I Need Help With My Rose!

Although our roses are packaged well to reduce damage, impact during transit can sometimes result in petals being dropped and, very occasionally, damaged stems. Please do not worry, roses are very hardy and this will not harm your plant.

Stems that are damaged should be pruned back to healthy growth. Blooms that have passed their best should be deadheaded. Doing this will not harm your plant, instead it will encourage more growth.

For more detailed advice on damages and how to contact us, please see our Damages page here.

Rose flowers will naturally lose their petals as they age – this is perfectly normal and not a cause for concern. Occasionally physical factors such high winds or heavy rain can dislodge some petals before they would naturally drop. Please do not worry, this will not harm your plant.

Blooms that have passed their best should be deadheaded, which can also encourage the rose to produce more growth. For more information on deadheading your rose, please see our handy guide here.

After some adjustment time as detailed above, if your rose is still not living up to expectations please submit your details below.

Roses grow at differing rates throughout the growing season which can start as early as March/April. Roses brought in Nov-Feb will be pruned back and have little to no foliage, their maximum height could be as low as 6-8″. In the summer months we regularly prune our roses to keep them healthy and encourage flowering. This is perfectly normal and in no way a sign of poor plant health.

Follow any planting instruction for your rose and keep it well watered and fed throughout the year. If it is well cared for, your roses will make significant new foliage growth over the course of the spring and summer months. More specific details about your particular rose can be found online, just search for the variety name in the search bar.

After some growing time, if your rose is still not living up to expectations please submit your details below.

Roses will typically bloom between May and July. Roses brought outside of these months may have buds or flowers but it is less likely. Seasonal variation is still possible during the summer months as we selectively prune some varieties to promote later flowering.

Please give the rose time, roses delivered before August still have time to flower. Just give a light prune and feed, and they will flower just a little later than usual. Roses delivered after August may still flower, but more likely they will flower the following spring.

After some growing time, if your rose is still not living up to expectations please submit your details below.

Colour variation is natural in roses, especially as they are exposed to environmental changes like sunlight and rain. It can also be a reaction to a number of factors, including nutrient content in the soil, environmental conditions, time of year, and age of the blooms. As the blooms age, these reactions can become more pronounced. Blooms also tend to fade quicker when the blooming season is coming towards its end.

Blooms that have passed their best should be deadheaded, which can also encourage the rose to produce more growth. Minor variation in flower size/colour/shape is perfectly normal and not all blooms will look exactly like the display photo.

If the rose looks an entirely different colour/ shape please use the form below to upload an image and provide your order details.

Rose blooms will vary in size, colour and scent subject to several factors, including nutrient content in the soil, environmental conditions, time of year, and age of the blooms. Weather is the most common cause of changes, particularly when it has been exceptionally wet or hot.

Please do not worry too much if the blooms are not an exact match. Allow the rose to bloom naturally and when it has finished give a slight prune (20-30% of plant) This will promote new growth and subsequent blooms. If you prune the rose after August it is likely that it will flower the following year.

If the rose looks an entirely different colour/ shape please use the form below to upload an image and provide your order details.

Roses, given optimum conditions, are quite resistant to most common pests and diseases, but sadly blackspot is a stubborn disease that many varieties of rose suffer from. The most important things to remember is that however unsightly, blackspot will not have any long term effect on your roses general health.

We recommend that you remove the affected leaves and dispose of them well away from any roses. Your rose will then make new foliage growth in the growing season. We also suggest spraying with a foliar feed or using a broad spectrum fungicide. For further advice please see our guide on common rose problems.

Pruning and spraying your rose will resolve any blackspot problems on your roses. Blackspot does not harm the health of your rose.

Also known as greenfly, aphids are insects that love roses, in particular the younger, softer growth of new leaves and flower buds. We go to great lengths to send out roses which are free from greenfly. However, they are a naturally occurring insect that is part of the ecosystem and are virtually harmless to your rose.

Although unwanted, aphids are virtually harmless to the rose unless allowed to remain there long term. The good news is that it shows your rose is part of a healthy and diverse habitat, not one devoid of all insects due to insecticide use.

Simply brush them off or use a jet of water to remove them. You can also buy or encourage ladybirds and other natural predators who eat aphids. Follow our guide here for more details.

Roses are deciduous plants and will naturally lose their leaves in the autumn and make new fresh foliage growth in the spring. The exact times for different varieties will vary depending upon the weather.

The amount of foliage on a rose is more a function of the season and weather than a measure of plant health. So do not be concerned by the absence of foliage, please just keep your rose well watered and fed and new foliage will start to form once the sun appears and the weather warms in spring.

If new foliage is not present by May, please perform a ‘scratch test’ to check for green wood. Simply scrape a small patch of the outer bark of a stem, close to the core of the rose. Green wood is a good indication that there is life in your rose. If none is present, please use the form below to submit further information and images of your rose.

Roses are very hardy plants and are naturally ideally suited to the British climate. Roses in the winter months are in their dormant phase and may look dead, but they are busy growing roots under the soil ready for the spring ahead. Once the weather warms and the sunshine appears, they should emerge from their dormant phase and start to put on leaf. It’s not impossible for roses to die, but in our experience it is rare they are beyond hope, and will often return to perfect health with a little care and attention.

Keeping your rose well, watered, fed and in a good growing position outside is essential if you want your rose to thrive. Please don’t be concerned that your rose is yet to emerge from its dormant phase before April/May, especially if it has been a particularly cold spring. For roses after this time that are alive but struggling, a hard prune can help stimulate new growth, and remove any old or potentially unhealthy canes. To do this cut back your rose to 8″ (200mm) and allow it to regrow in the growing season.

Check the stems by performing a ‘scratch test’. Simply scrape a small patch of the outer bark of a stem, close to the core of the rose. Green wood is a good indication that there is life in your rose. If none of the stems have green wood and there is no foliage, then please use the form below to submit information and photos.

Please do not dispose of your rose until you have got in touch with us, even if you believe it to be dead!