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Rose 'Arthur Bell' - Standard Rose Tree (Floribunda)
A classic award-winning floribunda rose that produces spectacular clusters of golden yellow blooms with an exceptionally strong fragrance, offering outstanding garden performance and reliability since 1964.
Headlines
- Plant Type: Hardy deciduous floribunda rose
- Eventual Height: 1.6m (90-120cm stem)
- Eventual Spread: 80cm diameter head
- Flowering Period: June to September
- Flower Colour: Golden yellow fading to cream
- Fragrance: Very strong and sweet
- Foliage: Dark green, glossy, healthy leaves
- Hardiness: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -20 to -15 degrees Celcius (RHS hardiness rating H6)
- Growth Habit: Compact, bushy, vigorous
- Awards: RHS Award of Garden Merit (1993), RNRS Certificate of Merit (1964)
- Flower Type: Large, double blooms in clusters
Overview
Rose 'Arthur Bell' is a distinguished floribunda rose that has earned its place as one of the most beloved yellow roses in British gardens. Named after the creator of Arthur Bell Scotch whiskey, this exceptional variety combines spectacular visual impact with an incredibly strong, sweet fragrance that fills the garden with its delightful scent. The rose produces large, double blooms that begin as striking golden yellow and gracefully transition to light yellow and cream as they mature, creating a constantly evolving display of warm, sunny colours. With its proven track record of reliability, excellent disease resistance, and continuous flowering from early summer through to autumn, 'Arthur Bell' represents the perfect combination of classic beauty and modern garden performance.
Key Features
The outstanding characteristic of 'Arthur Bell' lies in its ability to produce large, fully double blooms in abundant clusters throughout the growing season. Each flower begins as a striking golden yellow and gradually transitions through lighter shades to cream, creating a beautiful colour progression that adds depth and interest to the display. The blooms possess a classic floribunda form with multiple layers of petals, whilst the exceptionally strong and sweet fragrance provides one of the most powerful scents found in any rose variety. The healthy, dark green glossy foliage creates an attractive backdrop for the golden blooms, whilst the vigorous growth habit ensures reliable performance year after year.
Growth Characteristics
This floribunda rose displays a naturally compact and bushy growth habit that makes it exceptionally versatile for garden use. The plant develops into a well-proportioned shrub on top of the grafted lollipop stem with excellent branching structure. The vigorous growth habit ensures rapid establishment and impressive displays from an early age, whilst the compact size makes it ideal for smaller gardens, container cultivation, or positioning in mixed borders. The healthy constitution and robust nature mean it performs consistently whether planted individually as a specimen or in groups for maximum impact.
Flowering Performance
From early summer through to autumn, 'Arthur Bell' delivers one of the most spectacular flowering displays of any floribunda rose. The plant produces masses of large, double blooms in sizeable clusters that create substantial visual impact with each successive flush. The flowers begin as beautifully formed golden yellow blooms that gradually fade to pale creamy yellow with age, whilst some varieties show a subtle red tinge to the bud edges that adds extra interest. The repeat-flowering nature ensures continuous colour throughout the growing season, with particularly impressive displays in the early summer flush followed by consistent flowering until the first autumn frosts.
Growing Conditions
'Arthur Bell' thrives in full sun positions with moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flowering performance. The rose adapts well to various soil types and shows good tolerance of poor soil conditions, making it suitable for a wide range of garden situations. For best results, plant in an open, sunny site where good air circulation can help maintain the healthy foliage. The rose benefits from consistent moisture throughout the growing season, particularly during dry spells, though it shows good drought tolerance once established.
Care and Maintenance
'Arthur Bell' requires standard floribunda rose care to maintain optimal health and flowering performance. Apply a balanced fertiliser and mulch in late winter or early spring, followed by another application of balanced fertiliser in early summer to support continuous flowering. For maximum flowering, apply a balanced liquid fertiliser every three weeks during spring and summer. Regular watering during dry periods, particularly in the first year after planting, helps establish strong root systems. The good disease resistance means this variety requires minimal intervention, making it an excellent choice for busy gardeners. Deadheading regularly throughout the summer encourages continued flowering, whilst annual pruning in late winter maintains the compact shape and promotes vigorous new growth.
Garden Applications
'Arthur Bell' excels as a specimen plant where its spectacular golden blooms and powerful fragrance can be fully appreciated. The compact size makes it perfect for mixed borders, where it provides continuous colour and fragrance throughout the growing season. Excellent for cut flowers, the large, fragrant blooms create stunning indoor arrangements that fill rooms with their sweet scent. The rose works beautifully in formal bedding schemes, cottage gardens, or contemporary landscapes, whilst the vigorous growth habit makes it suitable for group plantings where maximum impact is desired. The powerful fragrance makes it ideal for positioning near seating areas, pathways, or beneath windows where the scent can be enjoyed.
Container Growing
The compact growth habit and vigorous nature make 'Arthur Bell' well-suited to container cultivation, making it perfect for patios, balconies, and areas where soil conditions are challenging. Choose a large 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 ensures they remain manageable whilst delivering exceptional flowering performance. The strong fragrance is particularly appreciated in container cultivation, where the rose can be positioned for maximum sensory impact.
Seasonal Interest
Throughout the growing season, 'Arthur Bell' provides continuous interest that evolves beautifully with the months. Spring brings the emergence of healthy, glossy foliage and the first flower buds, building anticipation for the spectacular main flowering display. The extended flowering season ensures months of golden colour and powerful fragrance, with the colour transition from deep yellow to cream adding ongoing visual interest. The healthy foliage remains attractive throughout the season, providing an excellent backdrop for the abundant flower clusters. Even in winter, the strong branching structure provides some architectural interest whilst promising another year of spectacular flowering performance.
Cutting and Floral Arrangements
The large, fragrant blooms make 'Arthur Bell' exceptional for cutting and indoor arrangements. The golden yellow colouring works beautifully with a wide range of other flowers and foliage, whilst the exceptionally strong fragrance provides a powerful and long-lasting scent in indoor displays. The large, double blooms have excellent substance and longevity when cut, making them ideal for both formal arrangements and casual bouquets. The strong stems support the substantial blooms well, whilst the sweet fragrance creates an immediate and memorable impact in any room. For best results, cut stems early in the morning and condition properly for maximum vase life.
Fragrance Profile
The exceptionally strong and sweet fragrance of 'Arthur Bell' is one of its most outstanding characteristics, providing one of the most powerful scents found in any rose variety. The intense fragrance emanates from the large, double blooms and carries well throughout the garden, making it noticeable from a considerable distance. The sweet scent profile is classic and appealing, providing a traditional rose fragrance that enhances the overall garden experience. The powerful fragrance makes this rose particularly valuable for fragrance gardens, sensory plantings, or any position where the scent can be fully appreciated and enjoyed.
Wildlife Value
The abundant clusters of flowers provide valuable nectar sources for bees and other pollinators throughout the extended flowering season. The accessible flower structure and continuous blooming habit make this rose an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly gardens, supporting local pollinator populations from early summer through to autumn. The strong fragrance serves as a natural attractant for beneficial insects, contributing to a healthy garden ecosystem. The repeat-flowering nature ensures that wildlife benefits extend throughout the growing season, making this rose a valuable addition to pollinator-friendly garden schemes.
Historical Significance
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV in 1964 by crossing 'Cläre Grammerstorf' with 'Piccadilly', 'Arthur Bell' represents a significant achievement in rose breeding that has stood the test of time. Named after Arthur Bell, the creator of Scotch whiskey, the rose has maintained its popularity and relevance for over 60 years, testament to its exceptional garden qualities. The numerous awards, including the Royal National Rose Society's Certificate of Merit in 1964 and the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993, confirm its status as a rose of exceptional merit and enduring value.
Companion Planting
The warm golden yellow colouring of 'Arthur Bell' provides excellent opportunities for companion planting with a wide range of garden plants. The yellow tones work beautifully with blue and purple flowers such as lavender, delphiniums, and catmint, creating striking complementary colour combinations. The rose pairs well with other warm-coloured flowers, whilst the golden hues complement silver-foliaged plants like artemisia and lamb's ear. The strong fragrance and compact habit make it suitable for planting with herbaceous perennials, creating dynamic mixed borders that provide both visual and aromatic interest throughout the growing season.
Why Choose 'Arthur Bell'?
Rose 'Arthur Bell' represents the perfect combination of classic beauty, exceptional fragrance, and proven garden reliability. With over 60 years of proven performance, this award-winning floribunda produces spectacular clusters of golden yellow blooms with an exceptionally strong, sweet fragrance that fills the garden with its delightful scent. The vigorous growth habit, good disease resistance, and continuous flowering from early summer through to autumn ensure reliable performance with minimal maintenance requirements. Whether grown for its outstanding fragrance, spectacular golden blooms, or proven reliability, 'Arthur Bell' offers exceptional value and enduring beauty that continues to make it one of the most beloved roses in British gardens.
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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