Sally Holmes is a hybrid musk shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae) and was bred by Robert A. Holmes of the United Kingdom in 1976. Parentage is Ivory Fashion × Ballerina (hybrid musk, Bentall, 1937). This rose is an erect bushy spreading shrub that can be trained to a trellis if desired. It will grow 6-12 feet tall with a 3-5 foot spread. Sally Holmes does best in full sun but tolerates some shade. Plant in fertile moist well-drained soil and mulch around the roots to help retain moisture. Prune in late winter to remove dead, diseased or crossed canes and prune remaining canes to 1/3 the size or more if needed. The white blend single flowers with yellow stamens are 3.5 inches across and appear in large clusters throughout the season. The glossy green foliage appears on nearly prickle-free canes. Use this shrub as a specimen, in the border, in the cutting garden, the English garden, the cottage garden or train to any vertical structure. Received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Good disease resistance. Occasional problems with blackspot. See pests of roses to the left. Deer will browse roses. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Rosa .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheRosa Abraham Darby 'AUScot'Rosa 'Cornelia'Rosa 'Duet'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Rose; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Glossy dark green compound leaves
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
White blend flowers with moderate fragrance and 5-8 petals are 3.5 inches across. They appear in large clusters throughout the season.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit detail
Rose hips will form if not pruned off
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Nearly prickle-free green canes
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Attracts
Bees
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Drupe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Vertical Spaces
Landscape theme
Children's Garden; Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden; English Garden; Garden for the Blind
Design feature
Border; Specimen
Garden tags
#heat tolerant #disease resistant #English garden #shrub rose #showy flowers #cutting garden #specimen #white flowers #climbing rose #long bloom season #border #fragrant flowers #cottage garden #vertical spaces