Simply The Best Rose Bushes

Simply The Best Rose Bushes

Simply the Best is far and away the best of the orange roses. Although describing it as simply 'orange' is a bit like describing Tina Turner as simply a 'singer' - when many think she is one of the best. The flowers are perfectly shaped - many petalled, fully double, with high centres and held on long stems. And the colour is more golden, with fire at its heart, than orange; warm, rich and amazingly elegant.

Everything about this rose is good - the foliage is bronze when young turning to a glossy, healthy green as it ages. Simply the Best is just brilliantly named and should be somewhere near the top of everyone's list of roses to grow and admire. Buying it's a given but if you are looking for a range of roses to plant in the same border, then go to our main rose list here, but before you do; a final thought. This was Rose of the Year in 2002, to no one's surprise, so it's very good indeed.

Great for your garden

Simply the Best needs a sunny spot as it'll be one of the stars of the rose bed, so find it a prime position with deep, moisture retentive soil. Plant it where it's seen often and easy to get to; it's both highly scented and a super cutting rose so it'll attract visitors anyway! This is a medium sized hybrid tea, growing to about 3ft 6 ins (1.1m). It looks a hundred times better planted in a triangular group with the plants about 80cm apart. If your garden plan doesn't allow for an orange rose (shame) then plant a couple in your cutting bed as Simply the Best is also perfect for flower arrangements.

Rosa Simply the Best facts

• Type: Hybrid Tea
• Colour: Deep fiery gold
• Flower shape: Fully double,classic high centred hybrid tea
• Fragrance strength: Strong
• Final height and spread: 3ft 6ins x 3ft
• Flowering season: All summer
• Repeat Flowering: Yes
• Disease resistance: Excellent

History & Trivia

Simply the Best is yet another rose from the brilliant Sam McGredy. When asked why he had named it as he did, his answer was short: "because it is". Rose of the Year in 2002 it was also the official rose of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.