OLD PORT – deep purple bedding floribunda rose – McGredy
Step out after rain into a front garden edged with velvet blooms: Old Port brings a richly coloured, bedding floribunda rose to compact London-style plots where every square metre counts yet you still want long-lived, low-fuss structure. In a small front garden or large container, its bushy, upright habit forms a neat flowering hedge, while the deep crimson‑purple rosettes slowly age to lilac, echoing the atmosphere of an old harbour lit by dusk lamps. Own-root plants establish steadily and repay patience with many seasons of dependable renewal, coping well with typical British rain and wind on heavier soils thanks to thoughtful planting for good drainage. Over time, you will see the quiet progression from settling roots to confident shoots and, by the third year, full garden presence and a mature, perfumed display.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front-garden hedge along a path |
Old Port’s bushy, upright habit and 80–100 cm height create a compact, semi-formal edging that frames a narrow path without overpowering it, ideal for London terraces where you want structure and colour with minimal fuss for busy urban gardeners. |
| Feature rose in a larger container |
Planted in a 40–50 litre peat-free container, this floribunda builds a strong own-root framework that lives for many years, allowing you to move the perfumed display as your rented or small urban space changes, a flexible option for balcony and patio owners. |
| Mixed border in heavy or clay soil |
With careful planting into improved, free-draining pockets, Old Port settles reliably even on heavier UK soils that hold winter wet, giving a stable, long-term shrub layer and avoiding frequent replacements for practical family gardeners. |
| Rainwater-fed sustainable front garden |
Moderate water demand and steady, upright growth make Old Port a good candidate beside permeable drives or soakaway beds, thriving where rainfall is guided into planting rather than drains, aligning with low-input choices for environmentally aware homeowners. |
| Small-space evening seating corner |
The strong, long-lasting fragrance and deep, harbour-toned blooms are most striking at close range, so one or two shrubs near a bench or doorstep give you maximum sensory impact from limited metres, suiting fragrance-loving beginners. |
| Season-long colour in a family border |
Remontant flowering with generous repeat flushes keeps beds colourful beyond the first summer peak; once established, the own-root plant regrows well after pruning, sustaining a reliable display over years for time-pressed households. |
| Low-thorn access routes |
With relatively sparse prickles and a neat outline, Old Port is easier to manage along side paths or near driveways, reducing snagging on clothes and making deadheading and shaping less daunting for cautious new gardeners. |
| Part-shade structural planting |
Suitable for partial shade, Old Port still forms a defined shrub where sun is limited by neighbouring houses or street trees, particularly in coastal or windy districts where robust, upright structure is valued by urban front-garden planners. |
Styling ideas
- Harbour-border – Combine Old Port with lady’s mantle and soft grasses for a misty, romantic edge that softens paving while its repeat flowering keeps the structure readable – ideal for family front gardens.
- Portico-accent – Use a single shrub in a 50 litre container by the doorstep, underplanted with low thyme, for a scented welcome that is easy to water and maintain – perfect for busy commuters.
- Twilight-corner – Group two or three Old Port roses near a small bench, with cool-toned nepeta and sage, to maximise evening fragrance and deep colour – suited to fragrance enthusiasts.
- Clay-breaker – In heavier soils, space a short hedge of Old Port in improved planting pockets, interwoven with hardy perennials, to create a long-lived, manageable boundary – reassuring for new-build homeowners.
- Soft-hedge – Line a path with a staggered row of Old Port, using its sparse prickles and upright habit to define access without a harsh barrier – attractive for households with children and pets.
Technical cultivar profile
| Trait |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Floribunda bedding rose, registered as MACkati and marketed as Old Port; shrub rose exhibition type within a bed rose group, premium gold quality and verified cultivar authenticity for reliable garden performance. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV from ‘Macsupple’ × ‘Big Purple’; introduced after 1992 via Egmont Roses in New Zealand as a richly coloured, garden-suitable floribunda with dependable repeat flowering. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, upright shrub to about 80–100 cm high and 70–90 cm wide with moderately dense, matt dark green foliage and relatively few thorns, forming a tidy, medium-sized structure in borders or containers. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, very double rosette blooms with more than 40 petals, usually in small clusters of one to three per stem; remontant habit delivers a main flush followed by generous repeat flowering through the season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep crimson-purple flowers with velvety buds and purplish-magenta outer petals; blooms age through violet-purple to lilac-grey, with tones warming toward deep pink in hot conditions, giving layered colour effects. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long-lasting perfume with a full, classic rose character best appreciated at close range; the scent adds particular value in seating areas, entrances and high-traffic paths where passing contact is frequent. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is usually sparse due to very double flowers; when present, small 6–10 mm spherical hips develop in orange-red shades, adding a discreet, occasional seasonal accent late in the year. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to around −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, roughly USDA 6b) with moderate general disease resistance; notable black spot resistance, with powdery mildew and rust remaining at manageable, moderate levels. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best at 55 cm spacing in mass plantings, 50 cm for hedging or 90 cm as a specimen; prefers regular watering in drought and benefits from manual deadheading to maintain a neat, continuous display. |
OLD PORT – deep purple bedding floribunda rose – MACkati offers long-lived, repeat flowering structure with rich evening fragrance in an easy-care, own-root form that will reward patient gardeners for many seasons to come.
