Northwest Blooms · Roses
Rosa 'Roald Dahl'
Roald Dahl English Rose
- Rose type
- Shrub
- Height
- 4 to 5 feet
- Bloom size
- Medium (2.5‑3 in)
- Flower color
- Apricot‑peach with soft orange‑red buds that open to apricot rosettes
- Fragrance
- Moderate
About this plant
Rosa 'Roald Dahl' is a shrub rose that opens with soft orange‑red buds unfolding into medium‑sized, cupped rosettes of apricot hue. Blooms arrive in repeat flushes from late spring into autumn, carried on glossy dark green foliage that remains healthy and clean. The roses emit a fruity‑tea fragrance and mature into a rounded, bushy shrub with few thorns.
Bred by David Austin in England and introduced in 2016, 'Roald Dahl' was named to mark the centenary of Roald Dahl's birth. Named with approval from his wife, Liccy Dahl, its coloring is inspired by the iconic peach of James and the Giant Peach.
Planting & care
Roses reward a sunny, open site with at least six hours of direct light, good air movement, and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Water deeply and less often, soaking the root zone while keeping the leaves dry, and mulch with two to three inches of compost or shredded bark held back from the canes. Feed repeat-blooming roses in early spring as growth starts and again after the first flush, then prune in late winter to remove dead or crossing canes and open the center. Shrub roses need only light thinning, keeping their natural full shape and repeat bloom.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Portland International Rose Test Garden.
