- Paul White (commercial director), Katherine Paterson (marketing director), Graham Bell (B&Q CEO), Virginia Wakefield (e-commerce Director), & Amélie Gallichan-Todd (supply, logistics and customer service director) with Catherine’s Rose
B&Q can today reveal it will be the main bricks and mortar stockist of Catherine’s Rose, when it launches in late September.
Earlier this month, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) named Catherine’s Rose, bred by Harkness Roses, after Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales.
The beautiful coral-pink rose seeks to raise awareness of the important role that spending time outdoors plays in bringing us joy. With funds from every sale coming to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, it will help The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust establish a unique training programme for clinical teams across the country. This specialist prehabilitation and rehabilitation programme will help to ensure patients who need intensive support live well with, and beyond, cancer.
Bred by Philip Harkness of Harkness Roses, Rosa ‘Catherine’s Rose’ (Harzenith) is a pot grown Floribunda rose that will flower between mid-June and late Autumn. It is robust and bushy – and in average conditions will grow to about 1.2m by 90cm wide. It is highly scented – strong, sweet – reminiscent of Turkish Delight and mango.
The flower colour isn’t a plain monotone pink, there are multiple shades through different stages of bloom. In bud the outer petals are a deeper pink, verging on deep salmon pink.
In B&Q stores, the rose will come in a 5L square-round pot and will allow the public to purchase a potted, new-season rose, that can be planted straight away.
Today, Graham Bell (B&Q CEO), Paul White (Commercial Director), Katherine Paterson (Marketing Director), Amélie Gallichan-Todd (Supply, Logistics and Customer Service Director), and Virginia Wakefield (E-Commerce Director) attended the unveiling of the rose at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, alongside Philip Harkness, of Harkness Roses, the rose breeder, and the team at rose grower, Arden Lea.
The Harkness display, which awarded Silver Gilt, featured a charming garden path lined with lush roses leading to a grand piano framed by a green pergola. Catherine’s Rose took centre stage in the rose garden, allowing RHS Chelsea Flower Show attendees to admire the rose before anyone else.
Graham Bell, B&Q CEO, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be chosen as the main physical store stockist of the Catherine’s Rose, supporting such important work from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust via The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.”
Dame Cally Palmer, Chief Executive, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Every rose sold will help The Royal Marsden establish a unique training programme for clinical teams across the country in prehabilitation and rehabilitation techniques which make such a difference to patient care.”
Further details will be announced in the coming weeks. To find out more visit: www.diy.com/catherines-
