Classic Roses

"Peter Beales knows everything there is to know about roses. He has forgotten far more about roses than I will ever know, and manages to write about roses with a sense of the real love that he has for them. He is a [rose] nurseryman, and a man I like and admire – he has inspired so many people to start growing classic roses, and he is a great photographer too. I read and re-read this book many times. They are now, but 20 to 40 years ago they didn’t use to be. People were not growing varieties like damask roses and bourbons then. Roses are a relatively recent thing which has been resurgent. When I was a child, far more people were growing hybrid peas. Now, things like rambling and climbing roses have become very popular again. So it is wonderful Peter Beales could inspire people to get back to growing them."