Rose 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' - Hybrid Tea Rose (Also known as 'Peafanfare')
A stunning award-winning hybrid tea rose that produces exquisitely formed, large, strongly scented blooms in pale white to blush pink with exceptional disease resistance, vigorous repeat flowering, and compact upright growth habit, making it perfect for borders, cutting gardens, and container cultivation.
Headlines
- Plant Type: Hardy deciduous hybrid tea rose
- Eventual Height: 90cm
- Eventual Spread: 90cm
- Flowering Period: July to September
- Flower Colour: Pale white to blush pink with spiral bud form
- Hardiness: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -20 to -15 degrees Celsius (RHS hardiness rating H6)
- Growth Habit: Compact, upright and vigorous
- Flower Type: Large, fully double blooms with classic spiral form
- Fragrance: Very strong, intense fragrance (rating 6-8)
- Awards: RHS Award of Garden Merit 2012
Overview
Rose 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' stands as one of the most celebrated hybrid tea roses of recent years, holding the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit since 2012 for its exceptional garden performance and outstanding floral beauty. Created by renowned breeder Colin Pearce of Limes New Roses, this remarkable variety produces magnificent large, strongly scented, well-formed blooms in pale white to blush pink that create truly enchanting displays throughout the growing season. Each exquisitely formed flower showcases the classic spiral bud form that defines the finest hybrid tea roses, measuring impressively large with exceptional substance and weather resistance. With its compact upright growth reaching 1m in height with 1m spread, excellent disease resistance, vigorous repeat flowering from late spring to frost, and very strong fragrance, 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' represents the pinnacle of modern hybrid tea breeding for gardeners seeking classic elegance with reliable performance and exceptional aromatic appeal.
Key Features
The outstanding appeal of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' lies in its remarkable ability to produce large, exquisitely formed blooms in pale white to blush pink with the classic spiral bud form that epitomises hybrid tea excellence. Each flower displays beautifully structured, fully double formation with exceptional substance and weather resistance, creating ongoing visual interest with sophisticated elegance. The blooms are produced individually on strong stems, creating substantial visual impact perfect for cutting and garden display. The classic spiral form combines timeless rose elegance with modern garden performance, whilst the very strong, intense fragrance provides exceptional aromatic appeal that fills the garden air. The exceptional flowering quality ensures this hybrid tea delivers sophisticated impact with continuous blooming, making it particularly suitable for situations where classic rose beauty with outstanding fragrance is required from a reliable, vigorous plant.
Growth Characteristics
This hybrid tea rose displays a naturally compact, upright and vigorous growth habit that makes it exceptionally suitable for diverse garden applications and formal landscaping schemes. The strong and healthy nature ensures reliable flowering whilst maintaining an attractive, manageable form perfect for borders, formal displays, and cutting gardens. The upright growth habit provides excellent stem length and strength for the large blooms, making this variety particularly suitable for cut flower production and formal garden applications where classic hybrid tea elegance is important. The compact dimensions ensure it fits well into smaller gardens whilst still delivering substantial presence through its impressive flowering displays.
Flowering Performance
From late spring through to frost, 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' delivers an exceptional flowering display that continues consistently throughout the extended growing season. The plant produces magnificent large blooms with classic spiral bud form, creating substantial visual impact with vigorous repeat flowering that brightens garden spaces for months on end. The flowers showcase pale white to blush pink colouring that maintains excellent colour retention and weather resistance, creating ongoing visual interest and timeless elegance. The vigorous repeat-flowering nature ensures continuous blooming throughout the growing season, with the individual large blooms providing spectacular displays that capture attention with their classic form and reliable performance. The extended flowering period makes this rose invaluable for maintaining consistent garden interest and cutting material from late spring through to late autumn.
Growing Conditions
'A Whiter Shade of Pale' thrives in full sun positions with fertile, moist yet well-drained soil, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flowering performance and fragrance development. The rose adapts well to various soil types providing adequate drainage is maintained and benefits from incorporation of well-rotted organic matter and bonemeal when planting to encourage strong root development. For best results, plant in fertile, well-drained soil that has been improved with organic matter, ensuring consistent moisture throughout the growing season. The rose benefits from good air circulation around the foliage and performs well in various exposures. This adaptable variety succeeds in a wide range of garden situations whilst maintaining its exceptional flowering performance and classic hybrid tea characteristics.
Hardiness and Disease Resistance
This rose demonstrates exceptional hardiness suitable for growing throughout the UK, being fully hardy and showing excellent tolerance of typical British weather conditions. One of the most notable features of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' is its excellent disease resistance, which significantly reduces maintenance requirements and ensures healthy growth throughout the season. The healthy, glossy to semi-glossy foliage remains attractive and vigorous, with outstanding natural resistance to common rose diseases. This exceptional disease resistance makes it an excellent choice for organic gardening approaches and eliminates the need for chemical interventions, making it particularly suitable for busy gardeners seeking low-maintenance excellence with classic hybrid tea beauty and outstanding fragrance.
Care and Maintenance
'A Whiter Shade of Pale' requires minimal maintenance to maintain optimal health and flowering performance, making it ideal for gardeners seeking classic hybrid tea elegance with easy-care characteristics. Apply a balanced rose fertiliser and mulch in late winter or early spring, followed by another application of fertiliser in early summer to support continuous flowering. Regular watering during dry periods, particularly in the first year after planting, helps establish strong root systems. The excellent disease resistance and vigorous nature means this variety requires minimal intervention, making it an easy-care option. Regular deadheading encourages continued flowering and maintains the spectacular display, whilst annual pruning in late winter maintains the upright shape and promotes vigorous new growth for optimal flowering performance and fragrance production.
Garden Applications
'A Whiter Shade of Pale' excels in formal and traditional garden settings where its continuous pale white to blush pink flowering provides exceptional elegance and classic appeal. The compact upright growth habit makes it ideal for borders, formal rose gardens, mixed plantings, and areas where its reliable performance and classic beauty can be appreciated. The pale white to blush pink flowers suit both traditional and contemporary garden settings perfectly, creating sophisticated displays that provide stunning focal points and complement various colour schemes. The rose works beautifully in formal plantings and mixed borders, creating elegant displays that provide months of continuous subtle colour and exceptional fragrance. The manageable size and classic appeal make it particularly suitable for entrance plantings, formal gardens, and anywhere consistent flowering with timeless elegance is required.
Container Growing
The compact growth habit and excellent disease resistance make 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' well-suited to container cultivation for patios, balconies, and formal container displays. The rose thrives in large containers where its exceptional fragrance can be fully appreciated, making it perfect for urban gardening applications and patio displays. Choose a container at least 50cm wide and deep with adequate drainage holes, and use high-quality multipurpose compost enriched with slow-release fertiliser. Container-grown specimens require more frequent watering and feeding than those planted in the ground, but the compact habit and strong growth ensure they deliver exceptional flowering performance and outstanding fragrance throughout the season whilst maintaining classic hybrid tea elegance.
Seasonal Interest
Throughout the growing season, 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' provides continuous interest that evolves beautifully with the months. Spring brings the emergence of fresh, healthy, glossy to semi-glossy foliage and the first flower buds with their classic spiral form, building anticipation for the main flowering display. The exceptional flowering season from late spring to frost ensures months of pale white to blush pink colour, with the large individual blooms creating sophisticated displays that showcase remarkable consistency and weather resistance. The healthy foliage remains attractive throughout the season, providing an excellent backdrop for the spectacular flower displays. Even in winter, the strong upright branching structure provides architectural interest whilst promising another year of spectacular flowering and award-winning performance.
Fragrance Profile
'A Whiter Shade of Pale' features a very strong, intense fragrance with a rating of 6-8 that provides exceptional aromatic appeal and fills the garden air with classic rose scent. The powerful fragrance enhances the garden experience and creates romantic garden atmospheres that complement the pale, elegant blooms perfectly. This makes it particularly suitable for areas where both visual beauty and outstanding aromatic appeal are desired, including seating areas, pathways, and near windows where the fragrance can be fully appreciated. The intense scent makes this rose exceptionally valuable for cutting gardens and indoor arrangements, where the fragrance can be enjoyed throughout the home.
Cutting Garden Excellence
One of the most appreciated features of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' is its exceptional value as a cutting rose, with the large, well-formed blooms carried on strong stems providing excellent material for floral arrangements. The classic spiral bud form and pale white to blush pink colouring create stunning bouquets that maintain their beauty and exceptional fragrance indoors. The vigorous growth and repeat flowering ensure abundant cutting material throughout the extended flowering season, making this rose invaluable for gardeners who enjoy fresh flowers indoors. The strong stems and long-lasting blooms with exceptional fragrance make it particularly suitable for formal arrangements and special occasions.
Companion Planting
The pale white to blush pink colours of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' provide exceptional opportunities for companion planting with a wide range of garden plants and sophisticated colour schemes. The subtle pale blooms work beautifully with all flower colours, creating elegant displays that highlight both plants whilst providing classic garden sophistication. The rose pairs exceptionally well with purple and blue flowers such as lavender and delphiniums, creating refined combinations that enhance the pale tones. Deeper pink roses and flowers create harmonious monochromatic displays, whilst white flowers provide elegant, sophisticated combinations. The compact habit makes it suitable for planting with perennials, herbs, and other moderate-sized plants, creating layered gardens that provide continuous interest and classic beauty throughout the growing season.
Award Recognition and Heritage
'A Whiter Shade of Pale' holds the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit since 2012, confirming its exceptional garden performance, outstanding reliability, and remarkable floral beauty with classic hybrid tea characteristics. This recognition reflects superior performance in diverse growing conditions and demonstrates the successful combination of traditional hybrid tea elegance with modern garden reliability. The RHS Award of Garden Merit is given only to roses that demonstrate excellent performance and reliability in garden conditions, marking this variety as one of exceptional merit that combines classic beauty with outstanding garden performance and disease resistance.
Heritage and Breeding Excellence
Bred by Colin Pearce of Limes New Roses with the cultivar name 'Peafanfare', 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' represents the exceptional breeding expertise of a breeder renowned for producing special roses. Colin Pearce, known for introducing relatively few but consistently outstanding varieties, has created this exceptional hybrid tea that successfully combines classic form with modern garden performance and exceptional disease resistance. The variety demonstrates innovative breeding that integrated traditional hybrid tea characteristics with contemporary garden reliability, creating a rose that satisfies both classic rose enthusiasts and contemporary gardening needs. This breeding excellence brings unique characteristics including exceptional fragrance intensity, remarkable disease resistance, and outstanding classic form that sets this variety apart from other hybrid tea roses.
Classic Spiral Form
The exceptional floral quality of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' ensures that gardens receive the ultimate in hybrid tea elegance, with large blooms showcasing the classic spiral bud form that defines the finest roses in this class. This remarkable characteristic provides ongoing sophisticated impact and ensures that the rose offers exceptional value for both garden display and cutting purposes. The classic form makes it particularly suitable for situations where traditional hybrid tea beauty with modern reliability is required.
Very Easy to Grow
One of the most appreciated features of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' is its reputation for being very easy to grow, making exceptional hybrid tea quality accessible to gardeners of all experience levels. This characteristic makes the rose particularly suitable for diverse garden applications where reliable performance with minimal intervention is required. The easy-growing nature ensures successful cultivation whilst maintaining all the benefits of classic hybrid tea characteristics including outstanding fragrance and elegant form.
Why Choose 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'?
Rose 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' represents the perfect combination of classic hybrid tea elegance, award-winning reliability, and exceptional aromatic beauty. The large, exquisitely formed blooms in pale white to blush pink with classic spiral form provide continuous flowering displays from late spring through to frost, whilst the excellent disease resistance ensures healthy growth with minimal maintenance. The compact upright growth habit makes it suitable for gardens of all sizes, from formal borders to cutting gardens and container cultivation. Whether grown for its spectacular classic blooms, exceptional fragrance with rating of 6-8, or as an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner bred by Colin Pearce, this outstanding hybrid tea rose offers exceptional value that will provide years of gardening pleasure and dependable sophisticated beauty with outstanding aromatic appeal in any garden setting.
Reasons to Buy Roses from Jacksons 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 help 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
How our roses are supplied through the seasons
All our roses are cultivated in an open field and are carefully dug up when the weather is optimal, typically in October or November. While other nurseries supply roses bare root, once our field-grown roses have been potted up we supply them freshly potted. This better protects the roots and helps keep them moist in transit, ensuring your roses arrive as healthy as when they left our nursery. So don’t be alarmed if the compost comes away from the roots when you remove them from the pot.
The roses can remain in their pots over the winter, as long as they are properly watered and fed, but it's best to plant them out as soon as possible. If you do plant them straight away make sure the planting mix is prepared first, hold the root close to the top of the hole as you tip the pot upside down and try to keep as much compost as possible from falling away. They will already be pruned, so no additional pruning is needed except for trimming any dead tips. Regular pruning can start in late winter, the year after planting.
Rose Types
Hybrid Tea Roses (HT)
Hybrid Tea roses are probably the most popular group of roses, available in both bush and standard form they have long flower stems and shapely blooms. Blooms are typically medium to large in size, with many petals which form a distinct central cone.
Floribunda Roses (FL)
Floribunda roses bears its flowers in clusters or trusses, with several blooms open at time in each truss. A popular choice the Floribunda rose group is unrivalled for colour, reliability and longevity as a bedding display however the flower form in generally inferior to the Hybrid Tea.
Patio Roses (PATIO)
Patio roses were introduced in the 1980’s and the group now contains several popular varieties. Generally low-growing roses that were once grouped with the Floribuna group but have now been put in their own group of compact versions. Usually growing about 50cm high they make excellent plants for patio containers or at the front of borders.
Climbing Roses (CLM)
Climbing roses as the name suggests are the perfect choice for covering a wall or screen. Often grouped together with Ramblers, Climbers tend to have stiffer stems, larger flowers but smaller trusses than Ramblers.
Rambling Roses (RAM)
Rambling roses are often grouped with Climbing Roses but the ramblers tend to have a more pliable stems that can be used to run along the soil to use as groundcover or can be used to make weeping standards.
Miniature Roses (MINI)
Miniature roses have increased in popularity in recent years due to their versatility, even grown indoors as temporary pot plants that grow to a maximum height of 40cm. An ideal choice for planting in tubs, edging beds and rockeries.
English Roses (ENG)
Often referred to as Austin or David Austin Roses, English roses are hybrids of old English roses and more modern varieties bread by David Austin to provide the best of both, mixing old rose shapes and scents with more modern colour range, compact habits and repeat flowering.
Planting Advice
Roses like a generous root space, so dig a deep hole approximately twice as wide as the current root system, preferably adding composted organic matter to the soil. Never plant into frozen soil – in winter, await a frost-free period. Carefully remove the pot and gently tease the roots apart to spread them around the hole. Position the plant so that the ‘bud point’ (the place where the shoots emerge from, where the cultivated rose was grafted onto the rootstock) is at soil level. Replace the soil, firming it down gently, then water copiously. Ideally, a general purpose fertiliser should be applied to the surrounding soil as a top dressing. We also highly recommend the use of Rose Rootgrow, which provides a friendly fungus that prevents ‘rose replant syndrome’.
Buying our Roses
Pot Size
Most of our roses are supplied in a 4 litre pot although this may vary slightly depending on rose variety. If the size of pot differes significatly from 4 litres then we will make this clear somewhere on the product page.
Seasonality
Our roses are grown outdoors and as such are subject to seasonal changes. As we sell potted stock throughout the year your rose may not arrive and look like you expect it to. If you are uncertain how your rose will arrive (especially if buying for a gift) then we suggest you contact us prior to making a purchase.
Freshly Potted
Each year a new batch of roses is potted up ready for the following season. Once potted (usually November/December time) they go on sale as 'Freshly Potted'. If you purchase a freshly potted rose and plant it soon after you will find that when removing the rose from the pot there will be a lot of loose soil as the roots will not have had time to grow and bind the compost.
Pruned/Cut Back
In autumn the majority of our roses have finished flowering and begin to look untidy, at this point we prune them quite hard in preparation for the following season. We continue to sell roses throughout the year, when a rose has been pruned in such a way we will identify it has being so. If you are not sure what to expect then please ask prior to making a purchase. Some garden centres/supermarkets sell stock that has been grown abroad or in poly-tunnels so they look 'picture perfect' out of season, while this is ideal for a gift they are short lived once planted.
Aftercare
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