The colour of the petals varies from crimson through lilac‑purple tones to a mauve shade. - historic, bourbon rose - strong, long-lasting scented rose - full-bodied, bourbon-like aroma
– Deep crimson blooms with rich colour shifts.
– Strong, long-lasting bourbon-style fragrance.
– Tall, arching shrub for hedges and specimens.
– Hardy to USDA zone 4b, reliably winter-tough.
– Occasional orange-red hips add autumn interest.
– Special feature: Historic 1909 Geschwind Bourbon, ideal for period-style gardens.
Forms and contours – Sustainable garden design
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root potted rose
19,20 £
Unfortunately, we are currently unable to ship to the United Kingdom; we only deliver to countries within the European Union. For more information, please contact us!
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GIPSY BOY – crimson historic-Bourbon rose - Geschwind
Historic charm, rich fragrance and a naturally arching habit make ‘Gipsy Boy’ an atmospheric choice for classic British front gardens and relaxed cottage borders. This once-flowering Bourbon shrub builds a generous early-summer display, its mid‑green foliage forming a dense, leafy screen that works beautifully as a seasonal hedge, specimen or backdrop. Own‑root planting supports long-term longevity and reliable regeneration, gradually creating a settled, characterful shrub over the years. In heavier UK soils it appreciates positioning where excess moisture can drain away steadily, helping it stand up well to cool, wet and windy conditions. With thoughtful spacing the plant’s graceful outline and textured structure integrate easily into small beds, mixed borders and around-the-house planting, rewarding steady basic care with enduring period character.
Mid-green, matt foliage of Gipsy Boy.
Usage options
Target area
Reasoning
Front-garden focal shrub
The upright, arching habit and 130–180 cm height give ‘Gipsy Boy’ presence without overwhelming a modest front garden. A single shrub offers a generous, once-a-year flush of crimson to mauve blooms, creating a traditional, welcoming focal point that remains leafy and structural for the rest of the season – ideal for house-proud homeowners and beginners.
Informal cottage border
The shifting crimson, lilac-purple and mauve tones combine naturally with herbaceous perennials, echoing classic cottage style. Its one strong flowering in early summer anchors the border’s “peak moment”, while dense mid‑green foliage fills gaps and supports simpler, low-intervention border care – an appealing option for relaxed, cottage-inspired gardeners.
Seasonal flowering hedge
Planted at about 105 cm spacing, the dense, thorny growth knits into a leafy, seasonal hedge that offers privacy and a spectacular early-summer show. Once flowering is over, the structured, mid‑green framework continues to define boundaries with minimal shaping, suiting those who want character hedging without frequent clipping – well suited to busy family owners.
Small group in mixed shrub bed
Groups of 1–3 plants at 120–150 cm spacing create a billowing, arching mass that reads as one generous shrub, well suited to modest suburban beds. This structure gives reliable form year after year with medium maintenance, letting you use simpler underplanting rather than elaborate schemes – practical for smaller, time-pressed gardeners.
Park-style or larger lawn specimen
Used as a specimen at roughly 200 cm clearance, ‘Gipsy Boy’ develops into a broad, arching shrub with strong visual impact in grass or open planting. The once‑a‑year crimson display followed by a leafy silhouette lends period character to traditional plots and larger lawn settings, rewarding patient establishment – attractive for heritage-minded owners.
Partially shaded side garden
Its tolerance of partial shade allows planting in side gardens or near taller shrubs where sun is limited for part of the day. While flowering is best with good light, it still produces a satisfying early-summer flush and keeps a solid foliage presence, offering an easier solution than sun-demanding varieties – reassuring for constrained-space gardeners.
Low-intervention structural planting
As an own‑root shrub, the plant slowly builds a stable framework and can recover more readily from pruning or weather damage, supporting long-term use in simple, low-intervention schemes. With moderate disease resistance and occasional care, it offers enduring form and colour season after season – appealing to long-view, low-fuss gardeners.
Character planting in challenging weather
With H7 hardiness and USDA 4b rating, ‘Gipsy Boy’ is well adapted to cold British winters and exposed spots, and in heavier soils it appreciates planting where rainfall can drain steadily rather than sit around the roots. This makes it a solid choice where weather can be testing – valuable for practical, site-aware gardeners.
Styling ideas
Cottage-tiered – Place ‘Gipsy Boy’ at the back of a narrow bed with foxgloves and hardy geraniums in front to soften the arching form – perfect for lovers of romantic cottage style.
Crimson-anchor – Use one shrub as a colour focus in a mixed border with pale pink roses and white campanulas to highlight its deep, changing tones – ideal for design-conscious beginners.
Heritage-hedge – Plant a loose hedge and underplant with lavender and catmint to mask the base while keeping a period look – suited to homeowners wanting soft boundary structure.
Grass-texture – Combine with Stipa tenuissima and Pennisetum to contrast airy grasses against dense foliage and arching canes – attractive for contemporary gardeners seeking movement.
Parkland-point – Set a specimen in lawn with globe thistles and ornamental grasses nearby for a restrained, park-like grouping – good for those shaping larger family gardens.
Technical cultivar profile
Parameter
Data
Name and registration
Historic Bourbon shrub rose known as ‘Gipsy Boy’, a historical Geschwind cultivar. Unregistered as a formal cultivar; offered here under its established trade and exhibition name.
Origin and breeding
Bred by Rudolf Geschwind from a ‘Russelliana’ seedling in Austria, introduced by Peter Lambert in Germany in 1909. A classic early twentieth-century historic rose with documented provenance.
Growth and structural characteristics
Upright, arching shrub reaching about 130–180 cm high and 100–150 cm wide, with dense, mid‑green matte foliage and numerous prickles, forming a full, structural presence in beds or hedges.
Flower morphology
Medium-sized, fully double, cup-shaped blooms with 26–39 petals in clusters. Flowers open fairly flat and are not remontant, giving one concentrated, traditional early-summer flowering period.
Colour data and phenology
Petals shift from deep crimson and purplish-violet centres to mauve and smoky lilac-pink as blooms age. Colour retention is good; strong sun may lighten tones but maintains a rich, historic effect.
Fragrance and aroma
Strong, full-bodied Bourbon-style scent with a lasting presence around the plant in still weather. Primarily an ornamental and sensory garden rose rather than a variety selected for culinary uses.
Hip characteristics
Double flowers set hips only occasionally; where produced they are small, spherical, 12–18 mm, orange-red and can add discreet autumn interest without dominating the shrub’s appearance.
Resistance and winter hardiness
Hardy to about −32 to −29 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 5, USDA 4b). Shows moderate resistance to black spot, mildew and rust; benefits from standard monitoring and timely, targeted treatments.
Horticultural recommendations
Best in well-drained soil with regular moisture and feeding; water in prolonged drought. Suitable for beds, hedging, parks and specimens. Container use requires a large 40–50 litre pot minimum.
Gipsy Boy offers a single, spectacular early-summer display, strong fragrance and durable shrub structure as an own-root historic rose that will settle into your garden for years; consider it if you value character and reliability over constant change.
Detailed product attributes
Product Identification Data
Product Name:
GIPSY BOY – crimson historic-Bourbon rose - Geschwind
Product Type:
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL - 2-litre own-root potted rose
Pollinator Attraction:
Double (26–39 petals) flowers attract pollinators only to a limited extent, as the fully double form restricts access to the stamens, reducing nectar and pollen availability.
Pollinator-Friendly Rating:
Its double (26–39‑petal) flowers limit pollinator access, so it has limited pollinator value and is primarily ornamental.
Hip Comment:
Due to its double-flowered habit, hips form only occasionally; they are spherical, 12–18 mm in diameter, orange-red and can have ornamental value.
Our product is a rose grown with pharmaROSA®’s unique cultivation technology!
2-litre, own-root, potted rose.
With a shoot system appropriate to the season.
With a root system that thoroughly permeates the growing medium.
Quality compliant with the requirements of the E.N.A. (European Nurserystock Association).
Supplied in unique packaging that prevents damage.
Can be planted during frost-free periods.
True-to-variety rose bush with a unique identifier.
The pharmaROSA® own-root potted rose is a well-rooted plant that supports reliable establishment when planted and cared for properly, so it can be planted whenever the soil is not frozen.
Crop overview: several varieties and growth stages in a short crop section.Shoot system: intensive growth of fresh basal shoots on a young plant.Root system: demonstration of a vigorous root system permeating the growing medium, by removing the pot.Balance: mature plant with root system and shoots in harmony with each other.
Information about the videos
The video series is not a “seasonal showcase”; it illustrates the essence of pharmaROSA® own-root cultivation in a tangible way: how the plant is built up, what the root system is like and how the shoot system regenerates. The recordings were therefore made at different times and with plants at various stages of development, so mixed foliage levels and differing stages of growth may appear in the videos. They are not a ‘sample’ of the batch dispatched, but a visual explanation of how the technology works. The current condition of the rose available to order — typical for the given period and similar to what you can expect to receive in the parcel — is shown in the upper part of the product page.
Pages for private customers Garden roses for the family garden, with minimal care → ORIGINAL® Premium garden roses – instant impact, a truly showpiece garden → EXTRA® Pages for professionals and private customers Roses for public spaces – large areas, sustainable maintenance → NATURAL® Roses for projects – hedge and row planting, fast implementation → RAPID® For professional partners only Production – propagation material for garden roses, wholesale → NEONATAL®
Company details
PharmaRosa Ltd. Company registration number: 01-09-717479 VAT number: 13075314-2-43 Plant health registration no.: HU130721 Bank account (IBAN): HU85117631891388688400000000 BIC (SWIFT): OTPVHUHB Bank name: OTP Bank Nyrt.
