Silvery-tinged, soft mid-pink; becomes paler as it fades. - historic, perpetual hybrid rose - very strongly scented, noticeable from a distance rose - deeply sweet, tea-like, rose-like
– XL, very double, ball-shaped pink blooms
– Strong, sweet tea-rose fragrance
– Reliable repeat flowering all season
– Barely thorny, easy-to-handle stems
– Very hardy to about −34 °C (USDA 4a)
– Special feature: Award-winning Victorian-era favourite with classic pastel colour transitions.
Real photographs – Refined garden style
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root potted rose
19,70 £
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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Mrs. John Laing – pink historical perpetual hybrid rose – Bennett
This classic Hybrid Perpetual brings together heritage charm and dependable garden performance, giving you full, fragrant blooms without demanding expert care. Its XL, very double flowers open in cool, silvery-tinged pink tones that gently soften as they age, creating a refined cottage feel from early summer onwards. Bred in Britain in the 1880s, it still suits today’s family gardens, coping well with typical UK summers and, with sensible watering, remaining graceful even when breezes and showers sweep in from the coast. The upright, bushy habit and surprisingly light prickles make it practical near paths or seating, while medium maintenance needs mainly mean timely feeding, watering and deadheading. Its strong, classic rose fragrance is a real highlight, carrying across the garden on still evenings. As an own-root plant it matures steadily, supporting a long, reliable life: roots establish in the first year, top growth builds in the second, and by the third season the shrub shows its full character and ornamental richness.
Mrs. John Laing showing a full bloom of soft pink, very double flowers.
Usage options
Target area
Reasoning
Small front-garden focal point
The upright, bushy habit and XL, very double blooms create a clear focal point in limited space, ideal beside a gate, path or bay window. Its refined historic character gives an instant sense of maturity and taste in traditional British front gardens, reassuring beginners.
Perfumed seating area or patio edge
The very strong, sweet, rose-like fragrance is noticeable from a distance, so a single bush beside a bench or terrace can scent warm evenings without needing many plants. Medium maintenance mainly means regular watering and some deadheading, suiting busy gardeners.
Cottage-style mixed border
Silvery-tinged pastel pink flowers that fade attractively are easy to blend with perennials and grasses, giving the soft, layered look of cottage borders. Repeat flowering keeps colour returning through the season, supporting a relaxed, low-fuss style for aesthetes.
Small hedge or boundary line
Recommended spacings make it straightforward to form a loose flowering hedge that offers privacy without heavy pruning rules; the nearly thornless stems are easier to manage along paths. Its own-root resilience supports long-lived boundary planting valued by homeowners.
Specimen rose in lawn or gravel
Planted alone with space around it, the symmetrical, upright shrub and large, ball-shaped blooms read clearly from a distance. Historic form and award-winning pedigree give year-round interest, even when not in flower, pleasing thoughtful collectors.
Large container on terrace or balcony
Suitable for cultivation in a generously sized container of at least 40–50 litres, where its vertical habit fits compact spaces. Regular watering is simple to organise in pots, supporting steady growth and repeat flowering for urban balconies.
Classic rose-and-perennial bed
Medium disease resistance and partial shade tolerance make it adaptable in typical UK beds, especially where sun shifts through the day. With adequate moisture it settles into mixed plantings, blending naturally with perennials for traditional layouts.
Period or heritage-style garden
As a verified historic cultivar with 19th-century show awards, it suits restorations and period schemes, offering authenticity as well as beauty. Own-root stock allows the shrub to rebuild after hard winters or pruning, ensuring continuity prized by enthusiasts.
Styling ideas
Cottage Drift – Plant in a narrow front border with Vinca minor and creeping phlox to let the soft pink blooms float above a low green and pastel carpet – ideal for romantic cottage-garden lovers.
Victorian Accent – Use a single specimen in lawn or gravel with a backdrop of clipped box to highlight its historic form and scent – suited to owners of period or heritage-style homes.
Gentle Screen – Create a light hedge by repeating plants at the recommended distance, underplanting with Japanese sedge for tidy groundcover – perfect for families wanting a soft but structured boundary.
Perfumed Corner – Position one or two plants near a bench, mixing with shade-tolerant companions in partial sun to maximise fragrance in a small retreat – attractive for busy people who savour evening garden time.
Balcony Feature – Grow in a 50-litre container with trailing periwinkle to spill over the rim, letting the upright rose provide height without crowding – good for urban gardeners short on borders.
Technical cultivar profile
Parameter
Data
Name and registration
Mrs. John Laing is a historic Hybrid Perpetual rose, unregistered but long-established in trade, supplied here as an own-root shrub under the current accepted exhibition name.
Origin and breeding
Bred by Henry Bennett in the United Kingdom around 1885 from ‘François Michelon’ crossed with an unknown seedling; first introduced in 1887 by distributors in the USA and Australia.
Awards and recognition
Holds an RNRS Gold Medal from 1885 and later American Rose Society Victorian Certificates in 1999 and 2000, confirming its enduring value for historic and exhibition use.
Growth and structural characteristics
Forms an upright, bushy shrub about 110–160 cm tall and 120–180 cm wide, with dense, light green matt foliage and relatively few prickles, giving a refined yet substantial garden presence.
Flower morphology
Produces solitary, XL, very double, ball to pompon-shaped blooms with more than 40 petals; flowers are remontant, with a particularly abundant second flush in suitable conditions.
Colour data and phenology
Buds open deep carmine-pink, then soften through silky mid-pink to pale porcelain and near pastel, often with silvery edges; colour retention is moderate, fading giving a nuanced, elegant effect.
Fragrance and aroma
Very strongly scented with a classic, deeply sweet rose and tea character; fragrance is noticeable from a distance and one of the main ornamental features of this historic cultivar.
Hip characteristics
Forms moderately abundant, small ovoid hips, around 10–14 mm in diameter, coloured red to RHS 44A, adding a light seasonal accent in late season rather than a dominant display.
Resistance and winter hardiness
Hardy to around –34 to –32 °C (RHS H7, USDA 4a), with medium resistance to black spot, mildew and rust; prefers regular watering and cooler summers for best garden performance.
Horticultural recommendations
Best in well-drained but moisture-retentive soil with regular watering and feeding; appreciates deadheading and light pruning, and can be grown in borders, hedges, specimens or large containers.
Mrs. John Laing offers richly scented, repeat-flowering historic blooms on a long-lived own-root shrub, making it a thoughtful choice if you want lasting character with manageable care.
Detailed product attributes
Product Identification Data
Product Name:
MRS. JOHN LAING – pink historical perpetual hybrid rose - Bennett
Product Type:
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL - 2-litre own-root potted rose
Competition and Show Awards:
RNRS Gold Medal (1885); American Rose Society "Victorian Certificate" (1999, Buckeye District); American Rose Society "Victorian Certificate" (2000, Las Vegas Valley)
Full Bloom:
Uniform pastel pink with a pearlescent inner shade.
Before Fading:
Pale porcelain-pink with a silvery-white fading at the edges.
Colour Fading Description:
Noticeably fades: the deep carmine-pink bud shifts to mid-pink, then to pastel and finally to a pale porcelain pink, with a silvery‑whitish fading at the edges.
Pollinator Attraction:
Double (very full) blooms do not attract pollinators because the dense petal form hides the stamens and makes nectar and pollen inaccessible.
Heat and Drought Tolerance Description:
Performance may decline in hot conditions; it does not tolerate prolonged drought and requires regular watering.
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.
