soil, front gardens and walls
Roses have a reputation for being temperamental, but in reality they are some of the most generous, long-lived plants you can grow if you choose the right varieties and plant them properly.
At Flourish, we design and plant gardens across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Esher, Weybridge and surrounding areas. Many of those gardens sit on heavy London clay, are overlooked by neighbouring buildings, or have tricky front-garden layouts. Over time, certain roses consistently prove themselves, while others quietly disappoint.
This guide brings together the roses we trust, the colours that work, and the practical advice that makes the difference between roses that struggle and roses that flourish.
Yellow, apricot and peach roses with warmth and restraint
Yellow roses can be difficult. Too bright and they jar, too pale and they disappear. The best varieties bring warmth, light and elegance without overpowering the garden.
Teasing Georgia
Colour: warm golden yellow fading to buttery cream
One of the most refined yellow roses available. The blooms are large, generously cupped and held on elegant stems that catch the light beautifully. Unlike many yellow roses, the colour is soft and luminous rather than harsh.
Fragrance is strong and classic with tea rose notes, making this an excellent choice near paths, doors and seating areas.
Teasing Georgia can be grown as a short climber or a large shrub, which gives it real flexibility. Trained against a wall or fence it behaves politely and covers space without becoming overwhelming. Left unsupported, it forms a graceful, arching shrub within a mixed border.
Soil note:
Performs well in improved clay and clay-loam but does not like sitting in winter wet. On heavy London clay, plant slightly raised with plenty of organic matter.
Lady of Shalott
Colour: warm apricot-orange
A glowing rose with excellent garden presence. It establishes quickly, flowers for months and copes well with mixed soils and more exposed sites. The colour works particularly well against brick, stone and evergreen planting.
Reliable, tough and full of life.
Grace
Colour: soft apricot
An understated rose with beautifully formed blooms and gentle fragrance. Grace blends effortlessly into traditional and cottage-style borders and suits gardens where subtlety matters more than bold colour.
Best in lighter or well-improved soil.
Roald Dahl
Colour: peach-apricot
Compact, cheerful and easy to live with. Ideal for smaller gardens and front gardens where restraint matters. Flowers repeatedly and stays well behaved.
Our Flourish favourites
These are the roses we specify again and again because they perform consistently in real gardens, including heavy clay, front gardens and urban settings.
Olivia Rose Austin
Colour: soft blush pink
Perfectly shaped blooms, exceptional disease resistance and a compact, tidy habit. Flowers continuously and behaves impeccably, even on heavy clay.
Why we love it: beautiful, healthy and utterly reliable.
Gertrude Jekyll
Colour: deep rich pink
A classic for a reason. Powerful old-rose fragrance that carries across the garden. Vigorous and bold, this rose needs space but rewards it spectacularly.
Why we love it: still the benchmark for scent.
Claire Austin
Colour: creamy white with a soft blush
Elegant, adaptable and quietly brilliant. Works as a shrub or a climber and copes well with partial shade and heavier soils.
Why we love it: a problem-solver rose for difficult spots.
Munstead Wood
Colour: deep velvety crimson
Rich fragrance and dramatic colour in a compact form. Ideal where you want impact without excessive size.
Why we love it: depth and drama without chaos.
Teasing Georgia
Colour: warm golden yellow luminous colour, strong fragrance and flexible growth habit. Works beautifully as both shrub and climber when soil is prepared properly.
Why we love it: a yellow rose with restraint and elegance.
Roses for heavy clay soil in London and Surrey
Large parts of Kingston, Surbiton and Richmond sit on heavy clay. Clay is nutrient-rich but slow draining, so drainage and planting technique matter as much as plant choice.
Roses that perform particularly well on improved clay include:
- Olivia Rose Austin – blush pink
- Gertrude Jekyll – deep pink
- Claire Austin – creamy white
- Lady of Shalott – apricot-orange
Plant slightly raised, improve soil structure with organic matter and avoid compacting the soil back into the planting hole.
Climbing roses for walls and fences
Brick walls and fences are common in London gardens and can be ideal for roses if soil at the base is not overly dry.
Good choices include:
- Teasing Georgia – golden yellow to cream
- Claire Austin – creamy white
- The Pilgrim – soft pale yellow
- Bathsheba – apricot-pink
Water well in summer, especially where rain shadow occurs at the base of walls.
Roses for front gardens
Front gardens need roses that are compact, repeat flowering and well behaved.
Reliable choices include:
- Olivia Rose Austin – blush pink
- Roald Dahl – peach-apricot
- Darcey Bussell – rich crimson red
- Bonica – soft pink
Avoid overly vigorous climbers unless space genuinely allows.
Disease-resistant roses for low-maintenance gardens
Black spot is common in warm, humid London summers. Variety choice is the most effective defence.
Roses with strong disease resistance include:
- Olivia Rose Austin – blush pink
- Lady of Shalott – apricot-orange
- Darcey Bussell – rich crimson red
- Desdemona – white
- Claire Austin – creamy white
Healthy, well-fed roses with good airflow suffer far fewer problems.
How to treat aphids without harming ladybirds
Aphids are common on roses in late spring and early summer. The aim is control, not eradication.
- If numbers are low, do nothing. Ladybirds and their larvae usually arrive naturally.
- Physically remove aphids by hand or with a jet of water.
- Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides. They kill predators more effectively than aphids and often make problems worse long term.
Frequently asked questions
Can roses grow well in clay soil?
Yes. Many modern shrub and English roses thrive on improved clay when drainage is addressed.
Do roses need full sun?
Most prefer sun, but many flower well with around six hours of light if airflow is good.
Can roses be grown in pots?
Yes, but containers must be large and feeding consistent. Compact varieties perform best.
Why do roses fail where an old rose was planted?
Soil exhaustion is common. Replace soil and add organic matter before replanting.
Not sure which roses will work in your garden?
Most rose problems come down to the right rose planted in the wrong place. Soil, drainage, sun and space all matter far more than catalogue descriptions.
We help homeowners across Kingston and Surrey choose roses that suit their garden, their soil and how much maintenance they want to take on.
Get advice on roses for your garden
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