Arthur Bell Rose

The Arthur Bell rose is one of the most radiant yellow floribundas around.  It has a nice strong fragrance to boot!

This one was bred by McGredy, a lesser-known breeder, in 1965.  Arthur Bell is the maker of Scotch whiskey.  I wish I knew the full story behind the naming of this one, but the rumor was that the breeder got a lot of free product after the naming!  It’s a popular variety in the UK, but not so much in the US.  Bare root varieties are often available overseas but they are a bit trickier to find.  You might have to check with some local rose societies on this one.

If you’re looking for a brighter yellow variant for your garden, this is a solid bet.  Its good about keeping its color and not overly fading over the season, although it will pale somewhat.  Its also got a great fragrance.  It’s a shorter grower though, so its not a great choice for cut flowers.  I’ve seen that there’s also a climbing version of this rose, so it could be a good addition if you are looking for a breed for your arch or trellis.  Yellow climbing varieties can be tougher to find. Its been said to have repeating blooms but that seems to be a little hit or miss.

Its also a smaller shrub, only getting up to about 3 feet or so in most cases, although with ideal conditions it might be up to four feet.  Its best in full sunlight.  Against pests and diseases its just OK, so you’ll want to keep up on the preventative maintenance.  Its also somewhat thorny.  All in all its not a great choice for a beginner.  For a floribunda though, it is fairly hardy in colder climates and is one of the few varieties than can handle zone 4 and possibly lower.