A remarkably tough and durable shrub rose that stands apart from delicate hybrid tea roses with its exceptional disease resistance, wrinkled, leathery dark green foliage, and ability to thrive in poor soils, coastal winds, and even roadside salt spray - 1 - 3 - 5 . Throughout summer and into autumn, it produces an ongoing display of fragrant, single pink or white flowers, each with a pleasing clove like perfume, followed by large, showy, tomato shaped scarlet hips that persist well into winter, offering both ornamental value and a vital food source for birds - 2 - 3 - 4 . Its dense, thorny, suckering habit makes it a first rate choice for an impenetrable informal hedge or a wildlife friendly boundary, and it has even been planted along shorelines to help stabilise sand dunes and control erosion - 3 - 5 - 7 . The foliage turns a pleasing golden yellow in autumn before falling, and the hips can be harvested to make rose hip syrup, jams, and jellies, as they are exceptionally rich in vitamin C - 3 - 4 . Gardeners should be aware that this rose can spread vigorously by suckers and may naturalise aggressively, so it is best suited to larger gardens or wilder areas where its rambling nature can be accommodated - 3 - 4 .