As the summer solstice ushers in the longest day of the year, gardens across the country are reaching their peak growth and bloom, making it an ideal time to visit renowned horticultural sites. Among these is Dunham Massey, a National Trust property located in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, celebrated for its extensive rose garden.

The garden features hundreds of rose varieties, showcasing vibrant colors and fragrant blooms. Several varieties carry historical significance linked to Dunham Massey’s past. During the First World War, the estate served as the Stamford Military Hospital, an aspect commemorated by the climbing rose “Stamford’s Sanctuary.” Bred by renowned rosarian Peter Beales, this variety displays ruffled, fragrant yellow flowers that fade to a soft lemon tone and blooms repeatedly throughout the season, making it well suited to adorning arbours.

Another Beales cultivar, “Dunham Massey,” was introduced in 2013 to coincide with the official opening of the rose garden. This shrub rose produces double, quartered candy-pink flowers with a subtle fragrance. Visitors this year can also spot the recently planted “Mary Delany,” a delicate, nearly thornless climber bearing light pink flowers with an old rose scent. Positioned strategically over the garden’s entrance archway, it is expected to flourish over time into a welcoming floral arch. This rose was previously named “Mortimer Sackler” but was renamed to dissociate from its former namesake, linked to the Sackler family and their production of Oxycontin, a potent opioid implicated in the US addiction crisis. The new name honors Mary Delany, an English artist noted for her botanical illustrations.

The garden’s upkeep involves natural pest control methods rather than chemical treatments. Senior gardener James explained that instead of applying sprays, they rely on ladybirds to manage aphid populations. Ladybirds are natural predators not only of aphids but also whiteflies, thrips, and spider mites, consuming thousands of aphids throughout their lifetime. This approach allows the roses to recover naturally without chemical interference.

For gardeners interested in fostering their own populations of ladybirds, avoiding pesticides is essential because these substances harm beneficial insects. Providing shelter can encourage ladybirds to overwinter safely. Suggestions include leaving piles of leaves or logs undisturbed or constructing dedicated “ladybird hotels.” For example, arranging pine cones in a pyramid shape under a slatted roof offers numerous crevices suitable for hibernation. Other small-scale shelters can be made by placing spirals of cardboard inside washed-out bottles or drilling holes into old logs. Gardeners may also purchase native ladybird larvae from garden centres for release, ensuring local ecological compatibility.

With the roses in full bloom and natural pest control thriving, Dunham Massey’s rose garden stands out as a vivid example of horticultural beauty and ecological stewardship this summer.