Deborah James sees the rose named after her
Podcast host Deborah James’ visit to the annual Chelsea Flower Show was made particularly special when she was able to see a rose that has been named after her.
James visited the show on Tuesday with her husband, where the couple were taken on an hour-long private tour and posed for photos alongside her namesake flower.
“Flowers are a reminder of our future,” James said, per the BBC. “We plant the seed not knowing what we might see grow.
“Being around nature gives us a lift and it is a reminder that life continues to blossom, even in some of the hardest places, and brings a smile to all of our faces, even in the hardest of times - particularly mine.”
James also shared the news with her fans on social media several days before her visit to Chelsea, admitting that she “actually cried” when Word of Roses and the Harkness Rose Company, which bred the rose, asked if they could name the flower after her.
“Roses are my favourite flowers and I hope this one will brighten the smiles for all!” she wrote.
James said she hoped the flower might feature in her daughter Eloise’s wedding bouquet in the future.
“What breaks my heart and brings me the most beautiful thought, is that this variety will and can now be grown forever, and maybe one day even Eloise might choose to have it in her wedding bouquet.”
The 40-year-old journalist recently revealed that she would be receiving end-of-life care for her bowel cancer.
Following her health update, over £3 million was raised for her campaign, the Bowelbabe Fund and James received a damehood from Prince William, who visited her home to present her with the honour.
The sale of Dame Deborah James Roses will also contribute to her cause, with £2.50 from every rose sale being paid to the Bowelbabe campaign.
“What also brings me so much joy is to know that the rose will also be incorporated into the company’s new Community Gardening Scheme which aims to get more vulnerable groups and people from underrepresented backgrounds involved in gardening,” James wrote.
“Harkness have pledged to give away 1,000 Dame Deborah James roses to community gardens across the UK this autumn time.”
James described the rose variety as a “floribunda” which produces masses of white blooms with a subtle “ballet slipper pink” centre.
The flowers will also be available to pre-order for delivery in Autumn 2022.
Image: @bowelbabe (Instagram)