Very thorny roses aren’t always burden to gardeners but can provide a hindrance for any unwanted guests. We have listed the most thorniest roses we grow, some are more so than others. For the most savage barbs the likes of ‘Cerise Bouquet’ and ‘R. sericea ‘Pteracantha” would make a great hedge. While unmatched in its density and size of thorns, ‘Wicker’ would be a perfect obstacle for a tall wall or structure.
PRODUCT TYPE
ROSE GROUP
COLOUR
SIZE
HIGHLY FRAGRANT
SITUATION
FLOWER FORM
FLOWERING PERIOD
AWARD WINNING
GIFT IDEAS
BREEDER
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Out of stock
Yellow Dagmar Hastrup, a.k.a. Topaz Jewel, has beautiful primrose yellow double blooms and dark shiny foliage. Very healthy. Compact growth. Performs well in most situations. Continuous flowering. Size: 90cm x 90cm. -
Out of stock
Rare and unusual. Clusters of small creamy-white flowers. Highly fragrant. Dense grey-green foliage. Summer flowering. Height 3m. -
Clusters of semi-double, pure white blooms with a frilly carnation-like appearance. Forms a robust, thorny shrub with leathery foliage. Repeat flowering. Size:1.2m x 0.9m. -
Small semi-double blooms with an unusual frilled appearance. Scented of oranges and produced at Midsummer in abundance. Vigorous prickly growth. Size:4.5 x 3m. -
Double quartered blooms of blush pink. A graceful shrub with grey-green foliage. Perpetual flowering. Strongly scented. Good in most situations. Size:1.5 x 1.5m. -
Out of stock
Smiling Eyes is a Gold Standard award winner. A small, neat shrub bearing a mass of single apricot blooms with a distinct central blotch. Highly disease resistant. Good for a pot. Repeat flowering. Size 90cms x 90cms. -
A vigorous rambler bearing clusters of small white single blooms. Fragrant. Leaves and young shoots have a purple tint overlaid with grey. Summer flowering. Good autumn hips. Size:10m x 7m. -
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A.k.a Snowdwarf. Clusters of small semi- double pure white blooms. Scented. Bushy growth. Decorative orange hips. Repeat flowering. Hardy and healthy. Size: 1.5m x 1.2m. -
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Very large reddy mauve blooms. Enormous large red hips in the Autumn. Good scent. Excellent healthy foliage. Recurrent flowering. Size:1.5m x 1.2m. -
A good hybrid Rugosa. Cupped double pink blooms in clusters. Very strong perfume. Perpetual flowering. Leathery foliage. Upright bushy growth. Ideal for a tall hedge. Size:1.5 x 0.9m
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Out of stock
Clusters of fully double cerise crimson blooms with a good scent. Very dark green foliage.Well armed with many prickles. Summer flowering.Possibly the first hybrid rose bred in the UK. Size:3m x 3m. Good in difficult situations. -
Large semi-double blooms of crimson-purple. Very strong spicy perfume. Good healthy foliage. Excellent for a hedge. Repeat flowering. Size:1.8m x 1.5m. -
A Portland Damask. Fully double ruby red blooms with purple tints and a button eye. Strong fragrance. An excellent smaller repeat flowering variety. Size:90cm x 90cm. -
Out of stock
a.k.a.The Sacramento Rose or The Gooseberry Rose. Unusual rose with gooseberry-like leaves. Single blooms of lilac -pink with a prominent centre of orange yellow stamens. Stems and buds covered with spines. Dense growth with many branches. 1m x 1m. -
Out of stock
Small single white blooms set amongst very grey green foliage. The small orange hips are attractive in the autumn. Summer flowering. Rambling Habit. Size:3.6m x 3.6m. -
Flat wide translucent red thorns make this rose quite unique. Small single white blooms in May. Once flowering. Very upright growth with ferny foliage. Orange hips. Size:2.7m x 2.1m. -
Large,pure white,single blooms. Good scent. Large round orange fruit hips. Good Autumn foliage. Continuous flowering. Size: 1.5m x 1.5m. -
Out of stock
Small single yellow fragrant flowers with buff edges. Wonderful apple-scented foliage. Forms a stout branching shrub. Does well in poor soil. Summer flowering. Size:1.8 x 1.8m. -
Rich pink single blooms in profusion. Foliage scented of green apples. Strong growth with hips in autumn. Summer flowering. Size:2.4 x 2.4. -
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a.k.a.The Sweet Briar Rose. Medium-sized single pink blooms borne on a prickly shrub. Foliage has the distinct fragrance of green apples. Summer flowering. Size:2m x 2m. -
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a.k.a.The Chestnut Rose. A very unique variety. Pale pink single blooms are produced in summer. The leaves are each composed of many leaflets and the bark gains a peeled effect as it ages. Size: 2.5m x 2m. -
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a.k.a.The Incense Rose. Smothered with small single primrose yellow blooms in May. The glossy ferney foliage exudes a strong scent of incense especially when damp. Size:1.5m x 1.2m. -
A.k.a. Rosa spinosissima 'Dunwichensis'. A procumbent variety which produces a solid mound of creamy white single blooms. Ferny foliage and bristly brown stems. Spring flowering. Size: 0.6m x 1.2m. -
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A.k.a Rosa spinosissima. An early flowering variety. Creamy white single blooms. A dense prickly shrub. Round black hips. Grows on most soils. Spring flowering. Size:1m x 1m -
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A.k.a Rosa spinosissima 'Marbled Pink'. Small open double flowers of pale pink overlaid with a streaking of deeper pink. Scented. Dense bushy growth. Black globular hips. Dainty yet very robust. Spring Flowering. 1m x 1m. -
Rosa spinosissima ‘Firth of Forth'. Discovered by Trevor White. Lightly marbled blooms with pink veins. Masses of 5cm wide single flowers gradually open to pure white. Delicate musky fragrance. Size: 140cm x 120cm -
Pale yellow globular blooms. Dense prickly growth with ferny foliage. Very robust but retaining a delicate charm. Spring flowering. Size: 1.5m x 1.2m. -
Out of stock
A.k.a Rosa spinosissima 'Double White'. Small globular pure white blooms. Dense prickly rounded growth with dainty small leaves. An excellent variety. Will grow in most soils. Spring flowering. Size:1.2 x 1.2m. -
A low suckering shrub with slender canes covered in bristles. Glossy leaves. Single pink flowers. Good autumn foliage. Summer flowering. Size:60cm x 60cm. -
A large shrub bearing single flowers of deep pink. Ornamental flagon-shaped hips in the autumn which last well into the winter. Summer flowering. Size:2.4m x 2.0m. -
Single geranium red blooms with creamy stamens. Flagon-shaped hips. Vigorous growth. Healthy and hardy. Summer flowering. Size:2.4m 1.5m. -
Out of stock
Sent from China by Wilson. Single crimson-red blooms with creamy stamens produced on a large shrub. Ornamental flagon-shaped hips in autumn. Summer flowering. Size:3m x 2.4m. -
A vigorous shrub with fine purple green foliage. The single carmine pink flowers are followed by very decorative flagon-shaped hips. Summer flowering. Size:2m x 2m.
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Rosa centifolia 'Variegata', a.k.a. 'Village Maid', has very fragrant double blooms of creamy white with streaks of pale pink. Robust and very prickly shrub. Summer flowering. Size:1.5m x 1.2m. -
Rosa californica 'Plena' has semi-double hollyhocks shaped lilac pink flowers. Produces some small orange red fruit in the autumn. Summer flowering. Size: 3m x 2m. -
Rare. Huge single white flowers with a prominent boss of yellow stamens. Flowers late but continues up until frosts. Almost evergreen foliage. Needs a very sheltered site. Can be grown as a shrub but best as a climber. Supplied on own roots. Size 2m x 2m+ -
a.k.a Etendard. Double bright red flowers in clusters.Good glossy dark green foliage. Rigid growth Repeat flowering. Scented. Size 3m x 2.4m. -
Rambling Rector has masses of small semi-double highly fragrant white blooms. Very vigorous growth. Summer flowering. Requires room to flourish, as it can grow to 6m x 4.5m -
a.k.a Konigin von Danemark. Fully double quartered blooms of soft pink with a button eye emerging from bright pink buds. Grey green foliage. Very fragrant. Summer flowering. Size: 1.5m x 1.2m. -
Quatre Saisons, a.k.a Autumn Damask, displays loosely formed double pink blooms on a thorny shrub. Exceptional fragrance. Repeat flowering. Good for use in pot-pourri. Size: 1.2m x 90cm. -
Out of stock
A.k.a Fimbriata Bunches of small very pale pink to white flowers with quilled petals. Scented. Healthy foliage. Forms a large bushy shrub .More refined than most Rugosas. Repeat flowering. Size 1.2m x 1.2m. -
Peter's Persica is a unique climbing rose. The first Persica Climbing rose introduced by renowned rose breeder Chris Warner. Commemorates British broadcaster and writer Peter Seabrook MBE. Yellow semi-double blooms with red eye. Size 250cm x 100cm -
Clusters of peachy pink quilled blooms. A large vigorous shrub. Leathery Rugosa foliage. Rare. perpetual flowering. Size: 1.2m x 0.9m. -
Out of stock
Grown from a seed bought over from roses growing by Omar Khayyam's tomb, which would now be found modern day Iran. Double spiky rich pink blooms open flat with a button eye. Strong fragrance. Soft pale grey-green foliage. Size: 1.8m x 1.8m. -
Blooms orange scarlet in bud opening to salmon pink. Foliage coppery-crimson. Summer flowering. A vigorous climbing rose. Scented. Size: 5.5m x 3.6m. -
The dark brown stems and dark green leaves provide the perfect background for the semi- double white flowers with golden stamens. Sweetly scented. Perpetual flowering. Size:2m x 1.5m. -
Excellent pedigree. Very large globular blooms of satin pink. Heady fragrance. Strong healthy growth. Repeat flowering. Size: 4.5m x 3m. -
Large single creamy yellow blooms with golden stamens. Dark green almost evergreen foliage. Good fragrance. Perpetual flowering. Good on a north wall if sheltered. Size: 6m x 6m. -
Stunning semi-double rich golden yellow blooms. Vigorous thorny plant with glossy foliage. Very healthy and exceptionally hardy. Flowers early with some later blooms. Size: 3.6m x 2.4m. -
Leo's Eye has clusters of bright single orange vermilion blooms. Very thorny rambler. Summer flowering. Size:4m x 3m. -
Le Vesuve's pointed buds open in loose blowsy clusters of carmine pink with delicate red veins. Tea scent. Shiny green foliage with tints of copper. Angular growth. Likes a warm aspect. Repeat Flowering. Size:1.2m x 1.2m. -
La Belle Marseillaise, a.k.a Fellemberg, has trusses of double cupped bright crimson-cerise blooms. Good scent. Vigorous pliable stems. Red prickly thorns with dark foliage. Makes a good pillar rose. Perpetual flowering. Size 1.5m x 1.5m. -
Extremely rampant rambler bearing huge trusses of small single creamy flowers. Strong fragrance. Summer flowering. Suitable for growing into a tree, as seen famously in Kiftsgate Court Gardens. Red hips in autumn. Size:9m x 6m. -
Clusters of single pink blooms with white centres. Grey-green foliage. A Rosa soulieana hybrid. Vigorous and richly scented. Summer flowering. Size: 4.5m x 4m. -
A superbly scented rose, Kazanlik is grown commercially in Bulgaria for rose oil. Loose double pale pink blooms in clusters. Light green foliage. Summer flowering. Size:1.8m x 1.5m. -
Named after the Norwegian explorer and just as tough. This violet-pink, semi-double Rugosa has charming yellow stamens. Ideal to be trained as a hedge, with its welcoming scent. Smaller in foliage and stature than most Rugosas. Repeats. Size 1.2 x 1.2m. -
Striped tea-shaped blooms of bright red with pink and white texture running through. Mid green foliage. Good scent. Hardy. Continuous flowering. Size: 1m x 1m. -
a.k.a Rosa helenae. The huge clusters of oval red fruits are outstanding and follow a display of small white single fragrant flowers in June. Strong growth with grey-green foliage. Summer Flowering. Size 6m x 4.5m. -
Hebe's Lip, a.k.a. Rubrotincta Margined Hip, has scented semi-double white blooms with pink tinged edges in clusters. A tidy compact shrub with serrated mid green foliage. Summer flowering. Size 1.2m x 1.2m. -
Double blooms of cerise-purple. Sweet spicy scent. Large round red fruits in autumn. Healthy leathery foliage. Good for hedging. Almost identical to Roseraie de l'Hay, this would make a good substitute. Repeat flowering. Size: 1.8m x 1.5m.
