Rosa glauca (syn. rubrifolia)

This rose is as tough as nails and the best rose of all for folial impact. The leaves are violet- and blue-tinged against which the small starry, pink and white blossoms make a striking contrast. Small, rounded dark red rose hips follow the flowers and remain on the shrub through winter and well into the following spring. Gary’s second favourite rose, after R. chinensis ‘Mutabilis’, and a must-have for any garden. Tolerant of shade but has deeper foliage colour in full sun.