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THE BEAUTY of English roses is being celebrated in the latest stamp collection by Royal Mail.
Each of the 10 stamps’ vibrant images feature original watercolour illustrations of wild and garden roses, commissioned and created for Royal Mail by acclaimed botanical artist Marie Burke
The set showcases a range of wild and cultivated roses, including Constance Spry, the first English rose bred by David Austin, in 1961. That flower launched a new era in rose breeding, combining the beauty and fragrance of old roses with the flowering performance of modern types.
The stamp collection aims to celebrate the beauty of the nation’s favourite flower.
The stamps showcase a stunning selection of roses, from delicate wild species to classic garden favourites, each capturing the unique colour, form and character of the flower.
The roses featured in the set are the dog rose (rosa canina); rosa Queen Elizabeth; rosa Just Joey; rosa Paul’s Himalayan Musk; rosa Étoile de Hollande; rosa gallica versicolor; the field rose (rosa arvensis); rosa Charles de Mills; rosa Peace; and rosa Constance Spry.
The stamp issue coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of David CH Austin OBE, whose work transformed modern rose breeding and helped reintroduce fragrance, beauty and romance to gardens.
David Gold, Royal Mail’s director of external affairs and policy, said: “Roses are a familiar part of many British gardens as well as holding a special place in British culture and heritage.
“These beautiful stamps bring together art and horticulture through original illustrations of 10 distinctive roses, each carefully interpreted to capture its unique character.”
Royal Mail worked with horticultural historian Jennifer Potter on the collection.
All roses trace their ancestry back to wild flowers native to the northern hemisphere which typically bear single, five-petalled flowers, such as the dog rose and the field rose found in the UK.
Garden varieties emerged gradually over centuries, first through natural mutation and later through deliberate breeding.
Old European roses such as gallicas, albas, damasks and centifolias – including rosa gallica versicolor and rosa Charles de Mills – are celebrated for their rich scent and early summer flowering.
From the 18th century onwards, Chinese roses introduced repeat flowering in a development which transformed rose breeding and lead to the modern hybrid tea roses that remain so popular today.
The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available at royalmail.com/roses, or by calling 03457 641641.
A presentation pack of all 10 stamps is priced at £13.75.
