Honest review: Queen Elizabeth is rewarding but rose dieback from hard winter frosts is real

Queen Elizabeth is a genuinely satisfying plant to grow, but I want to be upfront about one thing: rose dieback from hard winter frosts. I've dealt with it twice now and it takes consistent attention to manage.

Beyond that, repeat-flowering over a long season makes it one of my favourites in the collection. I keep it in a cottage garden mixed planting with lavender which suits it well. Learning about deep watering at the base rather than overhead has been essential. first flush of blooms in late spring is worth waiting for — the plant really justifies itself then. Four stars because of that persistent issue.