Traditionally, white roses represent purity, youthfulness, and eternal loyalty. But did you know that white is actually the official colour of April? Plus, white flowers are brilliant for creating the illusion of more space and light in smaller, darker gardens. They also make a great neutral base for you to contrast other, brighter flowers against, if you’re looking to add a splash of colour to your garden this month and coming season. So, to welcome in spring, I’m going to share with you my ten favourite white roses to plant in April.
The Snowcap is a beautiful Floribunda, with perfectly produced white flowers. And these contrast wonderfully with their dark green, glossy foliage. This bloom carries a mellow fragrance, that seamlessly compliments its decadent, yet delicate, petals. This is a rose that everyone can enjoy, in pots, borders, and even on the front of a property.
White is one of the most effective colours for climbing roses, adding a brilliant pop of contrasting colour to any garden. This rose has a long flowering period, capable of three flushes a season. That means you’ll be treated to a dense white flower, punctuated with a golden centre, for months at a time.
This gentle rose is named after Lady Carnarvon, Countess of Carnarvon. Though white at a glance, on closer inspection, you’ll notice hues of pearl pink and creamy amber in the flowers. This gives the rose an enduring interest. The form and blooms are strong and resilient. And, as they stand proud, they tend to attract bees. This is an easy to grow variety, that looks brilliant in beds and borders.
This delightfully scented rose boasts a stunning ice-white flower, with a hint of yellow in its centre. There can be up to 9 blooms in each cluster, with flowers that carry around 25 petals. One of the first roses to bloom each year, these statement roses repeat flower. This is the perfect rose to carry your garden from spring to summer.
Rose The Royal Philharmonic
This Hybrid Tea variety with spectacular double blooms was launched to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The rose is a creamy white that becomes more golden towards its centre. Repeat flowerers over summer and autumn, these roses stand upright, taking a place of pride in your garden.
Whether or not you love classic literature, you’ll love this first-class rose. Beautifully constructed, with white petals that become cream and amber, with an apricot hue in its centre. Add these to your border to pepper your garden with elegance.
This rose has been around for decades, but it certainly hasn’t lost its charm. As white as frost with light green leaves, this rose is not only graceful but reliable. It produces plenty of delicate blooms all summer long, as well as a delicate fragrance.
Introduced in 2016, this beautiful rose pays homage to the gracefulness of former Great British Bake Off host (and keen gardener), Mary Berry. The flowers hold a classic shape, with rounded, plump buds in a smooth, honey cream shade. It also boasts a beautiful scent, only produced by tea roses. So, add this rose to your garden as a treat for all your senses!
You’d be hard-pushed to get your laundry looking as crisp, fresh, and white as this rose! Producing large clusters of up to 11 flowers, this is a long-lasting rose that proudly displays a powerful, brilliant white. They also grow luscious mid-green leaves, that create interest in your garden before the flowers have bloomed.
An exceptionally healthy pure white climber. The fiery orange stamens compliment the flower’s subtle but spicy scent. These stamens aren’t only attractive to us, but to pollinators too. For a chance to win this beauty, take a look at my competition here.
So, whether you’re in need of brightening a shaded area or looking for a flower to compliment your garden’s colours, Harkness will have a white rose for you.