| RUGOSA ROSES. If you have difficulty in growing roses, Rugosa roses will suit you down to the ground. A very tough variety they are often known as the ‘Rugged Rose’ and will cope with all types of abuse, from sub zero temperatures, to salt air, drought, shade and poor soil, in fact they are almost indestructible and disease free. Most of them need plenty of room as they are big roses often growing to 5ft or more. Rugosa means “wrinkled” in Latin and you will notice that all Rugosa roses have wrinkled leathery leaves and always look very healthy. The leaves turn yellow or yellow-orange in the autumn adding colour to the autumn garden. They come in quite a few colours and most have an excellent perfume. They make a good specimen rose in the garden, and as a perfumed hedge they cannot be beaten. If you have the space for this rose, you will be rewarded for many years to come with the sweetly scented blooms, plus a ready supply of coloured hips with which to make rose-hip jam, jelly, syrup and pot pourri.
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