Moss Rose William Lobb

A midsummer-flowering centifolia rose, Rosa William Lobb is a medium-sized, vigorous, deciduous, old shrub rose with an open, bushy habit. The divided leaves are deep green on arching branches. Moss roses are so called because the buds are encased in bristly, moss-like sepals, and in midsummer, the heavily mossed buds open to richly scented, double but rather informal, deep magenta-purple flowers, which fade beautifully to shades of purple, mauve and greyish-purple. The stems of this tall shrub may need support, and it can it be trained as a small climber or a pillar rose on a pergola. Rose William Lobb holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.