Bonica rose

Sun

Full sun, ideally at least 6 hours daily; tolerates light shade but flowers less freely.

Water

Water deeply during establishment and prolonged dry spells; established plants prefer evenly moist soil but tolerate brief dry periods.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil that retains some moisture; slightly acidic to neutral is ideal. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Spread

4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m)

Flowers

Clusters of soft pink, double flowers from late spring or early summer into autumn, repeating in flushes; lightly scented.

Foliage

Small to medium-sized, glossy green leaves with toothed leaflets; stems bear prickles.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Medium

• Heat tolerant
• Disease resistant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.1 ft (0.64 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.6 ft (0.78 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (0.92 m)

5. After 5 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

   full size

About 5 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water at soil level, soaking the root zone rather than frequently wetting the leaves.
• Apply a rose fertiliser in spring as growth begins; repeat after the first flower flush according to the label, but avoid late-season feeding in cold climates.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of compost or organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Remove spent flower clusters to encourage repeat flowering, or leave the final flush to develop hips.
• Allow room for the arching branches and good airflow rather than crowding plants together.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, once the worst freezes have passed, remove dead, damaged and crossing stems, then shorten the remaining growth by about one-third to one-half. Cut just above outward-facing buds and remove any suckers arising below the graft union.

Autumn

Plant container-grown roses while the soil is workable; water thoroughly and mulch.

Winter

Plant bare-root roses when dormant, provided the ground is neither frozen nor waterlogged.

Late winter to early spring

Prune before strong new growth develops, delaying in very cold areas until severe freezes are unlikely.

Spring

Apply rose fertiliser and refresh the mulch; check young shoots for aphids.

Summer

Water during dry spells, deadhead faded clusters and inspect leaves for black spot.

Late summer to autumn

Stop deadheading if you want hips, and collect fallen diseased leaves.

• Plant as a broad, informal flowering hedge along a sunny boundary, keeping prickly stems back from paths.
• Repeat through mixed borders with catmint, hardy geraniums and salvias for a long season of pink, blue and purple flowers.
• Use in groups on open banks or in large beds where its arching growth can fill space.
• Place near a fence or terrace as a rounded flowering shrub, with lower perennials covering the base.

Garden styles it suits: English country, Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Traditional, Pastel border and Formal.

Plant it with: Catmint, Hardy geranium, Meadow sage, Lavender, Lady's mantle and Allium.

Wildlife: The double flowers offer less accessible pollen than single roses, though insects may visit open blooms. Hips left after flowering may feed birds, and the dense, prickly branches provide shelter.

• Black spot: dark leaf spots and premature leaf fall are most likely in wet weather. Remove affected fallen leaves, improve airflow and avoid overhead watering; use a locally approved rose fungicide if damage remains severe.
• Aphids: colonies gather on soft shoots and flower buds. Wash them off with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators; use insecticidal soap if necessary.
• Powdery mildew: white powder on leaves and buds is encouraged by dry roots and poor airflow. Water deeply, thin crowded growth and remove badly affected shoots.
• Rose rosette disease in North America: distorted red shoots, excessive prickles and witches'-broom growth require investigation. Remove and dispose of confirmed infected plants, including roots; there is no cure.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Prickles can puncture skin, and hairs inside rose hips can irritate the mouth and digestive tract; eating large amounts of plant material may cause stomach upset.

• The Fairy rose (Rosa 'The Fairy')

  Also bears clusters of double pink flowers, but usually has much smaller blooms, finer foliage and a lower, more spreading habit than Bonica.

Propagation. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, or hardwood cuttings from healthy stems in autumn. Seedlings will not reliably resemble Bonica; commercial plants are also propagated by budding onto rootstocks.

Accepted botanical name

Rosa

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.