Best for colour and fragrance

You can have flowers in almost every colour apart from true blue. I always include some so-called blue and mauve roses in the garden because they tend to be very fragrant and most are relatively free from thorns, making them ideal for cutting to bring in the house. ‘Twice in a Blue Moon’ is essential because of the beautiful, perfect Hybrid Tea flowers and amazing perfume. It’s blessed with healthy foliage, unlike its predecessor ‘Blue Moon’. Purple ‘Ebb Tide’ and ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ are also worth a place in the garden. When looking for a really good rose, previous winners of Rose of the Year are some of my must-haves. I’d never be without the creamy white, cluster-flowered ‘Champagne Moment’, though the more strongly scented Hybrid Tea ‘Chandos Beauty’ is better for cutting. I also love pink ‘You’re Beautiful’, while the yellow ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ combines

colour and strong scent.