Nancy Steen

Nancy Steen was a New Zealand rosarian, and this rose is named after her. It's one of the few roses I brought here from my last garden, specifically because of the New Zealand rose connection.

A Blush Pink Rose

The flowers are usually described as blush pink, though people's blushes are never as subtle as this rose. The last flowers bloom well into autumn, and are quite a bit darker in colour.

I grow two bushes of Nancy Steen in the front patio garden, under-planted with Stachys Limelight. I like the freshness of the resulting colour combination. Recently these roses have been suffering from lack of space - the removal of a bulky, pushy flax should assure them of a better summer next year.

A Lover of Old Fashioned Roses

Nancy Steen herself worked really hard to encourage the growing of old fashioned roses. Earlier in New Zealand's rose growing history suburban gardeners would have nothing to do with the older style roses, preferring regimented rose gardens full of stiff hybrid teas. How things have changed!

Nancy Steen's flower colours remind me of pastel bathroom soaps. That's not a description you'd find in the rose books!