Robert, I looked at all your pictures (how could I not?), and your photographs are gorgeous. What a treat to see so many different Austin roses. It's hard to pick a favorite but I was really taken with Mary Magdalene. What a beautiful rose.

Thanks so much!

Ingrid

Thank you, for sharing your birthday treat with us.

I too loved the "new" to me roses.

Poor Fair Bianca looks a little "fried".

It's very good of you Sir Robert, to provide the forum with these delights. Ambridge Rose, Mary Magdalene and Grace are looking especially good here. Thank you, Robert. Cheers!

Juliet

Happy Belated B'day Robert! Thank you for sharing the gorgeous pictures. Its really hard to pick a favorite. Impressed with Mary Magdalene and Lady of Shallot.

Robert, your photos are so incredible pretty! Thank you for the David Austin roses treat. Sounds like you had a wonderful birthday! Congratulation to your acquisition of the Ambridge Rose. A friend of mine is growing this rose here in Southern California and it is truly beautiful and smells like heaven.

Christina

Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Garden Dreams

Hi Ingrid, thanks so much for looking through all the photos, it's really nice of you to take the time, I'm really glad you enjoyed them. I'm really taken with Mary Magdalene too. I looked for it when we went to the gardens, but they were sold out of plants to take home. I was really disappointed as it has so much charm and I really love the colours. It reminds me of another of his roses, Eglantyne, which I really love the look of as well. It has a good scent to, so it is high on my list.

Thanks for looking Inga. Indeed, Fair Bianca looked fried, but it was nice to finally see it in real life. I liked it.

Juliet, thanks for sharing your thoughts, I like those photos best too, although Grace isn't a rose that I'm that interested in, I like the green colour in the background of the photo.

ibheri, Thanks for the belated wishes! Lady of Shallot is really impressive in person. It's just a huge, in your face, "look at me" rose that stops everyone in their tracks. It's one that everyone commented on every time I was near one of the bushes. As I mentioned above, I'm in love with Mary Magdalene, and hope she'll be in my garden soon!

Christina, thanks for the nice words. We did have a wonderful time. I was really struck by how beautiful the bushes of Ambridge Rose were, they just looked so delicate and gentle, and then when I smelled the strong scent, I was sold and knew I would be taking one home with me. Thanks, as always, for looking and sharing your thoughts.

Cheers everyone.

robert

Thank you for the tour, so many wonderful pics.

Do you recall if Peach Blossom had a strong fragrance? This is rose that I've thought about adding to the garden, but don't find much information on it.

Hi Krista,

I don't remember whether Peach Blossom had a strong fragrance, and especially after a while there, it gets harder and harder to be distinct about fragrances, everything starts to blend together after smelling dozens of roses!

I do have Peach Blossom listed in one of the older David Austin books, the 1996 edition of David Austin English Roses. This is the description:
Peach Blossom produces a profusion of dainty, semi-double flowers of blush colouring, on fairly upright bushy growth. The individual flowers do not really resemble those of a peach as they are much larger, but there is certainly something blossom-like in the massed effect. Repeat flowering is good, but you may choose to forego the later blooms in favour of the multitude of hips produced in autumn, if it is not deadheaded after its first flowering"

His "overall assessment" is 3 stars, but for fragrance he gives it only 2 stars, so I wouldn't expect a very strong fragrance. It's breeding is The Prioress x Mary Rose.

In 100 English Roses for the American Garden, Clair Martin says:
Clusters of long, pointed yellow-apricot buds open to semi-double, iridescent flowers of pale pink with yellow centers and bright golden stamens. As they age, the ruffled and notched blooms fade to the palest white-pink, and then to vanilla white. A sweet musky perfume completes the picture. Individual flower life is as brief as a breeze, but the reward comes in the nearly continuous bloom once the bush is established...

So, a moderate musky scent it seems!

Cheers,
robert

Thank you, Robert, for the help. This is very good information.