Peter Beales Roses

31 RHS Chelsea Gold Medals

Meg Merrilies

Root Type
Price: £25.00
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
Bare Root
Rose Family
Sweet Briars and Canina Hybrids
Date of Introduction
1894
Rose Colour
Red
Height Range
240cm x 200cm (8ft x 6.6ft)
Bloom
Single
Thorn
A varied thorn count

Potted roses are supplied in a 5.5 litre pot.

(Sweet Briars and Canina Hybrids) Meg Merrilies is a glorious and gloriously prickly shrub rose, bearing vivid crimson semi-double blooms with a richly scented foliage and flower combination that makes it one of the finest of the Sweet Briars. A single generous flush through midsummer is followed by a handsome crop of red hips, extending the season beautifully into autumn. Named for the wild and memorable gypsy sorceress in Sir Walter Scott's novel *Guy Mannering*, this rose has a spirit entirely befitting its namesake.

Key Information
Height Range: 240cm x 200cm (8ft x 6.6ft)
Rose Type: Bare Root Rose
Rose Family: Sweet Briars and Canina Hybrids
Colour: Red
Flowering Period: June | July
Fragrance: Strong

Similar Roses
Anne Of Geierstein | Amy Robsart | Lord Penzance | Altissimo

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: £25.00
Meg Merrilies
£25.00

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.

Great companion plants for Meg Merrilies

Plants that grow well alongside Species Rose roses like Meg Merrilies.

  • Ammi Majus

    Ammi Majus

    Why grow this with Meg Merrilies?

    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 Meg Merrilies?

    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 Meg Merrilies?

    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 Meg Merrilies?

    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 Meg Merrilies?

    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 Meg Merrilies?

    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 Meg Merrilies 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 Meg Merrilies 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 Meg Merrilies is back in stock.

Meg Merrilies's mature growth range is 240cm x 200cm (8ft x 6.6ft). 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.

Species roses are the original wild roses that all garden roses descend from, largely unchanged by breeding. They typically flower once, in a simple five-petalled form, and many go on to produce decorative autumn hips — a good choice for wildlife gardens and naturalistic planting.

Meg Merrilies belongs to our Sweet Briars and Canina Hybrids group of species roses.

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.