A ROSE named after Daleswoman Hannah Hauxwell has soared in popularity since she passed away.

Following news of Miss Hauxwell's death last month, gardeners have been inspired to add the pretty plant created in her honour in 1990 to their borders and patios.

The only known UK grower, RV Roger Nurseries, in Pickering, North Yorkshire, has seen unprecedented demand for Rosa Hannah Hauxwell since she died at the age of 91, on January 30.

In three weeks, the family-run business has taken almost three times as many orders for the rose as usual.

It is now out of stock for this season, for roses that will bloom this summer, and has taken lots of orders for the next season, for roses that can be planted between November 2018 and March 2019.

Mark Gerrand-Jones, from the sales and advice team at RV Roger, said: "From the moment the word was out about Miss Hauxwell's death we've been having an unprecedented level of inquiries re this rose, and consequently have been out of stock for some while.

"Most of the orders are from this region and we've taken calls from people who were personally acquainted with her or were touched by her story in the past or just more recently and were inspired by that."

Mr Gerrand-Jones added: "We believe that we are currently the only growers of this rose, and have grown it since shortly after it was first launched in 1991.

"We propagate and grow more than 50,000 roses each year, and we're confident that we'll continue to grow this variety for years to come.

"It has a lovely open blossom with lots of petals, it just keeps on flowering. It has a little fragrance and is a compact thing, about 2ft high, grows well in pots and gardens and is a good all-rounder."

Miss Hauxwell was taken into the heart of the nation when, from the 1970s to the early 1990s, she was the subject of television documentaries and books about her simple, solitary life farming in Baldersdale. She later moved to Cotherstone and was living in a care home when she passed away last month.

The plant, which has apricot-pink flowers, was developed by breeder Eric Stainthorpe, of Battersby, from the 1989 Rose of the Year, Sweet Dreams.

When it was presented to her at the National Garden Festival in Gateshead in 1990, she said: "It's lovely. I like all flowers but roses are my favourite. It is nice, very pretty."