BIG BEN™ – creamy yellow climbing rose - O’Connell
Climbing own-root BIG BEN™ provides a flexible, premium base for trained climber finished product lines where vertical, architectural rose features underpin exclusive, space-defining assortments for arches, pergolas and walls. With a medium maintenance profile and medium disease resistance, it suits UK nursery systems aiming for reliable, repeatable 5–7 L output and efficient pest and disease routines at scale. The remontant, strongly fragrant flowering supports value-added “fragrant ornamental” and cut-stem concepts, while clustered, semi-double blooms in creamy-yellow tones bring a distinctive pastel accent that reads well in retail and project catalogues. Own-root propagation gives predictable, renewable longevity for stock beds and mother blocks, helping you maintain cultivar identity and stable supply over time. Dense, dark green foliage creates a convincing vertical screen effect, even when flowers are between flushes, while the combination of H7 hardiness and zonal rating offers dependable garden performance in colder regions where winter and wind tolerance are important. Moderate hip set extends the seasonal interest of finished plantings. Planned as a tray-grown pharmaROSA® NEONATAL cutting, BIG BEN™ fits UK nursery and integrator workflows looking for high-volume, predictable climbing rose propagation that moves from root establishment in year one, structural cane build-up in year two and full ornamental impact by year three.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- 5–7 L trained climber for arches – Own-root plants pre-trained with 3–5 canes onto arch supports, leveraging height, climbing habit and dense foliage for instant vertical structure in garden-centre assortments – retail / reseller.
- Fragrant pastel pergola line – Remontant, strongly scented creamy-yellow blooms on trained 5–7 L plants, positioned as a premium fragrant ornamental range for pergolas and walkway structures – premium garden centres.
- Collection-grade London theme climber – BIG BEN™ supplied as uniform own-root climbers for thematic “London” or UK heritage collections, using the trained climber route for quick structural impact – show gardens and public-realm projects.
- Duo-use climber for cut and garden – Climbing plants in 5–7 L pots trained for vertical display yet selected to allow periodic cut-flower harvesting without losing structure, supported by own-root regeneration – florist-linked retail channels.
- Vertical screen and hip-interest feature – Dense, glossy foliage and moderate orange-red hips presented as space-defining wall or fence plantings, with trained 5–7 L climbers forming a specialised vertical-feature block – landscape and project suppliers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Current trade name BIG BEN™ Climbing rose O’Connell, ARS exhibition name Big Ben; large-flowered climbing rose sold as a commercial climbing/rambling rose type; no separate registered cultivar name provided. |
| Origin and breeding |
Spontaneous sport of ‘Compassion’® (1972, Harkness) large-flowered climbing rose; bred by Colleen O’Connell circa 2002; introduced by Matthews Nurseries Ltd. in New Zealand in 2008 and Jackson & Perkins in the USA in 2024. |
| Awards and recognition |
not provided |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Climbing habit with dense, dark green glossy foliage (RHS 139A); height approximately 240–390 cm with 90–160 cm spread; moderately thorny canes; weak self-cleaning so spent flowers may persist on the plant. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double blooms with 13–25 petals, large flower size (about 2.75–3.95 in); cup to goblet-shaped, cluster-flowered; remontant with an abundant second flowering, providing extended display and potential for repeat cutting. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Creamy-yellow base with soft lemon-yellow centre, shading to near-white outer petals; ARS YB, RHS 158C outer and 11D inner; colour fades towards almost white with a slightly yellowish throat as blooms age, giving a pastel effect. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance character not described in detail, but assessed as strong and long-lasting; semi-double blooms with partially exposed stamens offer moderate pollinator attraction, making it partly pollinator-friendly in mixed plantings. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces moderate quantities of ellipsoidal hips, 10–14 mm diameter, orange-red (RHS 40A); hips contribute additional seasonal interest in autumn and may support wildlife value in landscape or collection plantings. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Medium resistance levels reported for powdery mildew, black spot and rust, so periodic plant protection may be needed; hardiness rated H7, Swedish Zone 4, USDA 5b, tolerating approximately −26 to −23 °C in established plantings. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Recommended for pergolas, arches, walls and cut flowers; medium maintenance with occasional pest and disease control; best marketed as a trained climber in 5–7 L containers with 3–5 main canes, using own-root cuttings as propagation base. |
BIG BEN™ offers a tall, foliage-dense climbing structure with strong fragrance on durable own-root stock, giving long-lived, predictable vertical features that support reliable trained-climber programmes; please contact us to align capacity and scheduling.
