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Alexander (Bush Rose)
Features
Height & Width
5' x 3' (1.5m x 90cm)
Rose Colour
Red
Rose Family
Hybrid Teas
Fragrance
Fragrant
(Hybrid Tea) A very bright vermillion red, in fact the brightest Hybrid Tea to date. Large flowers borne in quantity on a healthy disease-resistant plant.
Read More10% Multi-Buy Discount on Bare Root Roses
Applied automatically when you buy 3 or more of the same variety
Special Offer
Key Info
Type
Bush
Rose Family
Hybrid Teas
Date of Introduction
1972
Rose Colour
Red
Blooms Type
Double
Sold by
Peter Beales Roses Ltd
Flowering Period
Repeat Flowering
Fragrance
Fragrant
Wildlife Friendly
Wildlife Friendly
Suitable for...
Growing in pots, Good for Cut Flowers
Thorns
A varied thorn count
Can be grown as small climber
No
Disease Resistance
Disease Resistant
Award Winning
Yes
Awards Won
Garden Merit Award
Seedling Code
HARlex
Flowering Times
Preferred Location
-
Full Sun
Description
(Hybrid Tea) Shapley pointed buds, opening to large slightly ragged flowers of a a very bright luminous vermillion, displaying creamy yellow stamens to good effect. With an upright growth and rich green, healthy foliage. This rose is good for cutting and grows well in a container as well as growing through a hedge. Hardy. Healthy disease-resistant plant. Bred by Harkness.
Please Note!
Container roses received now have only recently been potted and the roots haven't had a chance to bind with the soil yet. To avoid damaging any new fibrous roots we recommend leaving the roses in their containers until June when it will then be safe to transplant them.
Bare Root or Container
Like most plants, Roses were first sold in pots to fulfil the demands of the instant gardener, but the traditional method of supply is as bare root plants in the winter months, often by mail order. There is little between them as far as the ultimate plant is concerned, but there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
Container roses
Containerised roses are available throughout the year (although there are more available during the summer months) and are roses that we have planted into containers during the winter months when the plants are dormant. If purchasing a container rose early in the year it is advisable to wait until late May before planting out into the garden. This is to give the roots system a chance to establish without damaging the young fibrous roots. In summer months containerised roses must be watered daily to ensure good health and maximum blooms. The advantage of buying a rose in a pot is that you can select the plant yourself during a visit to our nursery and gardens, giving you the opportunity to see the rose in flower prior to purchasing. Containerised roses are usually available for delivery within 7-10 days unless otherwise stated.
Bare root roses
Throughout the winter months, from November to March, the roses are dormant and can be cut back and safely handled in bare root form. Many established rose gardeners call this the peak time for purchasing and planting roses, as a rose planted in the winter has many months to put down a great root structure to support the blooms and the plant for years to come. Most roses planted during the bare root season will put out a great display of blooms the same year. Bare root roses are obviously live plants so do need fairly immediate treatment upon arrival. This can be difficult in times of heavy frost or snow. It is prudent in these conditions to prepare an area in which to heel in the roses. More advice on heeling in can be found within our planting advice pages and a full set of planting instructions will come with your rose. We would never advise buying a pre-packed rose from a supermarket for you have no idea how long they have been packaged and may well have dried out. Bare root roses are available to order throughout the year and are normally delivered between November 1st and March 31st.
Advice
Planting and care instructions
Pruning newly planted bare root roses
These should always be hard pruned at the time of planting, before they are placed in the hole is the logical time. Even the most rampant of ramblers will benefit from this treatment as it encourages basal growth, from which the plant will make its shape. Climbers, ramblers and shrub roses should be reduced to about six inches, bush roses to about four inches.
How to plant bare root roses
A correctly planted rose will need to have the union and first inch or so of branches below soil level. This is to reduce the risk of suckers developing and damage by wind-rock.
For a bare root rose the hole should be wide enough to allow the roots to be spread out and deep enough so that the base of the stems are just covered. We recommend using a good quality compost, like John Innes No 3, especially if planting roses into pots. We would also advise adding a proprietary rose food or bone meal into the base of the hole. A handful is enough and this should be mixed in with the soil there to avoid root scorch. A little powdered food can also be sprinkled onto the removed soil before it is returned.
Alternatively, we would recommend using Peter Beales Roots Boost mychorrhizal fungi. Unlike bone meal, mychorrhizal fungi should be applied directly to the roots to promote better absorption of water and essential nutrients.
Never use woodchips when planting roses!
The bare root rose should now be held with one hand at the right depth with the roots spread out, whilst the first of the soil is returned, either by hand or with a spade. When approximately half the hole is full the rose can be left alone and the soil firmed in by foot. The remainder of the soil can then be returned and firmed in the same way.
Once this is done the surface soil may be tidied and the rose labelled, there is nothing more annoying than not knowing the name of a beautiful rose.
Shrub roses should be planted at the closest 60cm (2ft) apart.
How to plant a rose bought in a container
Much of the bare root planting instructions also apply for a rose bought in a container, with the first inch or so of the branches below soil level, and the hole wide enough for the root ball. To reduce the risk of damaging the root system we would not advocate the teasing out of the roots. The plant should be young enough to allow the roots to break through by themselves. If purchased early in the year it is wise to leave the rose in its pot until late May at the earliest to give the roots time to establish.
A more comprehensive set of planting instructions can be found within the advice section of the website.
Delivery
How your Bare Root Roses will arrive
Please Note: Bare root roses are tied in bundles. If you have ordered more than one rose please cut the string holding the roses together and separate carefully before planting.
Bare root roses should not be planted when their roots are dry nor should they be planted during frost. If it is frosty when you receive them, they should not come to any harm left unopened in their package for up to one week. If it remains frosty for longer than this open the package and, after thoroughly moistening the roots, place the roses still in their bundle in a container of damp soil or damp sand. A wooden box, bucket or large polythene bag will usually hold enough soil for this purpose. Plant out the roses when the frost has disappeared. If the roses arrive when it is not convenient for you to plant them, they should be ‘heeled in’ out of doors the moment the weather permits.
How your Container Roses will arrive
Container roses are delivered throughout the year. If you receive your container rose at the start of the year then it is likely to have been recently potted into its container. We would therefore strongly recommend waiting until late May before removing your rose from its pot. This is to allow the young fibrous roots time to establish and knit together with the surrounding soil, which will minimise any chance of damage.
Grown in the UK since 1968
Bringing joy to gardens for over 50 years
International Delivery Available
Shipping to many worldwide destinations
From Field to Garden
Grown for 2 years before ready for sale
