BELLE DE LONDRES – Compassion climbing rose for Irish gardens
Let Compassion bring a welcoming, romantic accent to your home: this large-flowered climbing rose combines beauty with reassuring reliability for walls, fences and pergolas. Its warm salmon-pink blooms, brushed with a peachy heart, open from high-centred buds into double flowers with a strong, fruity fragrance that You notice each time You pass the front door. As an own-root pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL plant it matures into a long-lived, well-balanced climber that can regenerate from the base, keeping its decorative value for years with modest effort. It copes well even where the ground stays heavy after rain, provided You give it sensible drainage, and it rewards regular watering in summer with generous repeat flowering. In the first year it builds roots, in the second year You see stronger shoots, and by the third year it usually reaches full ornamental impact, making it ideal if You want to “plant it and let it work” in a family garden.
Use cases
| Target area | Reason |
|---|
| House wall near the front door |
Large, strongly scented flowers at eye level create a welcoming entrance and make the most of its rich, fruity fragrance each time You pass; trained flat against a wall it forms a neat, vertical accent that suits busy homeowners seeking easy enjoyment |
| Garden fence in a family garden |
Its tall climbing habit and dense foliage provide a soft, flower-covered screen, ideal for marking boundaries without feeling closed in, while the own-root growth ensures a durable, gap-filling hedge line that suits families wanting long-term structure |
| Pergola or arch in a cottage-style setting |
Long, flexible shoots can be guided over an arch or pergola to create a romantic tunnel of salmon-pink, double blooms, giving a traditional cottage-garden feel and providing a rewarding focal point for hobby gardeners who enjoy gentle training but prefer low fuss |
| Mixed border with perennials |
Works well as a vertical accent among shrubs and perennials, its warm colouring combining beautifully with plants like heuchera and blanket flower, while own-root resilience helps it knit into a mixed planting for years, appealing to gardeners who value balanced plantings |
| Partially shaded side passage |
Suitable for partial shade, so it can brighten side alleys or north-east aspects that get morning or filtered light, adding height and perfume where many roses struggle, ideal for urban homeowners making the most of difficult corners |
| Feature climber on a sunny gable |
Given a sunny, sheltered gable and reasonably well-drained heavier soil, it responds with repeat flushes of large exhibition-type blooms, offering a showpiece for the front of the house and suiting gardeners who want visible impact from the street |
| Large container on a sheltered patio |
Can be grown in a sturdy 40–50 litre container with a strong support, allowing You to enjoy its colour and perfume on a balcony or paved patio, and the own-root habit means it settles steadily rather than outgrowing the pot too quickly, ideal for those favouring flexible planting |
| Country garden trellis in wetter regions |
Performs reliably when planted into improved heavy soil where rain lingers, as long as drainage is managed so roots do not sit waterlogged, making it a good choice for Irish cottage gardens in moist areas who prioritise robust choices |
Decorating ideas
- Romantic Front Door Frame – Train BELLE DE LONDRES either side of your doorway, underplanted with dwarf heucheras for foliage contrast – for homeowners who want a soft, welcoming entrance without complex planting schemes
- Cottage Fence Ribbon – Let its salmon-pink blooms weave along a timber or painted fence, interplanted with blanket flower and hardy geraniums – ideal for cottage-garden fans seeking colour from spring to autumn
- Perfumed Pergola Walkway – Cover a pergola with Compassion and pair it with lavender and catmint at ground level – perfect for families who enjoy an evening stroll through scented shade
- Patio Statement Pot – Grow it in a 40–50 litre terracotta container with a simple obelisk, softened by trailing thyme around the rim – suited to balcony and small-patio gardeners needing vertical drama in limited space
- Country Gable Showcase – Combine this climber on a sunny gable with a hydrangea and evergreen cherry laurel backdrop – for rural homeowners who want a long-lived, traditional focal point that anchors the house to the garden
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Climbing rose BELLE DE LONDRES – Compassion; registered cultivar name Compassion, large-flowered climber group; ARS exhibition name Compassion; pharmaROSA ORIGINAL own-root 2-litre container. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Jack L. Harkness, Harkness Roses, Hitchin, United Kingdom, from ‘White Cockade’ × ‘Prima Ballerina’; introduced and registered in 1972, distributed initially by Harkness Roses. |
| Awards and recognitions |
Holds the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (AGM), indicating reliable performance, good garden value, and sound ornamental qualities under typical UK and Irish-style conditions. |
| Growth and structure |
Vigorous climber reaching about 320–500 cm in height and 160–260 cm spread; densely thorned shoots with dark green, glossy foliage; needs support and regular tying in to form a well-clothed framework. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high-centred blooms with 26–39 petals, often in clusters of 3–5 per stem; exhibition-style form suitable for cutting and display, with repeat flowering and a notably generous second flush. |
| Colour and phenology |
Warm salmon-pink base with peachy centre; buds deep peach-pink, opening to uniform pink with peach sheen, then fading to pastel pink and sometimes creamy tones, with moderate colour retention in strong sun. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, rich, fruity rose fragrance, readily noticeable around the plant in still conditions; primarily ornamental rather than bred for culinary or cosmetic use, but valued highly for scented garden plantings. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Produces moderate numbers of ovoid, orange-red hips, typically 14–22 mm in diameter; add seasonal interest in late season if spent flowers are not removed. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Hardy to about −26 to −23 °C (USDA 5b, RHS H7, Swedish Zone 4); disease resistance moderate to weak, needing regular monitoring and protection against rust, black spot and powdery mildew in humid seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best on a sunny, sheltered wall, fence or support in well-drained but moisture-retentive soil; space 160–300 cm depending on use; suitable for partial shade; provide regular feeding, watering and deadheading for best displays. |
BELLE DE LONDRES – Compassion offers tall, romantic colour, strong fragrance and repeat flowering on a long-lived own-root framework that matures steadily, making it a dependable choice if You would like a characterful climber in your garden.
