| Rosa 'Compassion' | |
| Genus: | Rosa hybrid |
| Group: | Climbing hybrid tea rose |
| Marketing Names: | 'Compassion', 'Belle de Londres' |
| Breeder: | Jack Harkness |
| Origin: | Great Britain, 1972 |
Rosa 'Compassion' is a pink-blend climbing rose cultivar developed by Jack Harkness and introduced into Great Britain in 1972. It is considered to be one of the best modern climbers and is a popular selling rose in Britain.
The rose cultivar was developed by Jack Harkness of Harkness Roses (R. Harkness & Co. Ltd) at Hitchin, Hertfordshire. The acclaimed nursery, which continues to sell roses today, was established in 1879 in Bedale, Yorkshire by brothers, John Harkness (1857-1933) and (Robert Harkness (1851-1920). Jack Harkness (1918-1994) is the grandson of the original co-founder John Harkness.[1] The Harkness family nursery grew roses from the beginning, but did not breed roses until 1962 when Jack Harkness began managing the business.[2]
Harkness developed the rose cultivar by crossing the white, large-flowered climber, 'White Cockade' and the pink Hybrid tea rose, 'Prima Ballerina'. Harkness Roses introduced 'Compassion' into Britain in 1972.[3] It is considered to be one of the best modern climbers and is a popular selling rose in Britain. 'Compassion' has six child plants: Rosa 'City Girl' (Harkness, 1985), Rosa 'High Hopes', Rosa 'Highfield', Rosa 'Loving Lorna', Rosa 'Paul Shirville', and Rosa 'Rosemary Harkness'.[4]
'Compassion' is a modern climbing tea rose, 5feetto(-)15feetft (to(-)ft) in height with a 4feetto(-)5feetft (to(-)ft) spread. Blooms are large, have an average diameter of 4inches, and a petal count of 26 to 40. Bloom color is a blend of salmon, pink, apricot, and orange and fades to off-white as the flowers mature. Scent is strong and fruity. Flowers are carried mostly solitary or in small clusters of up to five and have a classic hybrid tea bloom form. [5]
'Compassion' blooms repeatedly throughout the season. It is very disease resistant and makes an excellent cut flower as well as a garden shrub. It also can be trained as a pillar rose. Foliage is large, dark green and glossy. The plant has many prickles and a dense, upright growth habit. 'Compassion' is known in France as 'Belle de Londres'.[6]