SIMPLY GORGEOUS™ – lavender tea-hybrid rose - Ford
On a sheltered terrace or by a cottage-style path, SIMPLY GORGEOUS™ offers reliably upright, bushy structure clothed in dense, glossy foliage and large, exhibition-quality blooms. Its sweet, strong fragrance makes afternoon tea outdoors feel indulgent, while the powdery lavender-lilac colour blends beautifully with soft pastels and herbs. Bred as a hybrid tea with a high-centred, pointed-budded flower form, it remonts generously for repeated vases of cut stems and a long garden season. As an own-root plant, it is selected for long-lived stability, regenerating steadily from the base for a dependable display over the years with only modest care. In typical British weather it copes well with blustery, damp days in exposed spots and performs reliably even in coastal gardens. Easy to handle in the 2-litre container, it settles quickly once planted, rewarding patient gardeners as roots establish, shoots build up and, by the third season, it reaches its full romantic potential.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Feature rose near seating or terrace |
The strong, sweet scent travels well, so a single bush close to a bench, patio table or back door gives maximum enjoyment whenever you pass or sit down. Its upright habit keeps it tidy in confined spaces and suits fragrance-seeking garden owners. |
| Cutting bed for home arrangements |
Large, high-centred, exhibition-style blooms on straight stems make this cultivar ideal for cutting, providing classic hybrid tea flowers in romantic lavender tones for vases and gifts at home, suiting those who enjoy arranging their own garden roses. |
| Cottage-style mixed border |
The powdery lavender-lilac colour partners well with herbs, perennials and soft grasses, creating a feminine, cottage-garden feel without needing complex maintenance, appealing to lovers of traditional borders and relaxed, rural-style planting schemes. |
| Small specimen in a front garden |
With its compact, upright, bushy shape and dense foliage, this rose forms a neat focal point by a gate, path or bay window, bringing gentle formality to modest plots while remaining manageable for busy homeowners and occasional gardeners. |
| Informal low hedge or row |
Planted in a line at recommended spacing, the even habit and moderate height build a soft, floral boundary that defines paths or separates garden areas without heavy pruning demands, suiting families wanting structure and colour with limited time. |
| Containers and large patio pots |
An own-root plant adapts well to large containers of at least 40–50 litres, where its bushy but contained growth and repeat flowers provide long seasonal colour on balconies or paved spaces, ideal for urban gardeners lacking deep borders. |
| Exposed or breezy family gardens |
The upright, well-branched framework and reasonably sturdy shoots help the plant stand up to typical British gusts and showery spells without collapsing, making it reassuring for those gardening in open, wind-prone or coastal-influenced sites. |
| Long-term planting in family plots |
As an own-root rose, it can regenerate from its base and maintain ornamental value over many years, becoming more floriferous as the framework develops and anchoring well in ordinary soils, which suits patient, value-conscious home gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-archway – Plant as a pair leading to a kitchen garden, underplanted with lavender and cranesbills for soft romance – ideal for lovers of English countryside paths.
- Teacup-terrace – Place a single specimen in a generous pot near outdoor seating, teamed with pastel cushions and china – perfect for fragrance-focused afternoon tea hosts.
- Pastel-ribbon – Create a loose hedge along a front path, interspersed with low grasses, for a gentle, storybook welcome – suited to families wanting charm without formality.
- Lavender-duet – Combine with blue and lilac perennials in a sunny border so the bloom colour blends seamlessly through the season – appealing to colour-conscious cottage stylists.
- Cutting-corner – Dedicate a sunny bed with a short row of plants, edged with herbs, to provide fragrant stems for the house – ideal for home florists and weekend arrangers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered as FORmaui, marketed as Simply Gorgeous™ Hybrid tea rose FORmaui, exhibition hybrid tea and cut-flower type suited to garden and vase use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by John Ford of Ford Roses, Palmerston North, New Zealand; introduced in the United Kingdom by Style Roses around 2014–2015, with parentage not publicly documented. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy shrub reaching about 80–110 cm in height and 60–85 cm spread, with dense, slightly glossy foliage that emerges bronzy-red before maturing to a mid-green canopy. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high-centred, pointed-budded hybrid tea blooms, typically borne singly on stems, with 26–39 petals and good remontancy giving a generous second flush of flowers. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Powdery lavender-lilac flowers with silvery-mauve tones; colour shifts from deeper lavender-purple buds to lighter, silvery lavender with creamy, bronze-brown nuances as blooms age. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, sweet rose fragrance of classic character, readily noticeable around the plant and in cut stems, enhancing its suitability for seating areas, entrances and indoor arrangements. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional small, spherical hips, about 10–14 mm across, maturing to an orange-red shade (RHS 34A); generally incidental rather than a primary ornamental feature in most gardens. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated to approximately H6 and USDA 7b, tolerating around −15 to −12 °C; disease resistance moderate to black spot, powdery mildew and rust, benefitting from routine preventative care. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in a sunny position with good air movement; spacing 50–90 cm depending on use; medium maintenance with occasional plant protection; well suited to beds, borders and cutting. |
SIMPLY GORGEOUS™ brings large, fragrant lavender hybrid tea blooms on a neat, upright bush that thrives long term on its own roots, making it an elegant, dependable choice for those refining a romantic family garden.
