On Monday 19 May the Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs Carey attended the Chelsea Flower Show to launch a new rose variety to commemorate the 1400th Anniversary of the arrival of St Augustine in 1997, and herald the 1998 Lambeth Conference. The Cathedral was represented by the Dean and Mrs Simpson and ten choirboys, who performed two specially prepared 'Rose' anthems at the ceremony.

The inspiration for the rose comes from the "Compass Rose" designed by Mr Giles Blomfield is set into the floor of the Nave of Canterbury Cathedral and was dedicated at the conclusion of the 1988 Lambeth conference by Archbishop Robert Runcie.

The new rose will be featured at the Lambeth Conference in 1998, and will be used as a decoration in Canterbury cathedral for the services due to take place there. Before that it will feature in the Exhibition of Floral Art and Design being staged by the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies in Canterbury Cathedral from 2 to 5 October 1997.

The Compass Rose was raised by Kordes Rosen and will be introduced by Mattocks Roses. The new rose is a beautiful and highly scented shrub rose which won the Harry Edland Memorial Medal for the Best Scented Rose, and a Trial Ground Certificate at the Royal National Rose Society, St Albans, 1995.

It has a spreading growth of 1.1 by 1.2 m, with clusters of perfumed classic white semi-double blooms with red stamens. These are showed to perfection against glossy dark green foliage. It will grow in mixed borders or where space permits as a medium hedge on either side of paths or walkways.