Peter Beales Roses

31 RHS Chelsea Gold Medals

Alba Semi-Plena

Root Type
Price: £23.00
Key Information
Please use this as a guide, these are live plants and can be different due to your soil, sunlight, watering routine and feed.
Rose Type
Potted Rose
Rose Family
Albas
Date of Introduction
1600
Rose Colour
White/Cream
Height Range
240cm x 150cm (8ft x 5ft)
Fragrance
Fragrant
Bloom
Semi-Double
Wildlife Friendly Rose
Yes
Thorn
A varied thorn count
Awards Won
Garden Merit Award

Potted roses are supplied in a 5.5 litre pot.

(Albas) Pure white, semi-double blooms of timeless elegance open to reveal a prominent boss of golden anthers, their sweet fragrance drifting generously through the summer air. Borne in graceful clusters against soft, grey-green foliage, the flowers are followed in autumn by an attractive display of elongated scarlet hips. One of the oldest roses in cultivation, Alba Semi-Plena dates to at least the sixteenth century and is widely believed to be the White Rose of York.

Key Information
Height Range: 240cm x 150cm (8ft x 5ft)
Rose Type: Bare Root & Potted Rose
Rose Family: Albas
Colour: White
Flowering Period: June | July
Fragrance: Fragrant

Similar Roses
Madame Legras De St. Germain | Alba Maxima | Celestial | Creme De La Creme

Important product information

Bare-root roses ship November–March only. Orders placed April–October will be held as a pre-order and dispatched November–December, weather permitting.

Tracking details will be sent by email.

Potted roses ship year-round.

Price: £23.00
Alba Semi-Plena
From £23.00

Plant Calendar

  • Planting Time
  • Flowering Time

Potted roses can be planted at any time of year; the planting window shown here is for bare-root roses.

Rose Features

  • Fragrance icon Fragrant
  • Wildlife friendly icon Wildlife Friendly
  • Award winning icon Garden Merit Award

Great companion plants for Alba Semi-Plena

Plants that grow well alongside Species Rose roses like Alba Semi-Plena.

  • Ammi Majus

    Ammi Majus

    Why grow this with Alba Semi-Plena?

    Lacy, cow-parsley-like flowerheads make an elegant filler between roses and are a favourite with hoverflies and other beneficial insects.

  • Fennel

    Fennel

    Why grow this with Alba Semi-Plena?

    Feathery bronze or green foliage adds soft texture beside roses, and its flowers attract hoverflies and lacewings that prey on aphids.

  • Ornamental Grass

    Ornamental Grass

    Why grow this with Alba Semi-Plena?

    Upright, airy seed heads move in the breeze, giving structure and movement that contrasts with a rose's dense form, especially into autumn.

  • Honeysuckle

    Honeysuckle

    Why grow this with Alba Semi-Plena?

    A classic climbing partner that shares a trellis or wall beautifully with climbing roses, adding evening fragrance when many roses are less scented.

  • Verbena Bonariensis

    Verbena Bonariensis

    Why grow this with Alba Semi-Plena?

    Tall, airy stems let you see through to the roses behind, while its lilac flowers keep the border buzzing with bees and butterflies well into autumn.

  • Catmint

    Catmint

    Why grow this with Alba Semi-Plena?

    Its billowing grey-green foliage softens bare rose stems, and its long flowering season keeps pollinators visiting long after the first flush of roses is over.

Frequently asked questions

Bare-root Alba Semi-Plena roses are best planted during their dormant season, from November to March, which is also when we dispatch them. Potted roses are grown in containers and can be planted at any time of year — just avoid periods of hard frost or drought, and water thoroughly after planting.

Every rose we sell is covered by our 1-year Rose Guarantee, so you can plant Alba Semi-Plena with confidence. See our Rose Guarantee page for the full details.

Often, yes — we grow our roses ourselves and stock varies through the season, so a variety that's sold out can come back. Use the "Notify me" button above to be emailed the moment Alba Semi-Plena is back in stock.

Alba Semi-Plena's mature growth range is 240cm x 150cm (8ft x 5ft). Growing conditions such as soil, sunlight, feeding and pruning can affect the final size, so treat this as a guide rather than an exact figure.

Icon key

What the icons on our roses mean.

  • Fragrant Has a noticeable scent. The product page tells you how strong it is.
  • Repeat flowering Flowers more than once through the season, rather than a single show.
  • Disease tolerant Naturally tolerant of common rose diseases such as blackspot and mildew.
  • Wildlife friendly Flowers that provide pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinators.
  • Good for cutting Long-lasting blooms on stems that suit cutting for the vase.
  • Ornamental hips Produces decorative hips in autumn, which also feed the birds.
  • Award winning Has won awards. They are listed under Key Information on the product page.
  • Suitable for pots Happy growing in a container on a patio or balcony.
  • Grow up an arch Can be trained over an arch, pergola or doorway.
  • Grow up a wall Can be trained up a wall or fence.
  • Partial shade tolerant Copes with a position that only gets sun for part of the day.

Icons only appear on roses that have the feature. Please use them as a guide: roses are living plants and can vary with your soil, sunlight and care.