The Queen has planted this rose named after the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle – and you can buy it
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The royal family has a longstanding tradition of having their names lent to flowers. Everyone from Queen Victoria (whose eponymous flower is the Queen Victoria Lobelia) to Princess Diana and even Princes Charlotte has at least one namesake bloom.
The Duke of Edinburgh is the latest to join the tradition with a new rose named in his honour. In celebration of what would’ve been his 100th birthday, the Queen was given the rose named after the duke, following his death on 9 April, by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Keith Weed, president of the society, told the Queen: “It’s a rose named the Duke of Edinburgh Rose to mark his centenary and it’s a commemorative rose for all the marvellous things that he did over his lifetime.” He added that “it’s a beautiful flower in itself, a double flower.”
The Duke of Edinburgh rose was launched by Harkness Roses, which has been breeding and growing more than 200 British roses since 1879.
Adding greater meaning and sentiment to the flower is its charitable component, £2.50 from each sale will be donated to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Living Legacy Fund, giving more young people the opportunity to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
If you want to get your hands on the very flower blooming in the Queen’s garden at Windsor Castle, you’re in luck because it’s currently available to pre-order. But, we’ve also found the other royal namesake flowers you can also buy.
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Harkness Roses Duke of Edinburgh rose (potted): £16.99, Roses.co.uk
In honour of what would’ve been Prince Philip’s centenary, this newly named rose is now situated in the Queen’s flowerbed at her Windsor Castle home, and you too can add the bloom to your garden. The medium-sized shrub produces double flowers which gather in large clusters on long stems, boasting a deep-pink colour dappled with white lines. Should you want to send it to a friend or loved one, it can also be purchased gift wrapped (£20.99, Roses.co.uk).
What’s more, to give it further sentiment, for every rose purchased, Harkness Roses will donate £2.50 to the DofE’s Living Legacy Fund in memory of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
Harkness Roses Queen Elizabeth rose: £15.99, Roses.co.uk
Similarly to the Duke of Edinburgh, a rose has also been named after Queen Elizabeth. The rose was introduced in the Fifties to celebrate Britain’s youngest monarch and is said to have been chosen as it shares many of the same qualities as the Queen herself – regal, glorious, majestic. A surefire way to add a lovely pop of pink to your garden.
Harkness Roses Princess of Wales rose: £29.99, Roses.co.uk
Lady Diana had a number of flowers named after her, including a dahlia (from £4.99, Rhsplants.co.uk) and a clematis (£27.99, Rhsplants.co.uk), but if you’re looking to grow an impressive rose bush, this is the one for you. Very white in flower, they boast just a hint of yellow at the centre and are a beautiful bloom.
RHS Plants lobelia cardinalis Queen Victoria: £17.99, Rhsplants.co.uk
Named after the 18th-century ruler, Queen Victoria, this five-petalled flower rises up in summer and produces striking beetroot-coloured foliage. A flowerbed staple, it’s a hardy plant that requires full sun and blooms from August to October.
RHS Plants agapanthus Queen Mum: £11.99, Rhsplants.co.uk
This dainty plant forms clusters of large flowers in July and August and has been named after the Queen’s mother. It requires full sun, but can withstand a little frost, and it may need protection during winter. A must-have if you’re looking to create a beautiful border in your garden.
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