As nature intended

Get rid of the gaudy and blousy (well it would be if it produced more than two flowers) and go instead for the understated charm of a real companion. The Scot’s briar or burnet rose, Rosa pimpinellifolia, is a native and its cultivated hybrids and forms put up no fight in the garden because they actually like it here. It’s an understated but extremely pretty plant too, so much so that four years ago the Aberdonian artist and gardener Mary McMurtrie produced a marvellous book, Scots Roses of Hedgerows and Wild Gardens, illustrated with beautiful paintings of these historic plants.

In the early 1800s, the Scots briar was the height of fashion in Scotland, and nurserymen were raising hundreds of different types. One nursery in Glasgow sold over 200 named varieties, but since the arrival of the modern China rose, trends have changed and many - including the 200 from Austin and McAslan’s nursery - have been lost or confused with others. According to the gardener’s bible, the RHS Plant Finder, a handful of varieties remain. But, in an ironic twist, they are only available from English nurseries.

In no way does this hamper the fun of growing these plants though. Iris Strachan, who holds the National Collection of Rosa pimpinellifolia, has rarely bought a plant and yet 16 named varieties grow in her superb garden. She has begged most from friends and strangers alike whenever she has seen something that takes her fancy. With so many old and forgotten cultivars lurking in gardens (never take them from the wild), it’s not surprising names have become confused, but that’s certainly no reason to leave them languishing.

Longevity is in the make-up of Scots briars. They suffer little from disease and spread (some wilfully) by throwing up new suckers or shoots each year, forming a bristly, neat thicket. From May to July, they are covered in white, yellow, pink or red flowers, depending on the variety.

Most flower for a month or so, but ‘Stanwell Perpetual’ repeatedly flowers all summer. Thought to be a cross between R pimpinellifolia and an autumn damask rose, it has beautifully ruffled, strongly scented flowers that emerge flushed with pink and gradually fade to white. ‘William III’ is a wonderful dwarf variety, producing rich crimson flowers which fade with age, and ‘Grandiflora’ is a larger plant reaching almost 2m, with larger white flowers and wonderful hips in autumn. ‘Mary Queen of Scots’ is rooted in history and another fantastic choice, bearing rich plum-coloured flowers. Legend has it that Mary Queen of Scots brought the plant over from France, and similarly ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ is said to derive from a buttonhole discarded by the man himself after the Battle of Prestonpans. The story goes that a maid found it in his bedroom after he left, and took it home to her mother who managed to root it.

The red-flowered forms in Iris Strachan’s garden are quite spectacular alongside Oriental poppies, but they also hold their own and some, such as ‘Andrewsii’ are ideal for hedging. The garden designer Gertrude Jekyll was a great fan and favoured naturalistic planting companions such as heaths Erica and rock roses Cistus. A particularly pretty and simple planting is self-seeded foxgloves all around pink and white varieties.

And don’t forget that the Scots briar is found in nature growing by the sea so its robustness not only extends to a tolerance of wind and cold. In fact, it seems rather like a little terrier, retaining a natural edge and pluckiness but being utterly charming at the same time. So keep life simple, ignore the whims of fashion and make friends with that person with a beautiful briar in their garden.

The following nurseries sell by mail order (for more, see the RHS Plant Finder):

David Austin Roses, Bowling Green Lane, Albrighton, Wolverhampton (01902 376377; www.davidaustinroses.com)

Peter Beales Roses, London Road, Attleborough, Norfolk (01953 454707; www.classicroses.co.uk)

Visits to Iris Strachan’s garden at Glenhighton, near Broughton, are by appointment only (01899 830273)