Sorry - I don't know much about Austins, but if you write a letter to the editor requesting this info (which in my opinion should have been provided in the article), you will probably get it.

Jackie

Jackie,

I was really disappointed in the fact that they didn't give the names of the roses. Magazines are usually so detailed! Even in the back of the magazine, it gives the very vague "David Austin Roses," no varieties.

One thing to keep in mind, if you're going to try to recreate this ... Mr. Austin's roses are pretty "thirsty." They were created, of course, in a place not troubled by drought. That's going to increasingly be an issue in California.

Since you are located in Sacramento, I'd suggest that you visit the Sacramento City Cemetery's Historic Rose Garden (1000 Broadway, Sacramento). Clearly -- spring would be the best time.)

There, you'll find many roses that will give you the look you want, but which are better-suited to your conditions.

The Cemetery's roses will all be labelled, and most of them can be found in commerce. Of those not in commerce, many will be available in April, at the Open Garden and Rose Sale.

For an extensive look at the Cemetery's Historic Rose Garden, search for Heritage Roses Group in Facebook. OR, you can go to the Heritage Roses Group's Website.

Jeri

Here is a link that might be useful: The Heritage Roses Group

first photo on the right I'm seeing 'Mary Rose'.

That was my thought too, hoovb, but I wasn't certain enough to voice that opinion. The smaller, darker rose to its left looks a lot like my Sister Elizabeth, but there may be others that look very similar. Austin has so many roses in commerce now that it's really difficult to identify them correctly.

Ingrid

Jeri, thank you so much for the link. I don't think I've ever seen so many beautiful, huge, smothered-in-bloom roses as at this cemetery. Simply incredible; I must see this place in person some day soon.

Ingrid

Harlow Carr (top photo left), Queen of Sweden (2nd photo), top photo right could really be many things, but maybe rosemoor.

I think maybe Lady of Megginch too.

Jeri's given you the best idea for as carefree garden as possible. By all means, identify the roses in the photos, but then find out just how suitable they are to where you are, your gardening style and how much water you want to use. Then, research what other roses resemble the look of the photos and grow in your area, requiring the care and resources which fit in with what you want to spend on them. Substituting those should often give you the look you want without requiring more than you wish to give them. If the identified varieties grow well where you are, great! Not all perform the same everywhere. Kim

I definitely see the wisdom in planting the right roses for my area. This will save me a lot of heartache, backache, and money in the long run!

I will need roses that like alkaline clay soil and hot weather. I thought maybe a Belinda's Dream might be a good candidate to create the look of the first photo, but then I saw the photo Jeri posted, and that rose is very beautiful too. Jeri, do you know its name? I still don't know what dark rose to plant in the background of this rose.

I have been to the cemetery (shamefully) only once, last year at the sale. I went with my mom and she made us late, so I missed out on everything! I did tour the cemetery for a short time though. I want to go back, but I was hoping to plant up my yard soon, before everyone (online) runs out of the most desirable varieties of roses.

My backyard is the saddest of sites. There is nothing growing. I moved into this foreclosure home two years ago and I have been frozen on what to do with the yard. I think nothing would make me happier than to see something blooming this year. :)

I really do appreciate all of your help. I have learned so much from this kind forum. Thank you!

They are sure lovely photos, but the roses seem awfully close together, crammed in to make it look fuller... if you do plant yours the same, there might be a problem getting in there to weed and prune and dead-head, especially if they grow wider and bigger, it would become a jungle, impossible to work in....I made that mistake, I planted everything very close for that 'cottage look', and had to dig some up and relocate...now I have replanted and allowed 'walkways' to get around in the beds.... just a thought...sally

Andrea, you're more than half way there! I'd suggest contacting cemeteryrose (Anita) and meeting her out there so you can see what looks like the things you want. As they are growing in a climate probably rather similar to yours, you can see what requires more attention than others and vice versa. I'm sure Anita will have great suggestions for what will give you the closest to what you want with the level of attention you wish to provide. Besides, she's a neat lady, the cemetery is a gorgeous garden and you'll learn so much, it will be time very well spent. It could also give you the opportunity to put in requests for some of the roses they grow in the Cemetery which may not be readily available otherwise. Who knows? You just might find some time to enjoy volunteering there. It also would give you the opportunity to see what works for companion plantings in the area. One I would suggest looking at is the old Crimson King Iris (a repeater!) which has grown there for many decades. Might as well make your new garden historic to your area while providing you with all the color, romance, whimsy and pleasure you desire. If something has been successful in the Cemetery for decades, it should do pretty well in your garden! Enjoy and good luck! Kim

I had to chuckle reading your post, Sally. How many times have I had rose prickles where I REALLY didn't want them! LOL! Thanks. Kim

Usually, I keep track of what I'm shooting, but in the case of that image, I was simply recording "views" of the garden. I do that often, to get the feel of the place.

Anita (Cemetery Rose) will probably know ...
But do listen to the superb advice, NOT to plant to closely. If your roses look like my photo, or the one you posted, the first hear you plant it, YOU ARE IN TROUBLE.

When we planted the Stagecoach Inn garden, in January, '94, the roses were so far apart that we filled in with salvias and lambs ears and Iris, and and and ... NOW by pruning time, the roses stand like a solid wall.

So remember that the best garden is one that starts out as an infant, with widely-spaced plants that will allow it to grow to beautiful maturity.

Jeri

Andreajp, these are lovely photos and a beautiful look to aspire to. It's a good idea to choose from the roses at the cemetery - pretty much an opportunity to find guaranteed winners for your garden. The photos really excited me because my front garden is finally getting mature enough that Souv de la Malmaison and Mme Lombard are looking like one bush because ML is reaching out wide. I don't mind (yet), because I've long been an admirer of the thicket look. I tried to plant 6' on center (but sometimes not) which pretty much guarantees that teas will be overlapping some, so plan accordingly and be patient with the blank spaces for a few years. Like Jeri said, fill in with annuals. One word of advise if you use Purple Coneflowers (which I recommend). They are thugs root-wise so don't plant them under or even near the canopy of the rose.

Since my roses are fairly disease resistant, I don't worry about air circulation, but being able to get to the roses for maintenance is important. Give yourself room to get to each rose from the front and the back. Make an alley behind the roses if you're planting against a fence. Then squeezing in to reach the sides, if they touch at maturity, isn't too bad unless you have a bad back and can't reach awkwardly. There are definite consequences to planting too close. And remember in Zone 9 they will get big and probably even huge. If those photos were taken in the spring flush, those bushes will be a mess by the end of the season. Can't wait to hear which ones you choose.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

A visit to the Cemetery's Historic Rose Garden will tell you a lot about plant size and spacing. You're gonna have fun!

Jeri

I always end up planting too tight. So it is a good thing I like that tumbled together look! Loving how Ambridge and Princess Alexandra of Kent were looking today with bits of lavenders and calalilies poking out.

Hi! I'm in Sacramento too so I had to comment- in that first picture it looks as though the roses are "filled out" with a clematis climbing over and through them. And I could sure be wrong but I'm betting that the deep crimson thing in the back is a peony or some other non-rose.

But a soft blue/silver plants with pink roses is sure a doable color scheme out here. One thing to keep in mind is that plants that are happy in Sacramento often get bigger than their "listed" size. My suggestion is to walk around your neighborhood and look for plants that look happy -and the size you're interested in!

Thanks again everyone! I want to go to the cemetery today!! But I'm sure there isn't much to see with frost every night for about two weeks now. There is ice on my swimming pool!

NewGirlinNorCal, the climate has changed so much out here, that I actually have a peony in that shade of pink growing in my front yard.

I hear all of you when you say to give the roses time to grow to full size. I am feeling very confused by the sizes that are given by HMF and catalogs. If I go to the cemetery for advice and plant in the spring, will the roses be ok? Planting in the spring will mean that the roses will be babies and will have to endure my hot Sacramento summer. Is that the best start for them?

I guess I am asking, when is the best time to plant own root roses? I know that this is bareroot season, but is there a preference for own roots? Gardening wisdom tells me FALL, but roses seem to be a different animal all together.

I was thinking that deep colored large flowered in back was a tree peony and if it is, this climate is probably wet with a cold winter and possibly mild summer.

Andreajp- my envy knows no bounds. I have one I've planted in my front yard because it was a present from a well-meaning friend. I hope it blooms this year!