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The Art of Gardening at Sissinghurst
The beauty of rose hips in autumn
with TROY SCOTT SMITH — Head Gardener at Sissinghurst. Garden Writer, Speaker & Lecturer.
Lesson 16 of 56
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Troy shares the value of rose hips as a second season of interest late in the year, and why this is something that should be taken into account when choosing a rose.
From the Lesson Workbook
The Beauty of Rose Hips in Autumn
I feel not enough credit or consideration is given to rose hips. Why do we dismiss a rose just because it flowers once, yet we wouldn't expect a lilac or Philadelphus to flower more than once?
- Even if a rose isn't repeat-flowering, you can get a second bonus of an amazing display of hips.
- In the Orchard we have an incredible rose called 'Wickwar', bred in the 1960s, with chalky flowers and blue-grey foliage. It's stunning when it flowers in late June-July and has a second moment now in autumn when it's alight with beautiful orange hips.
- Rose hips are really diverse, and only start to colour up when the day length shortens. They can be intense red, orange, or some Scotch roses have black hips.
- They last different amounts of time - 'Wickwar' lasts quite a long time and are just starting to shrivel now in late November, whereas others like Rosa nutkana 'Plena', a species rose from America, keep their intense red hips through the whole winter.
Think about hips and the effect they can give in your garden, and when you're looking to choose a rose, make it one consideration.
Further Resources
Troy's pick of the top roses for hips from Gardens Illustrated
More roses that are great for hips from the RHS
Plant Directory
Philadelphus species and cultivars
Mock oranges
Hardy deciduous shrubs
Hydrangeaceae
Rosa nutkana 'Plena'
Nootka rose 'Plena'
Hardy deciduous shrub
Rosaceae
Rosa spinosissima species and cultivars
Scotch roses
Hardy deciduous shrubs
Rosaceae
Rosa 'Wickwar'
Rambling rose 'Wickwar'
Hardy deciduous climber
Rosaceae
Syringa species and cultivars
Lilacs
Hardy deciduous shrubs
Oleaceae
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Absolutely love Create Academy! The instructors are extremely informative, and it is beautifully filmed. Create Academy is great value for money and plan on renewing my subscription yearly because there are ...
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Magic in small spaces
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Your Instructor
Troy Scott Smith
Head Gardener at Sissinghurst. Garden Writer, Speaker & Lecturer.
Troy Scott-Smith, previously head gardener of Iford Manor and Bodnant garden, now oversees the cherished grounds of Sissinghurst - one of the most famous gardens in England and is designated Grade I on Historic England's register of historic parks and gardens. Coming from a family of committed naturalists, Troy is a seasoned horticulturist, writer, designer and consultant, Troy is also a respected member of the RHS Floral Committee. When he set his sights on the head gardener role, he did so with refreshing candour, speaking passionately of the garden’s need for thoughtful evolution. It is a mark of the National Trust’s forward-thinking spirit that they embraced his vision, inviting him to guide this historic landscape into a compelling new chapter.
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