Susan Williams-Ellis (AUSquirk)

A delightful, unassuming little rose of typical Old Rose beauty. It is a pure white sport of the pink English Rose, ‘The Mayflower’. It was discovered among a batch of ‘The Mayflower’ roses in our Shropshire nursery, by Stephen Pooler, a member of our team. The remarkable thing about these two roses is that, insofar as we are aware, they are completely free from disease. ‘Susan Williams-Ellis’ starts to flower early in the season, usually late May or early June at our nursery, and then continues almost without stop until the harder frosts. For those in a really cold climate, it is also extremely winter hardy. The fragrance is strong and perfectly Old Rose in character.

GROWTH HABIT

The growth is upright, bushy and twiggy - perfect for the middle of a mixed border or a border of pure roses. So that it does not become lost in a border of larger plants, plant in groups of three or more, and prune to form a single, shapely shrub. A very versatile variety, it also ideal for hedging and looks charming grown in a large pot or container.

ORIGINS

Susan Williams-Ellis was a designer who, together with her husband Euan Cooper-Willis, founded Portmeirion Pottery. Susan was a great enthusiast of the English Roses and painted some beautiful water colours of them.