ROSES are red, violets are blue, but do you know where your blooms come from? Petersfield is now home to the only nationwide provider of the iconic English rose. The Real Flower Company, based at Durleighmarsh Farm, near Petersfield, is to supply Waitrose, which will make the supermarket the only major retailer to sell English roses. The supermarket's bunches will include home- growns such as St Cecilia, Just Joey and Chandos Beauty. "There is something amazing about the English rose. It has a unique charm and character," said Rosebie Morton, who founded The Real Flower Company in 1995. "I started growing flowers in my walled garden more than 10 years ago and am thrilled to supply flowers to Waitrose during the summer months. Our farm has acres of hedgerows, woodland and ponds which really means that growing these quintessentially English flowers boosts wildlife diversity." Having found that the scent had been slowly lost from bloom – a side effect of breeding to extend 'vase life' – Waitrose buyers set about scouring the country for the home-grown holy grail of fragrant perfection. As part of the supermarket's commitment to stocking British flowers, the retailer sought the perfect rose, discovering what they were looking for in The Real Flower Company which makes sure the different varieties of flowers are hand tended and cut and tied, before biding handed over to the retailer. Louise Motala, flower buyer at Waitrose, said: "We wanted to revive interest in the English rose and have been searching for many years to find the perfect grower in this country. "I'm sure we all remember making rose water from petals as children, and it was heartening to find beautiful home-grown roses which not only smell heavenly but also meet the environmental and ethical standards our customers expect from Waitrose." The Real Flower Company, whose farm is part of the countryside stewardship scheme and a member of the Farm Wildlife Advisory Group, ensure their roses are watered using drip-type irrigation systems which avoid erosion and waste. They are never sprayed in bloom to ensure the protection of bees and other insects feeding on the plants. The English rose posy is available in Waitrose branches at £14.99.