RHS Rosemoor celebrates 35 years of the South West’s largest rose collection

RHS Garden Rosemoor in North Devon, located just over 30 minutes from Okehampton, is celebrating 35 years since planting the largest collection of roses in the southwest.

The Festival of Roses runs from 14 June to 13 July, inviting visitors to experience more than 200 different varieties and over 2,000 rose specimens in full bloom.

The gardens have thrived this year thanks to mild spring weather with a mix of rain and sunshine, providing ideal growing conditions for the roses.

The festival offers a chance to explore the early summer beauty of the collection, which ranges from historically important shrub roses to the latest rose introductions, as well as ground cover roses and climbers.

The wide variety of shapes, colours and fragrances make the display truly remarkable.

Roses have been central to Rosemoor since it opened on 1 June 1990. The first ornamental plantings consisted of roses set within more than 1,200 hedging yews.

Originally, the roses were smaller than the yews but they have since flourished within the shelter of the tall yew walls. The collection was created to test the resilience of different rose varieties in the unique climate of the Torridge river valley.

Sally Newbrook, who manages the care of the gardens, said: “The hours of care and love we put into the rose gardens really does pay off when you see those first blooms open and smell their amazing scents. It is wonderful to see the joy they bring to our visitors.”

Among the highlights is the Queen Mother’s rose garden, which features hybrid tea roses and floribundas arranged in a striking colour wheel.

The garden team has also refreshed many beds with newer rose varieties known for their toughness and health.

The shrub rose garden offers an informal display of roses mixed with herbaceous perennials and annuals. Later this year the original wooden supports will be replaced with metal ones after 35 years of exposure to the elements.

Visitors can join a weekly rose tour every Tuesday at 12 noon throughout the festival or take a general garden tour daily at 11 am.

The Rose Weekend from 20 to 22 June will include a rose-themed craft and food fair, live music performances and a Rose Advisory Service.

Tickets should be booked in advance online. Entry is free for members and children under five.