'The King's Rose' wins prestigious award at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, and it's certainly a showstopper

This year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 was as spectacular as ever, with the added delight of introducing 'The King's Rose' as the must-have rose variety to grow this summer.

Few timeless garden trends are complete without a captivating rose in bloom, and few are as famous as world-leading rose breeder, David Austin Roses. This new award-winning rose has been created as a tribute to His Majesty King Charles III.

"While every one of our English roses is exquisite and extraordinary in its own right, ‘The King’s Rose’ is particularly special," says David J.C. Austin, Chairman at David Austin Roses.

"It’s our first striped rose, created in collaboration with The King’s Foundation. The rose is a tribute to the enduring values of His Majesty King Charles III through the work of the Foundation, investing in education, sustainable practices, and the revitalisation of heritage."

'The King's Rose' unveiled at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025

The royal-worthy new rose has been "12 years in the making, undergoing an exceptionally thorough breeding process at the David Austin Roses nursery in Shropshire", born from a story of great significance.

"I met King Charles at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in the early ’90s," David explains. "We had a display of ‘Ferdinand Pichard,’ a beautiful striped rose originally bred in France in the early 20th century, and he told me it was the very first rose he’d ever grown. I couldn’t believe it – because it was the first rose that I'd grown, too.

That shared moment has stayed with me ever since, and when I saw this new bloom in the fields — striped, distinctive, and full of charm and character — I knew it had to be the one. It felt like a sign. This had to be our rose.”

Like King Charles and Queen Camilla, I also attended the famous flower showcase to see the unveiling of the new rose, and I can see why it was part of an award-winning display.

Upon entering the secret garden-themed RHS Chelsea Flower Show stand, my senses were immediately awakened by the sweet-smelling fragrance and colourful display of climbing varieties such as ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’, ‘Rambling Rector’ and ‘Ghislaine de Féligonde’.

Beyond that, in the middle of the enclosure was the latest and arguably most prestigious variety to join the much-loved rose family, 'The King's Rose'.

Firstly, I was struck by how markedly different this new variety is from the striking single-coloured roses that came before it. This new variety instantly captivates with its unique, marbled colouring. With no two roses being the same, the painterly petals feel almost hand-decorated and bespoke.

The next thing that struck me was the gentleness of the fragrance, which, as someone not overly keen on traditional rose scents, was a pleasant surprise.

One of the experts on hand informed me that the light musk fragrance comes from the stamen rather than the petals, which is why the scent feels so mellow compared to stronger rose aromas that you might waft by in the garden.

He also explained how it offers a hint of fresh apple notes, with a beautiful warmth coming from soft clove notes. It is the perfect concoction for those who prefer their fragrant garden plants to air more on the subtle side of rose-scented.

The robust shrub is said to grow to approximately three to four feet tall. The vase-shaped growth habit and heart-shaped leaves, with vibrant yellow stems, make it one of the best plants for pollinators.

I hope King Charles and Queen Camilla's garden will be graced with this stunning new bloom.

It's highly commendable that all proceeds from 'The King’s Rose' will support The King’s Foundation and its work building sustainable communities. So, in many ways, this beautiful new rose is aiding sustainable garden ideas in its own way.

“The Chelsea Flower Show is an incredibly special place for us. It’s where my father first exhibited his award-winning roses back in 1983, and ever since then, introducing a new variety here has become something of a tradition," comments David J.C Austin, Chairman of David Austin Roses.

“Winning our 29th gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 is a true testament to the dedication and skill of our entire team. From the growers who nurture each rose to perfection over the 12-year breeding process, to the events team who design a stand that brings the vision to life, this achievement reflects the commitment to excellence that goes into every David Austin rose."

A well-deserved win.