Shailer’s White Moss has a refined appearance: its double flowers open with a soft pink tint and then turn pure white. They are initially cup-shaped, opening out flatter later. A strong, classic rose fragrance makes this Old Garden Rose especially attractive.

This white moss rose arose as a spontaneous color mutation of the old pink moss rose, ‘Old Pink Moss’. It is associated with the British grower Henry Shailer and dates from the late eighteenth century. This makes it almost a century older than the beginning of the Belle Époque and represents a special piece of European rose heritage.

Its distinctive flower buds bear fine, branched glandular hairs that resemble moss. This is a natural characteristic of the rose. These unusual buds make moss roses interesting even before the flowers open.

Shailer’s White Moss blooms once each summer. Give it a place in a white garden, a romantic border, or a collection of historic roses. Its light-colored flowers pair beautifully with soft pink roses and airy perennials that continue blooming later in the summer.

Plant it in fertile, well-drained soil, in sun or light partial shade. Prune if necessary immediately after flowering: remove dead wood and gradually thin out older branches. This gives new growth room for the next flowering season.

Photo: Andy Wilson