What are some of the problems with English Roses?
I do not wish to give the impression that all English roses are beautiful disease-resistant shrubs with large long-lasting old-fashioned flowers. Here are some of the problems that some or many varieties of English Roses have. Cut flowers: English Roses can make beautiful cut flowers, but most have two disadvantages when used as cut flowers. First, most of them have rather narrow short stems when cut, not nearly as long or stiff as the long-stemmed Hybrid Teas. Second, the petals are usually more delicate than those of Hybrid Teas, and some varieties don’t last long when cut. ‘Heritage’ blooms are famous for losing their petals if disturbed slightly. ‘Graham Thomas’ doesn’t last very well either and the beautiful yellow color fades to a light yellow. However, both ‘Abraham Darby’ and ‘Evelyn’ both have many petals and perform well as cut flowers. Size: Some English Roses that are medium-size plants in England, where they were bred, grow very large (often twice as large or larger) in wa
