In early spring the garden begins to feel quietly alive again. The rose bushes, which only weeks ago stood still and bare, begin to show the first gentle signs that the new season is underway.

In our previous article, we began with a simple but important question: where will your rose live? Once you have considered the space available, whether a border, a container, or a wall, the next step is just as helpful.

Chosen for the cover of the Handbook of Roses 2026, Bathsheba (Auschimbley) is a climbing rose distinguished by warmth, balance, and quiet refinement. The blooms appear in generous clusters, each flower a soft interplay of apricot and gentle yellow. Petals are arranged with relaxed elegance, creating a display that feels both abundant and composed. The fragrance is rich and characteristic, a classic myrrh scent with delicate notes of honey and tea.

Choosing a rose is one of the quiet pleasures of gardening. In this first article of a short series, we look at some of the simple things to consider when choosing the perfect spot for a rose in your garden.

As winter fades, the garden stirs. Buds swell, leaves emerge, and spring unfolds.  The transition between seasons is rarely abrupt. Light changes first. It lingers in the afternoon and carries a different warmth, subtle yet unmistakable. The air, once sharp and spare, begins to soften. Even before visible growth, the atmosphere of the garden feels altered. This is the beginning of renewal.

In the days following the centenary of David C. H. Austin’s birth on 16 February, it feels fitting to reflect more deeply on how he worked and why his influence endures. David approached rose breeding as a long and thoughtful process. From the first cross to final introduction, a single rose could take ten years or more. Each season brought new seedlings, most of which would be quietly set aside. He watched closely, learning how a rose opened, how it aged, how fragrance developed, and how a plant behaved over time. Often, he could be found walking the trial fields, pausing over a seedling, noting its character and potential.

There is a distinct charm in allowing a climbing rose to do more than simply cover a surface. A wall awash with bloom is undeniably lovely, yet when a rose is thoughtfully guided into a deliberate form, such as a sweeping arc, a relaxed swag, or a flowing wave, the effect becomes something altogether more expressive. The plant is not constrained, merely encouraged, its natural grace quietly emphasised.

Today, 16th February, marks what would have been one hundred years since the birth of David C. H. Austin, whose vision transformed the modern garden and reimagined what a rose could be.

Soft, luminous whites are taking centre stage in 2026, inspired by Cloud Dancer, the Colour of the Year from Pantone. Chosen for its gentle warmth and airy elegance, this subtle shade reflects a growing desire for calm, light, and restorative spaces. In the garden, Cloud Dancer finds its most natural expression in the moon garden, also known as a lunar garden, where pale blooms are chosen specifically to glow in evening light.

The moors shaped Emily Brontë long before she shaped words. Wind, wide skies, and the steady presence of nature formed the rhythm of her days, and that rhythm lives on in everything she wrote. Emily Brontë did not observe the landscape from a distance. She belonged to it.

Roses naturally put most of their energy into the tips of their stems, which can lead to flowers mainly at the top of the plant. With the right pruning and shaping, you can encourage fresh growth and blooms all the way from the base up.

A garden is never simply planted. It is designed with intention, shaped by light, season, and colour. Every bloom plays a role, and together they form a living canvas that changes from morning to evening and from spring to autumn. Colour is one of the most powerful tools a gardener has. It influences how large a space feels, where the eye travels, and even how relaxed or energised we feel when we step outside. When understood and used thoughtfully, colour transforms a collection of plants into a harmonious, expressive garden.

Every February, Valentine’s Day arrives with flowers in shop windows, handwritten cards, and small moments of thoughtfulness shared between people who care about one another. Yet behind the modern traditions lies a long and fascinating story. Many people find themselves curious about the history of Valentine’s Day, wondering how a single date became so closely linked with love, romance and, of course, roses.