The Wild Rose, or Dog Rose as its commonly know, planted along a boundary can help to improve security and privacy as its fast growing and prickly.
Perhaps more importantly its also a protective environment for birds and small mammals and an important source of nectar for bees, butterflies and moths.
It produces early summer flowers that can be pale pink(almost white) to deep pink.
The bees love them as they spread open so are easily accessible and full of nectar.
In late summer through autumn and well into winter it has rose hips that are orange to deep red. An important food source for birds and mammals such as mice, squirrels and voles.
The hips are used to make essential oils and a powder made from them is used in teas and animal foods.
The Rose hips are also used in herbal veterinary medicine.
Apparently rosehip syrup made from the Dog Rose has 20 times more vitamin C than orange juice!
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