THE ONE Show’s Alex Jones has urged others to buy the Dame Deborah James Rose.
The rose is being introduced at the Royal Chelsea Flower Show – and was described by TV presenter Alex as “beautiful”.
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The One Show’s Alex Jones at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 with the Dame Deborah James RoseCredit: Splash
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A stunning new rose from The Harkness Rose Company has been named in honour of Sun writer, Dame Deborah JamesCredit: Supplied
She wrote on Instagram: “Bought this and spoke with @iamlaurenmahon at the stand. They had already raised 22K for @bowelbabefund.
“There are no words for how much one individual has managed to inspire a whole country. The rose is beautiful. Buy one if you can.”
A handful of celebrities were pictured with the flower at the Royal Chelsea Show on Monday, including Dame Joana Lumley.
TV personality Katie Piper, model Jodie Kidd and presenter Gaby Roslin also showed their support for Dame Debs, posing with a bouquet.
Lauren Mahon, who hosted the BBC You, Me and the Big C podcast with Dame Deb, was running the stand with The Harkness Rose Company.
A cancer survivor herself and close friend of Debs, Lauren described the rose as “utterly stunning” and the “most perfect tribute”.
The rose can be pre-ordered for Autumn 2022, with some of the proceeds going towards the Bowelbabe Fund.
Sun columnist Dame Debs has already raised millions of pounds since launching her fund with Cancer Research UK just over two weeks ago.
The same day, the mum-of-two revealed she was receiving palliative care at home, five years after being given an incurable bowel cancer diagnosis.
The tragic news came after Dame Debs captured the hearts of Brits, sharing the most honest and raw moments living with cancer.
She wrote her column Things Cancer Made Me Say since her diagnosis of advanced bowel cancer in 2016.
Since revealing she is no longer having treatment, 40-year-old Debs has since been honoured with a Damehood, receiving it from the Duke of Cambridge himself while at home.
She launched a fashion line with In The Style, and announced that the publication of her new book – How to Live When You Could Be Dead – will be brought forward.
Rose for a Dame
At the weekend, The Harkness Rose Company offered to name a species of rose after Dame Debs.
The white blooms have a subtle “ballet slipper pink” centre, Deborah says, and “set out perfectly against the dark green, glossy foliage”.
Dame Debs was presented with a bouquet of roses at her parent’s home in Woking, where she is receiving palliative care, last week.
She wrote on Instagram this weekend: “I actually cried when they asked me if they could name a rose after me.”
The former teacher was comforted by the fact her daughter Eloise, 12, may one day have the flower at her wedding.
Debs said: “What breaks my heart and brings me the most beautiful thought, is that this variety will and can now be grown forever, and maybe one day even Eloise might choose to have it in her wedding bouquet.
“The new rose is available to pre-order now for delivery in Autumn 2022 (link in stories and below). Even better, £2.50 from the sale of each rose will be paid to the @Bowelbabefund.
“There is of course a limited supply of Rose plants for sale! I just can’t wait for my family to plant them everywhere this Autumn.
“Earlier this week I had the pleasure of being presented with a bouquet of my new stunning roses and hear all about the work that has gone into them [sic].
“Roses are my favourite flowers and I hope this one will brighten the smiles for all!
“What also brings me so much joy is to know that the rose will also be incorporated into the company’s new Community Gardening Scheme which aims to get more vulnerable groups and people from underrepresented backgrounds involved in gardening.
“Harkness have pledged to give away 1,000 Dame Deborah James Roses to Community Gardens across the UK this autumn time.”
You can pre-order the Dame Deborah James Rose by clicking here, and donate to the Bowelbabe Fund by clicking here.
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Dame Joana Lumley showed her support for Sun columnist Dame DebsCredit: Instagram
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Celebrities pose with the Dame Deborah James rose at the Royal Chelsea Flower Show. Pictured, Katie Piper with Lauren Mahon, who hosted the BBC You, Me and the Big C podcast with Dame DebCredit: Instagram
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Lauren with model Jodie KiddCredit: Instagram
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Lauren with Gaby Roslin at The Harkness Rose Company standCredit: Instagram
