‘Sharifa Asma’ rose

‘Sharifa Asma’ rose is one of my all-time favorite plants. ‘Sharifa Asma’ is one of a type known as English shrub roses, many of which were developed by famed rose breeder David Austin. These roses blend modern and antique characteristics, giving gardeners the best of both worlds. Many of them have flowers with so many petals that the bloom heads droop. The flowers of ‘Sharifa Asma’ are a beautiful, deep pink, turning paler, almost white as they age, and the fragrance is heavenly beyond description. Just one cut flower in my office brings colleagues from down the hall to investigate just exactly where that lovely scent is coming from. Many people shy away from roses, thinking that they’re high maintenance, and many of them are. But I’ve virtually ignored my ‘Sharifa Asma’, and it just keeps on coming. Even during our recent years of terrible drought, when the plant itself got scrawny and looked quite terrible because I hadn’t made time to water it enough, the bush has been covered in glorious blooms. Since it only grows to about 3-4’ wide and tall, you can also grow it in a large container. It does get a few aphids in the spring, but I’ve never once seen any sign of blackspot, a notorious rose disease that is a real nuisance on many cultivars. If possible, plant it in a slightly cooler area of your landscape, protected from the harshest afternoon sun, and give it a little extra water in the hottest, driest time of summer.