Rosa 'Kew Gardens'

Rosa ‘Kew Gardens’ – A Graceful, Light-Filled Rose with Exceptional Flowering

Rosa ‘Kew Gardens’ is a unique and highly admired English shrub rose bred by David Austin. Unlike many traditional English roses, this variety produces delicate sprays of small, single flowers, giving it a naturally airy, elegant, and almost wildflower-like appearance. Named after the world-famous Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, this rose brings a refined yet informal charm to any garden setting. It is especially valued for its incredible flowering ability, lightness of form, and remarkably healthy growth.

The blooms of ‘Kew Gardens’ are small and simple in structure, but they appear in large, graceful clusters that create a soft, cascading effect over the shrub. Each flower is a clean white with a gentle hint of buff or creamy apricot at the centre when first open. As they mature, the blooms become pure white, giving the plant a bright, fresh presence throughout the season. This makes it particularly appealing for gardens seeking a soft, romantic, or naturalistic look.

One of the greatest strengths of Rosa ‘Kew Gardens’ is its continuous flowering. The plant blooms from early summer well into autumn with very little interruption. Its light, open habit and fine branching structure allow it to carry hundreds of flowers at once without becoming heavy or crowded. Because the blooms self-clean and fall neatly, the plant maintains a tidy appearance without the need for constant deadheading—a major benefit for busy or low-maintenance gardeners.

This variety is also much appreciated for its nearly thornless stems, making it easier and safer to handle than many other shrub roses. The foliage is small, healthy, and mid-green, complementing the airy sprays of white flowers beautifully. Rosa ‘Kew Gardens’ is highly disease resistant, vigorous, and adaptable, making it an extremely reliable garden performer.

Reaching around 1.5m in height (sometimes a little taller), this rose can be grown as a shrub, a natural-looking hedge, or even lightly trained as a short climber against supports. It is a stunning choice for mixed borders, cottage gardens, wildlife-friendly spaces, and contemporary landscapes alike. Due to its light, informal flowering, it also pairs beautifully with perennials such as lavender, nepeta, gaura, salvia, verbena, and ornamental grasses.

Key Features of Rosa ‘Kew Gardens’

• Abundant Clusters of White Blooms: Small, single flowers that appear in large sprays.

• Continuous Flowering: Repeats from early summer to autumn with minimal gaps.

• Self-Cleaning Blooms: Very low maintenance, with petals falling cleanly after flowering.

• Almost Thornless: Safe and easy to handle—ideal for paths and walkways.

• Healthy Growth: Excellent disease resistance and vigorous habit.

• Versatile Form: Grows as a shrub, loose hedge, or can be trained as a short climber.

• Light, Airy Appearance: Perfect for naturalistic or contemporary garden styles.

Planting & Care Guide

Sunlight:

• Prefers full sun for the best flowering performance.

• Can tolerate light shade but may produce fewer blooms.

Soil Requirements:

• Thrives in fertile, well-drained but moisture-retentive soil.

• Add compost or well-rotted manure at planting to enrich the soil.

Watering:

• Water deeply and regularly during the establishment period.

• Continue watering in dry spells to support consistent flowering.

Feeding:

• Feed with a rose fertiliser in early spring.

• Apply a second feed after the first main flush of blooms.

Pruning:

• Prune in late winter or early spring.

• Light shaping is usually enough—remove old stems and shorten by around one-third.

• If training as a climber, tie new stems sideways to encourage flowering.

Perfect for Garden Centre Displays

Rosa ‘Kew Gardens’ is a standout for customer displays thanks to its airy clusters of white blooms, nearly thornless stems, and low-maintenance habit. It appeals to gardeners looking for something elegant, long-flowering, and easy to care for. Its versatility—suitable for hedging, borders, or training—makes it an excellent recommendation for all types of garden designs

We currently only deliver within the island of Ireland, other countries can be quoted for by contacting [email protected] or via telephone on 06964084
 

Standard Delivery is FREE on orders over €250*

All standard deliveries will be completed within 5-7 working days via Fastway Couriers, any delay to this delivery time, the customer will be notified by One of our staff.

The in-Store delivery charge will vary compared with online, in-store delivery charge is done on a case by case basis. 

* Only mainland Ireland addresses qualify for free delivery.
 

Live Plants Delivery

Our live plants are packed with care and diligence by our staff, our horticulturists review each plant before despatch to ensure quality is maintained.
Live Plant delivery charges are not calculated on weight but on the space required per package to ensure safe delivery, so delivery charges may vary as some plants require more space than others when packed.
All live plants are despatched within 3-5 working days where possible, our couriers aim to deliver within 48 hours of despatch from our Garden Centre to allow the plant to arrive in healthy condition.
 

Click & Collect

Can’t wait for delivery? Why not try our FREE Click & Collect service? Simply make your purchase online and collect it from our store located in Croagh Co. Limerick. Our staff will contact you by phone when your order is ready for collection (Please allow 24 hours minimum). When collecting your item, call the store on 069-64084. We will then load into your car as required. This service is available in-store 9am – 6pm Monday – Saturday (No collections on Sundays)

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You can pay your online order either by credit card or via Paypal.
If you have any further questions about the online order payment please contact us via ­069 640 84 or mail.