WHY ‘CHINA ROSE’ IS THE ONE TO GROW
Hazel Sillver looks at Rosa ‘Mutabilis’
“It fits effortlessly into a cottage plot”
Some plants have such personality and presence in the garden that they become firm favourites. one such plant is the China shrub rose R. x odorata ‘mutabilis’, which is loved by rosarians the world over. Despite lacking what might seem to be two rose essentials: dense flowerheads and scent, it easily earns its place in the border. During summer and autumn, the purple and green foliage is covered in gorgeous flowers, which blush all the warm colours of a sunset. From copper buds, the floppy honey-apricot blooms open, and hover airily like butterflies. As the days go by the petals morph to blushpink and then raspberry.
In its favoured conditions of sheltered sun and well-drained soil, it will flower from may to December, without any rose sickness. No wonder gardeners love it. Rose grower Peter Harkness named ‘mutabilis’ as one of his favourite roses; and garden designer Dan Pearson describes it as a: “Desert island plant, one I would find hard to be without”.
It was introduced in 1860, but is thought to be older. It is certainly a China rose, yet this old dame’s exact origins are unknown, which only makes it all the more beguiling.
In recent years, single roses (such as ‘mutabilis’) have become more popular. By definition, a single rose has one single ring of petals (unlike double roses, which have layers of petals) so their stamens are exposed, allowing bees to collect pollen.
Because single roses remind us of wild species roses, such as the dog rose (R.canina), they fit into the contemporary trend for natural-look planting. Along with other elegant forms of plants we see in the wild – such as foxgloves and grasses – single roses achieve an informal sophistication in the modern garden.
‘mutabilis’ looks fabulous alongside perennials, such as Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’; grasses, such as Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’; and roses, such as ‘Bengal Crimson’. It fits effortlessly into the cottage garden, where it is wonderful in front of a sunbaked brick wall, appreciative of the shelter; and, if trained, will climb to 6ft (2m).
If you can spare a patch in your garden for Rosa ‘mutabilis’, I promise she will not disappoint. n