Molly's survival guide

Plant it once, love it for decades. The Bonica doesn't just grow in your garden — it becomes part of it.

How to care for Molly

Some titles are honorary. This one is earned.

Rosa Bonica was named an All-America Rose Selections winner in 1987 and went on to claim the ultimate accolade — named World's Favourite Rose, it has also earned the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. That's not a résumé, that's a legacy. And yet somehow, despite all the accolades, this rose remains one of the most unpretentious, easy-going plants you can grow. No diva behaviour. No drama. Just relentless, gorgeous blooming — season after season.

Generous sprays of semi-double, shell-pink flowers sit beautifully against dark, glossy foliage, and as a repeat bloomer it flowers in flushes from late spring all the way until frost. And when the blooms finally do bow out for winter? If not deadheaded, the flowers give way to a wonderful crop of bright red hips that last long into the winter — so this rose literally never stops giving.

Equally useful as a shrub rose, groundcover, landscaping plant, or container rose, the Bonica is that rare plant that works everywhere and impresses everyone. The blooms have a subtle green-apple scent, with ruffled, slightly cupped petals in clusters of five to fifteen — dainty enough to feel romantic, abundant enough to make a real statement. And unlike many roses that demand constant coddling, the Bonica is hardy, very healthy, and extremely reliable — one of the most widely planted of all roses for very good reason.