Harkness Roses launches climate action rose in support of Kenyan reforestation

British rose breeder, Harkness Roses partners with reforestation charity to fund tropical tree planting through the sale of specially selected, Word Forest Fellowship Rose.

Harkness Roses has introduced the Word Forest Fellowship Rose, a floribunda variety created to support Kenyan reforestation efforts. From the sale of each plant, £2.50 will be donated to the Word Forest Fellowship, a charity working on community-led tree planting projects in Kenya.

Since 2017, Word Forest has planted 1.2 million trees across Kenya, including in Garashi (Coast Province), Rusinga Island, Nairobi, and Aberdare Forest. The planted species include mango, moringa, and cashew, providing carbon capture as well as food and medicinal resources.

The charity operates permaculture teaching centers and supports more than 4,000 community members through tree-tending work and education. A documentary, titled Trees Are the Key, highlights the charity’s work, narrated by Kate Winslet and filmed by Tim Short, documents tree-planting initiatives in Kenya aimed at addressing climate change, reducing poverty, and supporting women’s economic participation.

Funds generated through the sale of Word Forest Fellowship Rose will support tree planting, permaculture training, education, and community-led livelihoods in areas affected by drought, floods, and other climate-related challenges.

Selected by Harkness Roses, the vibrant orange rose was bred to represent energy and optimism, the opposite of “climate doom.” Producing glowing orange semi-double blooms with a subtle, spicy fragrance, the rose grows to approximately 90cm and is suitable for borders, large pots, or beds. Supplied exclusively through Harkness Roses, the Word Forest Fellowship Rose is currently available and is sold in a 4-litre pot.

“Nature links all life, even the unlikely pairing of roses and climate action”, said Philip Harkness, Managing Director, Harkness Roses. “Britain’s gardeners have enormous power. If 1,000 people buy this rose, we’ll plant 1,000 trees in tropical Kenya – where trees grow ten times faster than in the UK and lock in carbon at pace, the way nature intended.”

Simon West, CEO of Word Forest, added: “Every British gardener can now be part of tropical reforestation. That rose in your garden connects directly to a Kenyan mother earning income from tree nurseries, to children learning under the shade of fruit trees, to wildlife returning to restored forests. It’s a climate action you can literally see grow.”

Founded in 1879 in Yorkshire, Harkness Roses expanded into rose breeding in the 1950s when Jack Harkness began developing new varieties in Hitchin. Today, the company grows and distributes more than 200 rose varieties worldwide, ranging from modern hybrids to traditional old garden roses.