Rosa ‘The Pilgrim’ – Care Guide

Rosa ‘The Pilgrim’ is a beautifully refined English rose bred by David Austin, admired for its soft, clear yellow blooms arranged in delicate rosettes and for its warm tea-myrrh fragrance. Exceptionally versatile, it can be grown as a graceful medium shrub or trained as a short climber. With excellent repeat flowering and good disease resistance, it performs reliably in borders, rose gardens, arches, and cottage-style plantings.

Planting & Position

• Light:

  • Prefers full sun for the best flowering and deepest yellow colour.

  • Will tolerate partial shade, though bloom quantity may decrease.

• Soil:

  • Grows best in fertile, moist, well-drained soil enriched with compost or rotted manure.

  • Avoid very heavy, saturated soil.

  • Suitable for borders, rose beds, and trained supports.

• Spacing:

  • As a shrub: 1.2–1.5 m between plants.

  • As a climber: plant 30–45 cm from walls, arches, or a trellis.

• Planting time:

  • Container-grown roses can be planted at any time.

  • Plant bareroot roses November–March.

Care & Maintenance

‘The Pilgrim’ responds very well to simple but consistent rose care.

• Watering:

  • Water deeply after planting and regularly during establishment.

  • Once established, water weekly during dry spells.

  • Avoid wetting foliage late in the day.

• Feeding:

  • Feed in early spring with a specialist rose fertiliser.

  • Feed again in mid-summer to support repeat flowering.

• Mulching:

  • Mulch in spring with compost or well-rotted manure to conserve moisture and improve soil health.

• Pruning:

  • Shrub form (Feb–March):

    • Remove dead, damaged, or crossing stems.

    • Cut remaining stems by about one-third for shape and structure.

  • Climber form:

    • Tie long stems horizontally to create flowering spurs.

    • Prune side shoots to 2–4 buds in late winter.

• Deadheading:

  • Remove faded blooms regularly to encourage fresh flowering.

• Disease resistance:

  • Good resistance to blackspot and mildew, especially with good airflow.

Seasonal Interest & Uses

• Flowers:

  • Soft yellow, many-petalled rosettes with a lighter outer edge.

  • Repeat flowers from June to October in generous flushes.

• Fragrance:

  • Medium to strong tea and myrrh scent.

• Habit:

  • As a shrub: 1.2–1.5 m tall and wide with a graceful, arching shape.

  • As a climber: up to 2.5–3 m with support.

• Ideal uses:

  • Cottage gardens

  • Mixed borders and dedicated rose beds

  • Arches, obelisks, and trellises

  • Feature planting in sunny areas

  • Pairing with lavender, catmint, geraniums, foxgloves, or soft grasses

• Wildlife:

  • Flowers attract bees and beneficial pollinators.

In Summary:

Rosa ‘The Pilgrim’ is a charming, gracefully shaped English rose with soft yellow rosettes, a warm fragrance, and excellent repeat flowering. It excels both as a shrub and as a small climber, offering reliability and elegant colour from early summer to autumn. Plant in fertile, well-drained soil, prune yearly, and enjoy months of classic English rose beauty.

• Size
  6L

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