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
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Fragrant
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Wildlife Friendly
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Disease Tolerant
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Ornamental Hips
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Garden Merit Award
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Grow up an Arch
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Grow up a Wall
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Partial Shade Tolerant
More roses like this
Great companion plants for Francis E. Lester
Plants that grow well alongside Species Rose roses like Francis E. Lester.
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Ammi Majus
Why grow this with Francis E. Lester?
Lacy, cow-parsley-like flowerheads make an elegant filler between roses and are a favourite with hoverflies and other beneficial insects.
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Fennel
Why grow this with Francis E. Lester?
Feathery bronze or green foliage adds soft texture beside roses, and its flowers attract hoverflies and lacewings that prey on aphids.
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Ornamental Grass
Why grow this with Francis E. Lester?
Upright, airy seed heads move in the breeze, giving structure and movement that contrasts with a rose's dense form, especially into autumn.
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Honeysuckle
Why grow this with Francis E. Lester?
A classic climbing partner that shares a trellis or wall beautifully with climbing roses, adding evening fragrance when many roses are less scented.
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Verbena Bonariensis
Why grow this with Francis E. Lester?
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.
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Catmint
Why grow this with Francis E. Lester?
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 Francis E. Lester 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 Francis E. Lester 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 Francis E. Lester is back in stock.
Francis E. Lester's mature growth range is 450cm x 300cm (15ft x 10ft). 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.
