Ian Hodgson ‘DESDEMONA’
My first enduring love was for ‘Madame Pierre Oger’, a repeat-flowering bourbon bred in 1878, whose silver-pink cupped blooms have an exquisite, rich, sweet perfume. Although still adored, it’s a martyr to blackspot so I was delighted to discover ‘Desdemona’, a repeat-flowering English shrub rose launched by David Austin in 2015. Easy to grow, disease-resistant and mounding to around 4ft, it’s ideal for petite borders. I grow mine in a terracotta pot by the front door, where the lovely sweet scent from its creamy white, blush pink and apricot blooms charms any visitor.