Austin English Roses
Hybridized over the last twenty or thirty years,
these roses entice us to smell their fragrance, to enjoy their colors,
to admire their forms. A most prolific hybridizer, David Austin has developed
these roses using different antique varieties, primarily for their beautiful
blooms, and other, more modern roses for their reblooming habits and their
different colors. Many of his roses have been very popular--they are lush
blossoms, almost always fragrant, and usually rebloom well. Drawbacks found
in certain Austin roses include some varieties that are not reliably hardy,
some susceptibility to blackspot and other rose diseases, and some bushes
of awkward growth habit. The newer varieties tend to have fewer of these
problems than the older ones. And many rose lovers will provide a bit of
extra care to be able to enjoy their magnificent forms and colors throughout
the summer. See Growing your Rose
Pruning can be done in early spring or late fall.In
colder climates, there is often some dieback apparent in spring. Dead wood
should be pruned in midspring, after it has had time to green up. (Here
on the boundary of zones 4a and 3, I have had an English rose come back
well into June. If the rose is precious to you, give it time!)
Abraham Darby (Pat.7215)
Luscious colors tint these double, cupped blossoms
of apricot sometimes shaded with rose, other times more golden. So full,
and so fragrant! Foliage is dark green and glossy and very healthy. It
continues blooming well in the fall. This can be grown as a climber, to
10', or a shrub, to 5'. (1985)
Ambridge Rose (Pat.8679)
Apricot-pink blooms are cupped, then open to
a rosette. A good rose for the smaller garden, it stays around 3' x 3'.
The freely produced, very fragrant flowers are good for cutting.
(1994)
Bow Bells
A true Cockney must be born within the sound
of the bells of Bow Church (St. Mary's) in the East End of London--the
'Bow Bells'. These don't peal, but they're fragrant, soft pink, cupped
bells, suspended on a 4', upright bush. (1991)
Charles Austin
Another lovely apricot rose, this color is somewhat
brighter than 'Abraham Darby' and with strong yellow shadings. The flowers
are large, fully double, cupped at first, then open, and very fragrant.
The shrub is vigorous and can be used as a short climber. 4-5' (1973)
Claire Rose
This lovely, full, old fashioned rose is soft, blush pink shading
to white. It opens cupped then matures a rosette form packed with petals.
This good cutting rose is fragrant and on a strong, upright bush of 5'.
(1986)
Cottage Rose (Pat.8671)
A continuous-flowering rose, this has clusters of medium sized, soft
pink, cupped blooms. The pink is deeper in cooler weather. It is sweetly
fragrant, 3.5' , and fits well in the garden. (1991)
Fair Bianca
Lovely blooms are cupped and pure white, reminiscent of the Bourbon
'Boule de Neige'. They open cupped, later are saucer-shaped, and finish
reflexed. They have a myrrh fragrance and repeat well on this strong but
compact, upright bush. 3' (1982)
Fisherman's Friend
Free flowering, these large blooms are a lovely, deep red that turns
a cerise-crimson as they age. Very full and cupped, they repeat well and
have a strong, good fragrance. Rugosa genes enhance the disease resistance
of its foliage. 4' x 4' (1987)
Gertrude Jekyll (Pat.6220)
Said to have the best fragrance of all Austin roses, rich pink, 4"
blooms are fully double with petals arranged in a spiral. Deadheading the
blooms will speed up reblooming. The vigorous bush is healthy and 5-6'.
(1986)
Graham Thomas
The most well-known English rose, 'Graham Thomas', named after the
English rosarian, deserves its popularity. The blooms are amazing--rich
golden yellow with a texture like heavy satin. They impel you to stop and
feast your senses. Their fragrance is tea rose, and they thrive on hot,
sunny weather. As they tend to grow tall and narrow, some recommend planting
three roses close together. Others treat them as short climbers. 6' x 3'
(1983)
Heather Austin (Pat 10618)
This newly available Austin has deep pink, double
blossoms incurved almost as much as 'Bow Bells' but showing golden stamens
within. It gives off a clove fragrance, and the bush is very healthy
and vigorous, to 5'. (1996)
Heritage
One of the best English roses, 'Heritage' is classic in form, cupped
shape and very double. A lovely, shell pink with apricot shadings, the
blossom has a lemony fragrance. The 4' bush repeats flowering through autumn
and has few thorns. (1984)
Kathryn Morley (Pat 8814)
This light pink, cupped rose is soft pink and very full, opening to
saucer shape at maturity. Flowers are freely produced and have a wonderful
fragrance. It is relatively compact and 3.5' (1990)
Lilian Austin
Less formal in appearance, loosely double blossoms of a warm salmon
with pink and orange shadings almost glow in the sun. Great with perennials,
it is a graceful, arching shrub to can grow to 4'. Its fragrance is good,
as is the repeat in summer and fall. (1973)
L.D. Braithwaite (Pat.8154)
Perhaps the best deep red Austin rose, 'Braithwaite' is a large, fully
double crimson-red that is fragrant and healthy and almost always in bloom.4'
(1988)
Mary Rose
One of the easiest English roses to grow, 'Mary Rose' is certainly
one of the prettiest. Named for Henry VIII's flagship, it has medium pink,
lovely, full flowers with a luscious perfume. They repeat very well on
a nicely shaped, 4', bushy shrub that can be pruned hard and will tolerate
some shade. (1983)
Peach Blossom
Delicate, light peach, semi-double blossoms seem almost transparent
on this free-flowering, good repeater. Blossoms are followed by hips. This
upright shrub tolerates some shade. 4' (1990
Prospero
A good deep crimson rose for the garden or tubs, fully double 'Prospero'
has beautifully arranged petals, like some of the Gallicas. It has a great
fragrance and grows to about 3'. (1982)
Redouté (Pat 8780)
Named for the painter of beautiful roses, this is a sport of 'Mary
Rose' and like her except in a softer pink. The petals are a bit looser
and the effect charming. It seems like an everblooming Alba, with a Damask
fragrance. 4' (1992)
St. Cecilia (Pat 8157)
Another beauty, this has creamy pink, deeply cupped blooms in sprays
produced well into autumn. They are soft apricot-pink, aging a blush white,
and have a strong myrrh fragrance. The shrub is a compact grower, 4' x
3'. (1987)
Sweet Juliet (Pat 8153)
A clear apricot, 'Juliet' has beautiful, double
blooms forming shallow cups with nicely arranged petals. The graceful, upright
shrub can grow 3.5-5'. Very fragrant. (1989)
The Alexandra Rose
Very different than most Austin roses, this shows its Alba parentage.
It is a handsome shrub with good blue-green foliage and covered with single,
coppery-pink blossoms with yellow stamens. It would be in place in a mixed
border or a shrub border; it is very hardy and healthy and a good repeater.
5'
The Countryman (Pat 7556)
This interesting shrub has central branches growing upright and side
branches spreading. They produce rose-pink blossoms that have a lovely
fragrance and form fully double rosettes. 4' (1987)
The Nun
Deep cups of semi-double, pure white petals form tulip-shaped blossoms,
with golden stamens. The elegant blooms have a light fragrance and are
held in sprays above the upright shrub. 4' (1987)
The Pilgrim (Pat 8678)
This pure yellow rose is packed with petals, has great fragrance and
a delicate beauty--a real charmer. The blossoms open flat and are great
floating in a bowl. The shrub is vigorous and healthy but a bit tender.
4' (1991)
The Prince (Pat 8813)
Spectacular color, velvety texture, and amazing fragrance--this is
quite the rose. Opening crimson it matures a rich purple, showing its Gallica
heritage. Blooms are cupped rosettes on this small, 2.5-3' compact shrub.
(1990)
Winchester Cathedral (Pat 8141)
Like a small, white, Damask rose, elegant blush-white blossoms in
clusters open from light pink buds and have a delicious fragrance. They
may have pink flowers on occasion. Good repeat bloom on a 3' shrub. (1988)
Wise Portia
This rose is termed purple-mauve, but I remember crayons called 'red-violet'
that were close to this luscious color. A beautiful, full, open cupped-shape
rose, Wise Portia is a free bloomer and has a rich fragrance but needs
an open, sunny position for best flowering. 3' (1982)
Yellow Charles Austin
A sport of 'Charles Austin', this is a rich
lemon-yellow on a large, full, rosette-type bloom. It is a tall grower,
and can be used as a climber. It has a strong, fruity perfume--altogether
a very satisfactory rose. 5' (1981)
Copyright © 2000 Orion Farm
