Best Rambling Roses

Rambing roses are more vigorous than climbing roses and produce smaller flowers held in open, sweetly-scented airy sprays, sometimes followed by colourful rose hips. They flower once in a single large flush, typically in June. Rambling roses are perfect for covering a large wall, fence, pergola or for growing into the canopy of a large, established tree. It's important they are given a strong, sturdy support because they become heavy when mature. We've hand picked the best 4 rambling roses for UK gardens. For smaller climbing roses check out our separate article on the best climbing roses.

Top 4 Rambling Roses

1. Rose 'Albertine'

'Albertine' is a delightful, richly scented rambling rose producing lots of beautiful, semi-double, frothy pink blooms that emerge from attractive, copper-red flower buds to clothe the plant from June to July. Reaching up to 5 metres tall by 3 metres wide, it is perfect for covering larger spaces - walls, large fences, unsightly sheds and outbuildings, or even growing up a small tree. Whatever supporting structure you choose needs to be robust though, as it will get weighty and need a strong support as it gets older. It has an informal, cottage garden feel and will thrive in exposed sites better than other types of climbing and rambling rose.

The soft pink blooms combine particularly well with deep-purple flowered climbers for a blast of colour that will last all summer long and are set off against a backdrop of healthy shoots and leaves that are flushed russet-brown when young. Generally pest and disease free providing its roots are kept sufficiently moist. Introduced from France in 1921, it has grown in popularity and will thrive on clay, providing the ground does not lie wet. Incorporate plenty of well-rotted organic matter and a generous handful of bonemeal when planting to encourage strong root development.

2. Rose 'American Pillar'

'American Pillar' is a vigorous rambling rose which becomes completely covered in clusters of bright pink single flowers with white centres, golden yellow stamens and attractive veining detail in June. The flowers are then followed by spherical red rose hips. It is perfect for delivering a one-off showstopping flower display in mid-summer and can be used as a framework to grow a summer flowering clematis once established to lengthen the flowering display. It will quickly produce a strong framework of thorny stems and slightly toothed, glossy deep green leaves reaching up to 6 metres tall by 3 metres wide. Originally bred in the US and introduced to the UK in 1909, it is a long-standing rose whose popularity has stood the test of time. 'American Pillar' is ideal for covering a large wall, fence, unsightly outbuilding or even growing up a large tree.

3. Rose 'Paul's Himalayan Musk'

'Paul's Himalayan Musk' is a very vigorous, large climber well suited for quickly covering large spaces. It produces an abundance of fabulous, small soft pink rosette-shaped blooms in open sprays, creating a delicate, airy effect. It has a free flowering habit with a strong, musky fragrance with blooms set off against slightly toothed, glossy deep green foliage and copper-tinged young foliage. Flowering once in mid-summer, it develops into a framework of long, slim, flexible branches and will reach 6 metres tall and almost as wide, capable of clothing a two-story house or covering the largest of obelisks and arches. The nectar-rich flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies and its hooked thorns make it suitable for growing up through trees too. It will succeed in full sun or partial shade, preferring a moist yet free draining soil, which may be clay providing it does not lie wet.

4. Rose 'Paul's Scarlet'

'Paul's Scarlet' is an excellent rambling rose producing sweetly scented, cup-shaped, fully double scarlet blooms which appear in abundance on stiff, thorny stems from June to July. It is a vigorous, low maintenance rambler with graceful, arching stems and finely-toothed, ovate, semi-glossy mid green deciduous leaves. Growing best in a fertile, well-drained soil, it's perfect for covering a wall, pergola or fence in a sunny spot of the garden. The slightly fragrant, eye-catching, early summer blooms have a medium disease resistance and often lighten to pinkish-red with age.

Reasons to Buy Rambling Roses from Jackson's Nurseries

(1) ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot

Buy with confidence from the only online rose grower rated ‘Excellent’ 4.9* on Trustpilot. We have been a trusted supplier of roses for 3 generations. We take pride in growing our own roses in the field before potting them up, allowing for meticulous quality control to sale.

(2) Best Prices Guaranteed – Direct from the Grower

Save £££s by buying direct from a grower you can trust. We’ve already price checked all of our roses against competitors so you don’t have to. We are so confident we offer the best value, if you find a rose of the same type and grade elsewhere, we’ll beat it by 10%.

(3) 12 Month Plants Guarantee

We offer a 12 month guarantee on every plant that you buy from us that we have classified as Fully Hardy. If a plant you've bought from us fails in the first year, we will either replace it or refund you. See our satisfaction guarantee page for more details and conditions.

(4) Third generation family-owned nursery specialising in roses

Jackson’s Nurseries is a 3rd generation family owned business which has been growing roses for over 60 years. Roses have always been our specialty, as you can see from the colourful array of blooms in the background to the old family photo below. Today, we offer over 200 different varieties of floribundas, hybrid teas, patio, shrub and David Austin roses. Our roses are initially grown in the field before being potted up for website dispatch.

(5) Grown at altitude to produce strong, healthy plants

Our North Staffordshire nursery is situated at 250 metres above sea level, producing strong, hardy plants that will thrive in your garden. Our nursery sits on clay, so you can be sure our roses can handle heavy soil too.

(6) Help & Advice and Aftercare

We are here to help you with any help and advice you need in choosing, planting and growing your roses before, during and after your purchase from us. The help and advice section of our website has extensive information, see below some examples of articles you may find useful:

• Different types of roses and what they each mean
• Guide to climbing roses
• Guide to floribunda roses
• Guide to hybrid tea roses
• How to plant a climbing rose
• How to grow hybrid tea roses