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Rose
Plant
Rosa spp
There is a bewildering number of different roses, but if you want to enjoy them for their wildlife benefit, as well as glorious summer flowers, choose old-fashioned varieties which are fragrant and disease-resistant.
Rosa rugosa is tough and hardy, and is one of the few wild roses that repeat flowers. It has single pink flowers with a golden-yellow centre, followed in autumn by bright red hips. It is very thorny and makes a good informal hedge. If you don't prune back your roses as soon as the petals fall, they will form rosehips.
Ornamental shrub roses are also useful addition to wildlife gardens. They can attract many species of insects.
Animals that benefit
- The fruits are popular with birds
- A wide range of insects will be attracted to the flowers including bees and butterflies