The portrait above is a beautiful painting of HM Queen Elizabeth II, aged nine years, who was born Princess Elizabeth of York (1926-2022). May she rest in Peace. The artist is Hungarian-British painter Philip Alexius de László, known for his portraits of royals and aristocrats. (1869-1937)
Queen Elizabeth II, like others in the Royal family, have roses named in their honour. There are two new roses in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II, and both are stunning roses bred to commemorate her Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
Those who know the desert also know how quickly it can flower when the rains come. When the conflict stops, peace can blossom just as quickly.
HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1976.
Her Majesty the Queen was never far from flowers, blooms and floral tributes but was not a ‘hands-on’ gardener, it seems. Still, she understood the importance of gardening and she adored the annual Chelsea Flower Show. She took a lively interest in the gardens of her Royal residences at Sandringham in Norfolk, Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, and Buckingham Palace in London. I think the gardens were always a welcome backdrop to her many garden parties throughout her reign.
David Austin bred this gorgeous rose in palest pink to softest blush colouring in a ruffled rosette style to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II this year 2022. It is described by David Austin Roses as;
A majestic rose bearing clusters of large, crisp apple blossom pink rosettes, paling to the gentlest blush white. Exceptionally healthy and versatile of habit, she forms a shapely and commanding shrub. She has a strong, sweet, fresh fragrance with hints of lemon sherbet and Old Rose.
The registration name is HERmagesty but this one doesn’t appear to be available in Australia. The rose features a strong old-rose fragrance, and is an English shrub rose said to grow to 140 cm x 140 cm, it can withstand partial shade, and repeat blooms. This lovely healthy rose is suitable for a hedge, a border or container gardening.
Another royal rose bred by Harkness in 2022 exclusively to commemorate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is a hybrid tea rose called ‘Queen Elizabeth II Rose’.
The rose is a relation of ‘Chando’s Beauty’, UK, and has large classic shaped flowers of soft pink, light amber gold and cream, with a strong sweet rose scent. The Harkness nursery originated in 1879 in Yorkshire and became a well-known grower of top-quality roses. It was 80 years later that Jack Harkness began breeding new varieties in Hitchin, and today, Harkness Roses are known worldwide for their reliability, flowering performance and beauty.
We are proud to launch The Queen Elizabeth II Rose, officially selected by Her Majesty to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
Harkness
Rosa, Queen Elizabeth ( above) has grown beautifully in my garden since I began the garden in 2015/16. At present, the foliage has just come out after a heavy prune in winter and will bloom all season from October. The Queen Elizabeth II rose is a healthy, disease-resistant rose with large stunning clear pink blooms that repeat consistently. It is one of those roses that are always stunning and predictably beautiful.
“His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation – were all irrepressible. That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.”
HM Queen Elizabeth on her Husband the Duke of Edinburgh 2021
Bred by Dr Walter Lammerts in the USA in 1954, Rosa Queen Elizabeth is a Floribunda Grandiflora, a large rose with dark glossy, leathery foliage ( always a sign of health) and is almost thornless. I bought mine in 2016 from Treloars roses as part of a cut flower selection, and it does not disappoint, having long straight stems and elegant buds of darker pink, and the shrub is slender, tall, bushy and upright.
Also called The Queen Elizabeth rose or Queen of England rose, or Queen Elizabeth II rose, it is one of the world’s most popular roses and was named to recognise Queen Elizabeth II ascension to the throne in 1952. This rose was included in the World Rose Hall of Fame in 1979 and won the AARS Award in 1955, ARS Gold Medal in 1957 and Golden Rose of The Hague in 1968.
‘It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult.’
HM Queen Elizabeth II
There are many other royal roses growing in my garden such as Diana, Princess of Wales rose, Princess de Monaco rose, Princess Michael of Kent rose, Princess Charlene rose, and Princess Claire Of Belgium™ rose. I have not as yet planted Princess Margaret Rose, the The Crown Princess Margareta rose, the Queen of Sweden Rose, Princess Mary Rose or Princess Anne rose but time will tell.
‘We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock.’
HM Queen Elizabeth II
I’m sure there will be more royal roses available in the future to honour the long reign of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Meanwhile I will enjoy the blooms on Rosa ‘Queen Elizabeth’ in the garden especially this year.
Content Di Baker 2022
Title Quote HM Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)
