Floribundas. Excellent roses.

As with the Modern Hybrid Teas it was also deemed necessary to change the name of these roses from Floribunda to Cluster Flowered. This met with similar resistance and it is now common to find both titles used simultaneously. Floribunda rolls off the tongue much more easily than the cumbersome alternative and is the one I continue to use.

As their name suggests these roses flower abundantly for a long season. They are relaxed in growth with loosely formed flowers borne in trusses, providing bountiful colour in a kaleidoscope range. Highly scented Floribundas are in the minority but as their use is more for colour this is not a vital requirement.

Their use in the garden is diverse. They make excellent bedding roses, providing long seasons of massed flower. Taller cultivars make good hedges, whilst shorter ones can be used to edge paths and driveways. Floribundas can be easily grown in tubs to brighten patios and some of the strong stemed varieties are useful to flower arrangers.

Some of the older Polyantha roses can be used similarily to the Modern Floribundas.