A Blooming Oasis: Exploring the Rose Garden at Greenwich Park's Ranger's House

If roses are your bloom of choice, then you'll certainly fall in love with the rose garden at Greenwich Park, London. With over a hundred different rose varieties, it is a feast for the senses, creating an explosion of colour against the green landscape. From soft pastels to vibrant reds and yellows, the colour palette is as varied as it is delightful. Equally stimulating is the aromatic scent of the different roses, wafting through the garden air to further sweeten your stroll.

The lushly planted beds, predominantly hybrid tea and floribunda roses, are laid out in a symmetrical semi-circular design, offering breathtaking views from any spot within the garden. A handpicked mix of classic and modern rose varieties ensures a lasting bloom from early summer through to autumn, enticing visitors to revisit the garden throughout the different seasons.

Yet, the roses are not just a sight to behold; each one has its own story to tell. While some roses have been chosen for their supreme fragrance, others have been selected for their resistance to disease and depredation. It's a place where tradition meets innovation, creating a 'living library' of roses that are beautiful, hardy and fragrant.

For avid rose growers, a visit to Ranger's House Rose Garden at Greenwich Park is an opportunity to gain inspiration for their own gardens. Perhaps you might even spot the next rose to feature in your own garden. And for those who admire roses in all their stunning glory, this garden offers an unforgettable encounter with these charismatic blooms.

Rose Garden redesign (1995)

A deep understanding of the significance of transformation can be found in the history of the Rose Garden at Ranger's House. Originally planted in the 60s, the garden underwent a substantial redesign in 1995. The profound makeover involved not only enlargement of the garden space to accommodate more roses, but also encompassed a thoughtful replanting process. This metamorphosis was carefully executed, ensuring the preservation of the garden's essence while introducing a fresh aspect to its character.

Key to the redesign was the addition of a yew hedge enclosure. This crucial element brought a whole new dimension to the garden—rendering it an intimate and secluded retreat, capturing the essence of an English country garden within the heart of the city. The expansion and replanting process also enabled the garden to house over 100 different rose varieties, showcasing an extensive and diversely colourful display of these beloved blooms. Each of these rose varieties contributes to the unique tapestry of colour and fragrance that envelop and cajole the senses as you meander through the garden.

It's this thoughtful redesign that unites the old with the new, binds diversity with unity, and most importantly, accentuates the charisma of the roses in a tranquil setting - making the Rose Garden at Ranger's House a timeless marvel to revel in.

Rose Garden redesign continues (2025)

The most recent Rose Garden regeneration project started in 2024 when the garden was closed for redesign. The Royal Parks announced the following on their website:

"We are reviving and redesigning the Rose Garden in an exciting three-year project.

The Rose Garden urgently needs restoration. The existing roses have become exhausted through Rose Replant Sickness. This is a soil-borne fungal root disease that is present in the soil where roses have been grown for some time, and which can prevent the growth of or cause the death of new roses planted into those areas. A build-up of rose-specific pests will also be present in and around the rose garden area, making new roses more susceptible to disease and damage."

During my visit in April 2025, I noticed significant changes to the garden. The large tree that once dominated the rose garden has been removed, most rose beds have been replanted, and new pergolas have been installed.

The work continues with the installation of a pair of identical circular pergolas set in the center of the grassed areas. These striking structures—designed by Heather Burrell, who is also responsible for the lovely gate at the entrance to the Queen's Orchard—will be made of Cor-ten steel, which will naturally rust to a neutral brown over time. The design incorporates features found across the Park, such as the Royal Observatory dome and Ranger's House ironmongery. The geometric pattern draws inspiration from a nautical compass, celebrating Greenwich's rich maritime history.

The gardeners plan to train Malvern Hills roses and Clematis Viticella around these structures, promising a full-bodied display by mid-summer. The renovation also includes the addition of two new benches overlooking the garden and the planting of 460 roses in spring 2025, just ahead of the garden's anticipated reopening in May 2025.

List of roses growing at the Greenwich Rose Garden:

The list of roses below is sourced from the map of the rose garden that was on display at Greenwich Royal Park until 2024. It showcases the roses that have been cultivated in the garden since its redesign in 1995. Some roses appear multiple times on the list, as each number corresponds to a flower bed marked on the map.

1. Peacekeeper
2. Mountbatten
3. Momento
4. Margaret Merrill
5. Loving Memory
6. Troika
7. Just Joey
8. Loving Memory
9. Silver Lining
10. Picadilly
11. Dawn Chorus
12. Peacekeeper
13. Doris Tysterman
14. Royal William
15. Ice Cream
16. Troika
17. Margaret Merrill
18. Grandpa Dickson
19. Hannah Gordon
20. Mountbatten
21. Dame Wendy
22. Remember Me
23. Bonfire Night
24. Lady Mavis Pilkington
25. Paul Shirville
26. Rosemary Harkness
27. Anne Aberconway
28. Festival
29. Anna Livia
30. Matangi
31. Amber Queen
32. Pascali
33. Tynwald
34. Congratulations
35. Hannah Gordon
36. Cleopatra
37. Silver Jubilee
38. Korresia
39. Ingrid Bergmann
40. Tequila Sunrise
41. Iceberg
42. Memento
43. Double Delight
44. Iceberg
45. Tequila Sunrise
46. Anneka
47. Trumpeter
48. Mountbatten
49. Paul Shirville
50. Royal William
51. Christopher Columbus
52. Matangi
53. Festival
54. Silver Jubilee
55. Ice Cream
56. Remember Me
57. Festival
58. Anna Livia
59. Dawn Chorus
60. Ice Cream
61. Many Happy Returns
62. Brown Velvet
63. Grandpa Dickson
64. Tequila Sunrise
65. Margaret Merrill
66. Anna Livia
67. Lady Mavis Pilkington
68. Trumpeter
69. Anna Livia
70. The Times Rose
71. Amber Queen
72. Bucks Fizz
73. Momento
74. Valencia
75. Matangi
76. Dawn Chorus
77. Berkshire
78. Berkshire
79. URNS - Cambridgeeshire
80. URNS - Cambridgeeshire
81. Heavenly Rosalind
82. Rosa Pimpinellifolia
83. Winchester Cathedral
84. Rosa Hibernica
85. Rosa Virginiana
86. Pat Austin
87. Rosa Paulii
88. Rosa Speciosa
89. English Garden
90. Rosa Complicata
91. Rosa Moyesii
92. Sweet Juliet
93. Red Coat
94. Berkshire
95. Sharifa Asma
96. Berkshire
97. L D Braithwaite
98. Heavenly Rosalind
99. Winchester Cathedral
100. The Dark Lady
101. Bibi Maizon
102. Sharifa Asma
103. Graham Thomas
104. Golden Celebration
105. Tradescant
106. Peach Blossom
107. Peach Blossom
108. The Pilgrim
109. Abraham Derby
110. Michelle Meilland
111. Just Joey
112. Ruby Wedding
113. All Gold

However, during my visits to the garden post-COVID pandemic and before the garden regeneration project started in 2024, it seemed that some roses had already been replanted, as the roses in the flowerbeds did not quite match those indicated on the map. Therefore, I will leave the photos of roses taken at the garden unidentified, as I cannot be certain of their correct identification.

To sum it up, the rose garden at Ranger’s House, Greenwich is a perfect blend of natural beauty, horticultural excellence and historical richness. The entire place provides a deeply satisfying experience for rose enthusiasts, history buffs and those seeking serenity amid the urban landscape. So, why not plan a visit to this charming corner of Greenwich and let the Ranger’s House roses captour your heart and delight your senses?

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