Roses for London gardens: best varieties for clay soil, front gardens and walls

Roses have a reputation for being temperamental. In reality, the right variety in the right place is one of the most generous, long-lived plants you can grow. Modern English shrub roses combine the fragrance of old-fashioned varieties with the disease resistance and repeat flowering of contemporary breeding. On the heavy London clay that runs through Kingston, Surbiton and Richmond, they perform beautifully when planted properly.

Flourish Landscaping designs and plants gardens across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Esher and the wider Surrey area. Over the years certain roses consistently prove themselves, and others quietly disappoint. This guide brings together the varieties we trust, the colour combinations that work, and the practical advice that separates roses that struggle from roses that flourish.

The roses we trust

Most of the varieties below are from David Austin Roses, the Shropshire breeder whose modern English roses combine old-rose fragrance with contemporary disease resistance. AGM denotes the RHS Award of Garden Merit, awarded to plants that perform consistently well in UK gardens.

Pinks and creams

Rosa ‘Olivia Rose Austin’ (David Austin, AGM)

Soft blush pink. Perfectly formed cupped blooms with a fresh fruity fragrance. Exceptional disease resistance, compact tidy habit, continuous flowering from June to first frosts. Reaches about 1.1 m x 1 m. Performs impeccably on heavy clay. If we had to recommend one rose to a client who’d never grown one before, this would be it.

Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ (David Austin, AGM)

Deep rich pink. The benchmark for rose fragrance — a powerful old-rose scent that carries across a garden on a still summer evening. Vigorous and bold, reaching 1.5 m x 1 m as a shrub or trainable as a short climber to about 3 m. Needs space, rewards it spectacularly. Plant where the scent will be appreciated: near doors, paths and seating.

Rosa ‘Claire Austin’ (David Austin)

Creamy white with a soft lemon blush at the centre. Strong fragrance with vanilla and meadowsweet notes. Elegant and adaptable — works as a 1.5 m shrub or trained as a short climber to 3 m. Copes well with partial shade and heavier soils, which makes it a problem-solver for north-east aspects and overlooked town gardens.

Rosa ‘Bonica’ (Meilland, AGM)

Soft mid-pink. Outstandingly healthy ground-cover-style shrub rose, about 1 m x 1.2 m, smothered in flowers from June until autumn. Light fragrance, but the disease resistance and reliability are the selling points. Excellent for front gardens, low-maintenance schemes and mass planting along a drive.

Yellows, apricots and peaches

Yellow roses can be difficult. Too bright and they jar against neighbouring planting; too pale and they disappear. The best varieties bring warmth and luminosity without overpowering the garden.

Rosa ‘Teasing Georgia’ (David Austin)

One of the most refined yellow roses available. Warm golden yellow fading to buttery cream at the petal edges. Large generously-cupped blooms held on elegant stems. Strong classic fragrance with tea-rose notes. Genuinely flexible — short climber to about 3 m against a wall or large 1.5 m arching shrub in a mixed border. Soil note: performs well on improved clay but dislikes sitting in winter wet; plant slightly raised with plenty of organic matter.

Rosa ‘Lady of Shalott’ (David Austin)

Warm apricot-orange with golden-yellow undersides. A genuinely glowing rose with excellent garden presence — establishes quickly, flowers for months, copes with mixed soils and more exposed sites. Medium tea-rose fragrance. Reaches about 1.3 m x 1.1 m. The colour works particularly well against brick, stone and evergreen planting. One of the toughest roses on this list.

Rosa ‘Grace’ (David Austin)

Pure soft apricot, deeper in the bud, paling at the petal edges. Beautifully formed rosette blooms with a gentle warm tea fragrance. About 1.2 m x 1 m. Suits gardens where subtlety matters more than bold colour. Best in lighter or well-improved soil; less forgiving than ‘Lady of Shalott’ on heavy clay.

Rosa ‘Roald Dahl’ (David Austin)

Peach-apricot, slightly softer than ‘Lady of Shalott’. Compact at about 1.1 m x 1 m, cheerful and easy to live with. Repeat flowers continuously and stays well behaved. Light fragrance. Ideal for smaller gardens and front gardens where restraint matters.

Rosa ‘The Pilgrim’ (David Austin, AGM)

Soft pale yellow, very full quartered rosettes. Medium fragrance with myrrh and tea notes. Vigorous shrub of about 1.5 m or trainable as a short climber to 3.5 m. AGM-rated; one of the most reliable pale-yellow English roses for walls and fences.

Rosa ‘Bathsheba’ (David Austin)

Apricot-pink with deeper centres and paler outer petals. A true climbing rose reaching 3-3.5 m, perfect for walls, fences and arbours. Strong myrrh fragrance. Repeat flowers all season once established. Particularly good for north or east-facing walls where many roses struggle.

Reds and crimsons

Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’ (David Austin, AGM)

Deep velvety crimson with light-crimson outer petals. Strong old-rose fragrance with fruity blackberry notes. Compact at about 1 m x 0.8 m. Named after Gertrude Jekyll’s Surrey garden. Rich, dramatic colour in a manageable size; ideal for the front of a border or grown in a generous pot. Disease-resistant and AGM-rated. Good companion to silver-leaved planting and cool blues.

Rosa ‘Darcey Bussell’ (David Austin)

Rich crimson with subtle plum undertones, deep cupped rosettes. Compact at about 1.1 m x 0.9 m. Strong fruity old-rose fragrance. Excellent disease resistance. A perfect front-garden red where space is limited; works well planted in groups of three or five.

Whites

Rosa ‘Desdemona’ (David Austin)

Pure chalk-white with the faintest pink blush in the bud. Beautifully shaped cupped blooms, strong myrrh fragrance. About 1.2 m x 1 m. Excellent disease resistance. White roses can dominate a planting scheme by daylight and glow at dusk; this is the best contemporary white we know for English gardens.

Roses for heavy clay soil

Large parts of Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond and the Thames-side suburbs sit on heavy London clay. Clay is nutrient-rich and holds moisture well, both of which roses love, but it’s slow-draining and compacts easily, which roses do not. With proper planting, modern shrub roses thrive on improved clay. Not sure what is under your lawn? Our free What type is my soil? tool gives you a reading in five minutes.

Roses that perform particularly well on improved clay:

• Rosa ‘Olivia Rose Austin’. Blush pink, AGM, the most reliable rose on heavy clay we know.
• Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’. Deep pink, AGM, vigorous enough to push through difficult conditions.
• Rosa ‘Claire Austin’. Creamy white, tolerates partial shade and heavier soils.
• Rosa ‘Lady of Shalott’. Apricot-orange, exceptionally tough.
• Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’. Deep crimson, AGM, copes well with improved clay.

How to plant a rose on London clay

• Time it right. Bare-root roses planted November to March establish far better than container-grown roses planted in summer, and cost 30-50% less. November is ideal: soil is still warm enough for root growth.
• Dig a generous hole. Roughly 45 cm wide and deep. The hole needs to be big enough that you’re working with loose soil around the plant rather than wedging it into a clay socket.
• Fork the base. Break up the bottom of the planting hole to improve drainage and let roots travel down rather than sitting on a pan of compacted clay.
• Mix in organic matter. Two-thirds existing soil to one-third well-rotted compost or rose-specific planting compost. Add a handful of mycorrhizal fungi (Rootgrow or similar) sprinkled directly onto the roots before backfilling.
• Plant slightly proud. On heavy clay, set the rose so the graft union (the knobbly point where the variety meets the rootstock) sits at or just above soil level. Sunken planting in clay traps water around the crown and causes losses.
• Firm gently, water in, mulch. Don’t compact the soil back into the hole with your boots; firm by hand. Water thoroughly to settle the soil, then mulch with 50-75 mm of compost or composted bark, keeping it clear of the stems.

Climbing roses for walls and fences

Brick walls and timber fences are common in London gardens and can be ideal for climbing roses, provided the soil at the base isn’t bone dry. Rain shadow from buildings and overhanging eaves is the most common reason wall-trained roses underperform.

Good choices for walls and fences:

• Rosa ‘Teasing Georgia’. Golden yellow to cream, refined and elegant.
• Rosa ‘Claire Austin’. Creamy white, tolerant of partial shade.
• Rosa ‘The Pilgrim’, AGM. Soft pale yellow, reliable on walls.
• Rosa ‘Bathsheba’. Apricot-pink, true climber, copes with cooler aspects.
• Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’, AGM. As a shorter climber for fragrant entrance archways.

Plant climbing roses at least 30 cm out from the base of a wall to escape the rain shadow, lean the plant towards the wall when backfilling, and water deeply once a week during the first two summers. Install proper horizontal wires (galvanised wire on vine eyes spaced 45 cm apart vertically) before planting; trellis alone rarely holds a mature climbing rose. Tie new growth in horizontally where possible — horizontal stems flower along their entire length, vertical stems mostly at the top.

Roses for front gardens

Front gardens need roses that are compact, repeat-flowering, well-behaved and ideally fragrant where they’ll be passed daily. Reliable choices:

• Rosa ‘Olivia Rose Austin’, AGM. Blush pink, the front-garden default.
• Rosa ‘Roald Dahl’. Peach-apricot, compact, cheerful.
• Rosa ‘Darcey Bussell’. Rich crimson, modestly sized.
• Rosa ‘Bonica’, AGM. Soft pink, very low maintenance, excellent for mass planting.
• Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’, AGM. Crimson, compact, statement variety in a small space.

Avoid overly vigorous climbers and large shrub roses unless space genuinely allows. A 2 m climbing rose lurching over a 1.2 m front-garden path quickly stops being charming. See our Victorian front gardens guide for period-appropriate planting context.

Companion planting for roses

Roses on their own can look bare at the base and uninteresting between flowering flushes. The classic English approach is to underplant with low-growing perennials that flower at the same time and bring contrast in foliage texture. Reliable companions:

• Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ (AGM). Soft lavender-blue mist around the base of roses; flowers all summer; bees love it; aromatic foliage helps deter aphids.
• Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ (AGM). Silver-grey foliage and deep purple flowers; classic with pale and apricot roses; needs sun and good drainage so site at the front of the border.
• Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (AGM). Violet-blue saucer flowers from June to October; spreads gently without becoming invasive; works particularly well with pink and crimson roses.
• Alchemilla mollis. Pleated lime-green foliage and frothy chartreuse flowers; classic Sissinghurst combination with crimson and pink roses.
• Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ (AGM). Drumstick purple flower heads in May and June, just before the first rose flush; the alliums’ foliage dies back as the roses take over. There’s also old gardener’s lore (with some real basis) that members of the onion family deter aphids when planted near roses.
• Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’. Deep purple vertical spires of flower that contrast beautifully with the rounded forms of rose blooms.

When and how to prune roses

Roses respond well to bold pruning. The single most common reason for poor flowering is a rose that’s been left to its own devices for several years. Most repeat-flowering shrub and climbing roses need a thorough annual prune.

• Main prune: late winter (mid-February to mid-March). The plants are still dormant or just starting to push, and pruning then triggers the year’s strong new growth.
• Shrub roses (most David Austins). Reduce overall height by roughly one third. Remove dead, diseased, damaged and crossing stems entirely. Open up the centre of the bush. Cut to an outward-facing bud about 5 mm above the bud, with the cut sloping away from the bud. Aim for a balanced vase-shaped framework.
• Climbing roses. Tie in new long stems horizontally. Cut all side-shoots from the main framework back to two or three buds. Remove one or two of the oldest main stems each year to encourage replacement growth.
• Deadheading through summer. Snap or snip off spent flowers down to the first five-leaflet leaf to keep repeat-flowering varieties producing.
• Autumn tidy (November). Reduce overall height by roughly one third to prevent wind-rock loosening the plant in winter storms. The full structural prune still happens in late winter.
• Sharp clean secateurs only. Crushing cuts let disease in. Wipe blades with methylated spirits between plants if you’re pruning anything obviously diseased.

Disease resistance and managing black spot

Black spot is the most common rose problem in warm humid London summers, particularly in still inner-suburban gardens where airflow is restricted. Variety choice is the most effective defence. Roses with consistently strong disease resistance:

• Rosa ‘Olivia Rose Austin’ (AGM)
• Rosa ‘Lady of Shalott’
• Rosa ‘Darcey Bussell’
• Rosa ‘Desdemona’
• Rosa ‘Claire Austin’
• Rosa ‘Bonica’ (AGM)
• Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’ (AGM)

Practical management beyond variety choice: don’t crowd roses, give them space and airflow; clear fallen leaves in autumn rather than leaving spores to overwinter; feed in spring and again after the first flush to support vigour; water at the base early in the day, not overhead in the evening. Healthy well-fed roses with good airflow suffer far fewer problems.

Aphids, sawfly and other pests

Aphids are common on roses in late spring and early summer, particularly on new growth. The aim is control, not eradication.

• Low numbers: do nothing. Ladybirds, hoverfly larvae and lacewings usually arrive within days and clear them up.
• Moderate infestation: jet of water. Knock them off with a strong spray from a hose; they rarely climb back.
• Heavy infestation: physical removal. Run your finger and thumb up the affected stems. Unpleasant but effective.
• Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides. They kill ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings more effectively than aphids, leaving the garden vulnerable to far worse infestations later in the season. Long-term they make rose problems worse, not better.
• Rose sawfly. Green caterpillar-like larvae that skeletonise leaves in early summer. Pick off by hand; rarely a long-term problem.
• Leaf-cutter bees. Neat semi-circular notches cut from leaf edges. The bees are valuable pollinators; the damage is cosmetic only and never enough to harm the plant. Tolerate them.

Frequently asked questions

Can roses grow well in clay soil?

Yes — clay is actually a good soil for roses provided drainage is improved and the planting hole is properly prepared. Roses love the moisture-holding and nutrient-rich properties of clay; what they dislike is sitting in waterlogged ground or being compacted into a clay socket. Plant slightly proud, dig a generous hole, fork the base, mix in organic matter and use mycorrhizal fungi at planting. Modern English shrub roses including Rosa ‘Olivia Rose Austin’, Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ and Rosa ‘Lady of Shalott’ thrive on improved London clay.

Do roses need full sun?

Most flower best in full sun (6+ hours of direct light daily), but several varieties tolerate partial shade well. Rosa ‘Claire Austin’, Rosa ‘The Pilgrim’ and Rosa ‘Bathsheba’ cope with 4-5 hours and north-east aspects. Airflow matters as much as light; a partially-shaded rose with good air movement often outperforms a sunny rose tucked into a still corner.

Can roses be grown in pots?

Yes, but the container needs to be generous (minimum 45 cm deep, 50 cm wide for a shrub rose), the compost must be loam-based (John Innes No. 3 with added grit), and feeding must be consistent. Compact varieties perform best: Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’, Rosa ‘Darcey Bussell’, Rosa ‘Roald Dahl’. Top-dress with fresh compost each spring and feed fortnightly through the growing season with a balanced rose food.

Why do new roses fail where an old rose was planted?

This is called rose replant disease or rose sickness — a poorly-understood phenomenon where a new rose planted in soil where another rose has grown for several years grows poorly and may fail entirely. To avoid it, either plant the new rose in a different position, or excavate and replace a generous volume of soil (at least 45 cm cube) with fresh topsoil and compost from somewhere roses haven’t grown before. Mycorrhizal fungi (Rootgrow) at planting also significantly improves establishment in replant sites.

When should I plant roses?

The best window is November to March, when bare-root roses are available from specialist nurseries like David Austin. Bare-root roses establish significantly better than container-grown plants and cost 30-50% less. Order in October for delivery from late October onwards. Container-grown roses can be planted year-round, but summer planting needs daily watering for at least the first month, and roses planted in May or June rarely catch up with bare-root roses planted the previous November.

How often should I feed roses?

Twice yearly for in-ground roses: once in early spring (March) as growth begins, and once after the first flush of flowers (late June or early July) to support the second flush. Use a proprietary rose food or a balanced general fertiliser. Add a 50-75 mm mulch of well-rotted compost or composted bark each autumn — this feeds the rose gently over the year and conserves soil moisture. Container-grown roses need fortnightly feeding through the growing season because nutrients leach quickly from pots.

Related pages

• Planting design and installation: how we plan and plant a scheme, roses included
• Improving clay soil: preparing heavy London Clay before you plant
• What type is my soil?: our free tool to find your soil type before you buy roses
• Summer flowering plants: companions that flower alongside your roses
• Victorian front gardens: period planting, including climbing roses
• Garden maintenance: pruning, feeding and aftercare through the year

Let’s talk about roses for your garden

Most rose problems come down to the right rose planted in the wrong place. Soil, drainage, sun, airflow and space all matter far more than catalogue descriptions. Flourish Landscaping works across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Esher and the wider Surrey area, helping homeowners choose roses that suit their garden, soil and lifestyle. See our planting design and installation service for the way we approach a planting scheme, or our Victorian front gardens guide for period-appropriate planting context.

Request a planting consultation and start the conversation. Roses should be a joy, not a battle. With the right choices and proper planting, they will reward you for years to come.

Written by Craig Davis BSc (Hons) Horticulture, member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. Craig has over 40 years in horticulture: in the family business since the age of 13 and a horticulture graduate since 1992, he designs, builds and plants gardens across Kingston, Surrey and South West London.