If you’ve ever been hesitant about growing roses in your garden because you don’t think you have enough light, don’t worry! We’ve compiled this list of 12 shade tolerant English roses.
Full sunlight is not a requirement for every rose variety. Some roses fare extremely well under shady conditions.
12 Shade Tolerant English Roses For Your Garden
English roses are not only beautiful, but they are also shady tolerant. This makes them the perfect addition to your garden.
Here are some tips on how to care for them.
1. England’s Rose
England’s Rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 2002.
| COLOR: Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Strong, Damask, Old Rose, Spice Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
England’s Rose is capable of withstanding a wide range of climates, from USDA zones 5 through 11.
This makes the England’s Rose variety very suitable for gardeners from all walks of life.
No one has to sacrifice this beautiful rose just because they live in an area that is too hot or too cold.
This variety is a repeat bloomer, which means you will be showered with abundant yields of these gorgeous globular roses.
By frequently pruning your roses as they begin to wilt, you’ll not only increase the aesthetic of your rose bush but also maximize the number of roses that develop.
To properly deadhead your rose bush, make a cut just above the first branch that has five leaves on it.
2. Eustacia Vye Rose
Eustacia Vye rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, before 2018.
| COLOR: Apricot – Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong, Fruity Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
The Eustacia Vye rose is notable for its cold tolerance, capable of withstanding USDA zones as low as 4 (roughly -20° to -30° F).
Because of their strong fruit fragrance, we recommend harvesting a few roses to use as a potpourri or air freshener.
Harvest your mature roses and preserve them by drying out the roses in your home.
Hang the harvested roses upside down in a room that is dark, dry, and cool.
Leave the roses for a few weeks or until they have dried all the way through. You should be left with a preserved (yet still fragrant) Eustacia Vye rose.
3. Silas Marner Rose
Silas Marner rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 2018.
| COLOR: Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Medium To Large | FRAGRANCE: Moderate, Old Rose Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft – 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
While the Silas Marner rose is tolerable of all soil types, you’ll get the best results from using a fertile, well-draining soil that has a slightly acidic pH level.
A few weeks prior to transplanting your roses, work in a heaping amount of compost into the soil, and work it in until the compost reaches 10 inches deep.
If you are unsure of your soil’s pH level, you can perform a soil acidity test at home for a nominal cost.
To lower the pH level of your soil, try adding some elemental sulfur. It slowly acidifies the soil to a more suitable level.
4. Roald Dahl Rose
Roald Dahl rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 2008.
| COLOR: Peach | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Moderate, Raspberry Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft – 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
These giant peach-colored shade tolerant roses certainly fit the name Roald Dahl rose.
Luckily for owners of this plant, these roses are suited for cutting to place in a bouquet or vase.
In addition, they have a fruity scent, which makes this a perfect floral gift for someone who is sensitive to the typical strong rose scent.
5. Susan Williams-Ellis Rose
Susan Williams-Ellis rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 2005.
| COLOR: White | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Strong, Old Rose Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
As a repeat bloomer, the Susan Williams-Ellis rose bush will produce large numbers of roses.
Of course, this takes a lot of energy for the plant to produce all these roses.
By feeding your plant fertilizer, it will give your roses the boost of energy it needs to create a yield that is high in quantity and quality.
We recommend selecting a fertilizer that has slightly higher phosphorous content.
The reasoning behind this is that phosphorous is the element responsible for healthy bud development.
Steer away from anything with too high of nitrogen content.
While nitrogen will help produce luscious leaf growth, it is counterproductive in rose development.
6. Port Sunlight Rose
Port Sunlight rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 2005.
| COLOR: Apricot Blend | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Tea Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft – 5ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
The Port Sunlight rose grows tall and vigorously, it is one of the handful of English roses that can be grown as a climber.
To grow these roses as a climber, you will need to train the plant in order to climb.
This process is very simple and involves tying the canes of the rose plant to whichever climbing struct select.
7. The Lark Ascending Rose
Lark Ascending rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 2012.
| COLOR: Light Apricot | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Mild, Myrrh, Tea Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft – 5ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
Because of its delightful fragrance, it is recommended to place your Lark Ascending roses in an area with a lot of people traffic.
Locations such as a patio or gazebo are perfect locations to plant fragrant roses.
You can relax for hours in your garden while you admire the aroma of flowers that you grew yourself!
8. William and Catherine Rose
William and Catherine rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, before 2011.
| COLOR: Light Apricot | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Moderate, Myrrh Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
The William and Catherine rose is small in size, which makes it an ideal shrub that can be grown in pots.
Planting these shade-tolerant roses in containers is not much different than in-ground plants, though there are some slight differences.
When choosing a soil for container plants, drainage is much more essential.
By pouring in some perlite into your soil mixture, you help increase the drainage for your plant significantly, which allows the plant to have a comfortably moist soil.
9. Coniston Rose
Coniston rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 1992.
| COLOR: Yellow | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Moderate, Honey, Musk, Opinions Vary Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
In the United States, the Coniston rose is also referred to as the Comtes des Champagne rose.
These yellow shrub roses will benefit greatly by maintaining a lightly moist soil.
A good measure for whether your bushes need to be watered is to check the soil.
Don’t be afraid to stick a finger into the ground. If the first few inches of soil feels dry, now is a good time to give your roses a good, deep watering.
10. The Mayflower Rose
Mayflower rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 1992.
| COLOR: Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Moderate, Old Rose, Opinions Vary Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft – 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
When planting your Mayflower roses for the first time, it is essential that you space each rose bush out properly.
Crowing your juvenile rose bushes together could spell out trouble later on in the roses’ life when they start to grow larger and bushier.
Space out your plants 3 feet apart from one another. Don’t worry if it looks sparse for now- the empty spaces will fill out as the roses grow.
11. Dame Judi Dench Rose
Dame Judi Dench rose was bred by David C. H. Austin in United Kingdom, in 2009.
| COLOR: Apricot | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Moderate Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
In the same way the real Dame Judi Dench is versatile in her acting career, the Dame Judi Dench rose is versatile in how you can plant it.
These shade tolerant roses are compatible as a mixed border or as cut flowers.
Dame Judi Dench rose is a vigorous grower and will need a good pruning once a year to maintain its appearance and encourage new growth.
In the springtime, it is important to cut back any dead or damaged branches before cutting any canes that cross over.
12. Hyde Hall Rose
Hyde Hall rose was bred by David C. H. Austin United Kingdom, before 2004.
| COLOR: Pink, Apricot Shading | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Mild, Fruity Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 5ft – 6ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun, Shade Tolerant |
The Hyde Hall roses are a disease-resistant variety, which is very convenient for a shade-tolerant rose bush.
In rose varieties that are susceptible to disease, gardeners are advised to be very cautious when placing rose shrubs in a location that does not receive full sun.
However, you won’t have to worry about that when it comes to the Hyde Hall!
Conclusion
Roses are by far one of the most popular flower species to grow in your garden. But a lack of sunlight can sometimes make people hesitant to make the purchase.
In fact, there are many varieties of rose that is capable of thriving under shady conditions.
Hopefully, these 12 rose varieties have helped shed some light on the subject!
