BIG PURPLE – mauve-purple hybrid tea rose - Stephens
BIG PURPLE brings an air of romance to a family garden, its exceptionally large, intensely mauve-purple blooms and classic high-centred form creating an immediate focal point beside an arbour or seating area. This hybrid tea’s extremely strong, room-filling fragrance is ideal for afternoon tea outdoors, while its long, straight stems make it a natural for cutting and exhibition-style vases in the house. The own-root, 2‑litre plant is easy to establish, settling well even where you shelter borders from brisk coastal winds and frequent rain, and it rewards simple, regular care with generous repeat flushes. Over time, its upright, statuesque presence and luxuriant colour palette help anchor a cottage-style layout, while the robust root system offers reassuring longevity for years of dependable, storybook display.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Feature rose beside an arbour or garden bench |
The tall, upright growth and exceptionally large, mauve‑purple blooms give BIG PURPLE a statuesque, romantic presence that suits seating areas where flowers are viewed at eye level, perfect for those seeking a storybook cottage corner for family buyers |
| Cutting patch or kitchen-garden border |
Long, straight stems with solitary, high‑centred flowers provide classic exhibition-style blooms for vases, while the extremely strong fragrance fills kitchens and living rooms, an attractive option for home flower arrangers |
| Statement specimen in a small to medium lawn |
Planted alone at the recommended distance, this rose forms a broad, upright bush that draws the eye from the house, its rich purple tones complementing traditional brick and render, an appealing choice for suburban homeowners |
| Romantic cottage-style mixed border |
The vivid mauve‑purple flowers blend beautifully with soft pinks, lilacs and creamy whites, working well with traditional cottage perennials to create a cohesive, “girly” English-country feel for cottage-garden enthusiasts |
| Large container on terrace or patio (40–50+ litres) |
In a generously sized pot with good drainage, the upright habit and repeat flowering create a vertical accent near doors or seating areas, bringing colour and perfume close to the house for busy urban gardeners |
| Fragrance-focused planting near paths and doorways |
The extremely strong, classic rose perfume is best appreciated where you walk past regularly, so placing it beside a gate, front path or back door ensures everyday enjoyment for scent-loving visitors |
| Own-root planting for long-term, reliable structure |
As an own-root rose, BIG PURPLE regrows true to type after hard pruning or weather damage, maintaining its form and flower quality with less long-term worry for low-maintenance gardeners |
| Borders in exposed or wetter UK sites |
Well-established plants root deeply and anchor themselves, coping with typical British showers, breezes and heavier soils when planted into well-prepared, free-draining ground, which is reassuring for coastal and clay-garden owners |
Styling ideas
- COTTAGE RIBBON BORDER – weave BIG PURPLE through a loose border with foxgloves, campanulas and airy grasses to create a nostalgic, storybook edge – ideal for lovers of traditional English cottage charm
- TEA-ROOM TERRACE – place a large pot of BIG PURPLE by a bistro table, underplanted with lavender and thyme, to scent afternoon tea and evening drinks – suited to busy city dwellers with a small patio
- SCENTED CUTTING ROW – line a kitchen-garden path with BIG PURPLE and simple perennials like phlox for armfuls of fragrant stems – perfect for home florists who enjoy arranging their own roses
- EVENING FOCAL POINT – use BIG PURPLE as a single focal shrub framed by pale geraniums and silvery foliage so the smoky lilac blooms glow at dusk – appealing to those who relax outdoors after work
- ROMANTIC HEDGE DRIFT – plant a loose, informal line along a boundary, interspersed with hydrangeas and ceanothus, to soften fences and create privacy – a good option for families wanting a cosy garden enclosure
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered as STEbigpu, traded as Big Purple Hybrid tea rose STEbigpu, also exhibited as Stephens’ Big Purple in cut-flower and show categories. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Patrick N. “Pat” Stephens from an unknown seedling × ‘Purple Splendour’; introduced after 1986 via McGredy Roses International, with registration recorded in 1986. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised on the show bench, including Best Mauve Rose at Rosexpo Montreal and Canadian Rose Society honours in 1999, confirming its value as an exhibition-quality hybrid tea. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Forms an upright bush around 130–170 cm high and 100–140 cm wide, with moderately dense dark green foliage and moderate prickliness; best spaced generously for specimen or hedge use. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, high‑centred, XL blooms with over 40 petals, borne mainly singly on strong stems; remontant, with an especially abundant second flush that suits cutting and exhibition uses. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Intense mauve‑purple with violet shimmer, dark buds opening to vivid blooms that slowly fade to smoky lilac with a silvery centre; colour may soften in hot, strong sun over the flowering season. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Extremely strong, classic rose fragrance that can perfume surrounding seating areas or indoor rooms; very double flowers mainly serve as ornamental features rather than pollinator resources. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hips form only occasionally because of the very double flowers; where present they are small, ellipsoid, orange‑red, typically around 10–14 mm in diameter and mainly ornamental. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, roughly USDA 6b), with moderate resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; benefits from regular watering in extended summer droughts. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Prefers a sunny spot with fertile, well‑drained soil; allow 110–200 cm spacing depending on hedge or specimen use; maintenance moderate, including deadheading and occasional plant-protection treatments. |
BIG PURPLE – mauve-purple hybrid tea rose - Stephens offers sumptuous, fragrant exhibition blooms, a commanding upright presence and dependable own-root resilience; consider it if you want a long-lived, romantic focal rose for your garden.
