10 red roses to grow

Close-up of a rose 'The One and Only' bloom

Discover our recommended roses for special occasions.

You can plant a potted rose all year round, or plant a bare-root rose (which is often cheaper) in the dormant season, from November to February.

From compact roses that are suitable for pots to climbers for a trellis or pergola, we recommend 10 of the best red roses to grow in your garden.

Rosa 'The One and Only'

Rosa ‘The One and Only’ is a French-bred hybrid tea rose, with velvety, crimson double flowers reminiscent of old fashioned roses. It has a spicy, fruity fragrance. It's ideal for growing in a border, but also in containers and also has good resistance to disease.

Rosa 'Red Hat Lady'

Rosa 'Red Hat Lady' bears masses of bright red, double flowers throughout summer. It's a compact, low-growing, mound-forming floribunda bush rose. It was named after the Red Hat Society, an international society of women approaching 50. It's ideal for growing at the front of borders and in pots, and also makes a great low-growing hedge.

Rosa 'Suffolk'

Rosa 'Suffolk' is a ground cover rose that bears masses of scarlet, single flowers with distinctive golden stamens. It repeat flowers throughout summer and has pretty orange-red hips later in the season. It's a good choice for an area that is difficult to plant, such as a slope, and also works in a container.

Rosa 'George Best'

Rosa 'George Best' is a low growing and bushy shub rose that bears large clusters of cup-shaped, dark red blooms that gradually fade to rosy pink have a pleasant fragrance. It's perfect for growing in containers but also works well in a border and doesn't need much deadheading.

Rosa 'Moment in Time'

Rosa 'Moment in Time' has bright, pillar box red, semi-double flowers that appear from the start of summer into autumn. It was named Rose of the Year 2012. It is a floribunda but the size of a ground cover rose (it reaches a height of around 60cm) and has a mild scent. It's a favourite with florists.

Rosa 'Drama Queen'

Rosa 'Drama Queen' has red and white striped, double flowers and is a compact, repeat-flowering floribunda. It is named after the actress Judi Dench. Its compact habit and long flowering potential make it an ideal choice for the front of the herbaceous border or a large pot.

Rosa Flower Carpet Red Velvet ('Noare')

Rosa Flower Carpet Red ('Noare') produces lots of bright red flowers with yellow centres from midsummer to early winter. It's a free-flowering ground cover rose that works well in a pot as well as at the front of a border, or over slopes or a retaining wall. It has good disease resistance.

Rosa 'Red Letter Day'

Rosa 'Red Letter Day' bears clusters of medium-sized, fully double, red flowers with a very mild fragrance. It's ideal for growing at the back of the border, as a hedge, or on its own in a large container. It makes an excellent cut flower. It's name means it makes an excellent gift to mark a special occasion.