Belinda’s Dream

Belinda’s Dream, a shrub rose, was introduced in 1992.  It is a cross between Tiffany and Jersey Beauty.  In Texas, heavy bloomers such as Belinda’s dream are always going to have a more difficult time in the hot summer months.  It is simply gorgeous in the cooler months.

Introduced in 1992, this gorgeous shrub rose was developed by Dr. Robert Basye, a mathematics professor at Texas A&M University and named after the daughter of one of his friends. Belinda’s Dream is disease tolerant and can be used as a hedge rose.  It is disease and soil tolerant.

It was the first rose to be designated Earth-Kind® by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The large, very double pink blossoms come in large clusters from spring until frost. Bred in Texas to withstand hot temperatures, it does well in temperate climates as well. It may have some blackspot in cool, damp weather, but its vigor and blooming will not be affected by the disease. Light pruning improves appearance and blooming frequency.

1. Q: What makes ‘Belinda’s Dream’ a top-performing rose for Texas gardens?
A: ‘Belinda’s Dream’ was bred specifically for Southern U.S. conditions and thrives in Texas heat, humidity, and alkaline soils. It blooms heavily with large, pink, fragrant flowers and is tolerant of both drought and high humidity. It is one of the few roses that performs reliably across East, Central, and South Texas with minimal care.

2. Q: Has ‘Belinda’s Dream’ received any awards or special recognitions?
A: Yes. It is a certified Earth-Kind® rose, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension designation given only to roses with exceptional landscape performance, drought tolerance, and minimal chemical needs. It was one of the first roses to earn this title, making it a standout for low-maintenance landscapes.

3. Q: How resistant is ‘Belinda’s Dream’ to common rose diseases in Texas?
A: It has very high resistance to blackspot and powdery mildew, even in humid East Texas where fungal pressure is intense. It also holds up well to occasional drought stress in Central and South Texas without defoliating or collapsing, making it one of the most reliable disease-resistant landscape roses available.

4. Q: How large does ‘Belinda’s Dream’ grow, and what kind of care does it need?
A: It grows 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, forming a rounded shrub. Prune lightly in late winter to shape and promote airflow. It benefits from deep, infrequent watering, mulch, and occasional fertilization, but it does not require routine spraying. It blooms heavily in spring, lightly in summer, and again in fall with cooler weather.

5. Q: How does ‘Belinda’s Dream’ perform compared to Knock Out® roses in Texas?
A: While Knock Out® roses are widely used, ‘Belinda’s Dream’ offers stronger fragrance, larger blooms, and better form, with equal or better disease resistance. It also produces cutting-quality flowers, which Knock Out® does not. For gardeners who want an Earth-Kind® certified rose with showier, traditional blooms, ‘Belinda’s Dream’ is a better choice.