Rosa 'Sally Holmes'

Sally Holmes is a hybrid musk shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae) and was bred by Robert A. Holmes of the United Kingdom in 1976. Parentage is Ivory Fashion × Ballerina (hybrid musk, Bentall, 1937).

This rose is an erect bushy spreading shrub that can be trained to a trellis if desired. It will grow 6-12 feet tall with a 3-5 foot spread. Sally Holmes does best in full sun but tolerates some shade. Plant in fertile moist well-drained soil and mulch around the roots to help retain moisture. Prune in late winter to remove dead, diseased or crossed canes and prune remaining canes to 1/3 the size or more if needed.

The white blend single flowers with yellow stamens are 3.5 inches across and appear in large clusters throughout the season.  The glossy green foliage appears on nearly prickle-free canes.

Use this shrub as a specimen, in the border, in the cutting garden, the English garden, the cottage garden or train to any verticle structure.

Received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Good disease resistance. Occasional problems with blackspot. See pests of roses to the left. Deer will browse roses.

VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.