What's your zone?
Definite NO on Gertrude.

I'm in Seattle WA. :)

Although they aren't on your list-- I might suggest Lady Emma Hamilton and Munstead Wood.
I've not grown Molineux- but these are the shortest I've dealt with with nice shapes.

Maybe Sister Elizabeth? It is small and has very tiny flexible canes.

Hello Elizac,

I grow Molineux as a tree rose, and the other Austins that have a similar shape and form are Sophy's Rose and Lady Emma Hamilton. Sophy's Rose is a beautiful dark pink, and LEH is orange. Evelyn, Golden Celebration, and Gertrude Jekyll are huge in my southern Ca. inland climate. I hope that helps.

Lisa

I haven't grown most of the Austins you list--except thorny, thorny Gertrude. Beautiful flowers, but that is her only virtue. Everything else about the shrub is awful!

In my zone, Molineux grows about 3x2--as listed in Austin's catalog. Is that about what yours grows to? If not, you may have to make some adjustments for different heights and widths.

I just ordered Munstead Woods to plant near my Molineux. I'm hoping both are in the same general height-width range. They seem to have similar flexibility, so I think they will make a good match--and the color contrast should be quite dramatic! You might like that combination also.

If you are more into pinks, Princess Alexandra of Kent is an excellent smaller Austin--about 3x3 and flexible canes--according to Austin's description, but I haven't grown it (although I'd love to if I had more room), so I can't say for sure.

I noticed that Austin has a new one that is pinkish/purplish--Princess Anne. It also sounds good and is the right size, but I haven't grown it either.

I have seen both of the "princesses" praised by posters on this forum, so I think either one should be a good choice--but myself, I prefer the dramatic contast of Munstead Woods and Molineux.

Kate

The Benjamin Britten roses at the Municipal Rose Garden in Tyler Texas are huge, easily 7-8ft tall and 6ft wide.

Harlow Carr is a beautiful rose that couldn't stand my hot, dry garden but I was very sorry to see it go. I would think it will stay small and mine was a short, rounded bush, although it wasn't mature when I let it go. Sister Elizabeth is also beautiful but with longer, thinner canes. Here it needs afternoon shade but I doubt you'd have to worry about that. If it were my choice, I'd pick Harlow Carr.

Ingrid

I grow 'Pretty Jessica' which is quite a small bush, and the flowers have the most incredible Damask scent. My climate is very similar to yours. It's a slow grower, and a bit on the delicate side, but I've been very happy with it: I have two bushes side by side and neither of them has ever gotten out of control or thrown out octopus canes.

The Alnwick Rose is compact, has superb fragrance.

In my overly-mild SoCal coastal climate, Evelyn was another 12-ft climber with poor blooming skills. Mildewed, too. (And that was when we still sprayed).

Golden Celebration is a big, mannerly 6-ft. or so bush for us. Upright, but slightly arching. No disease most of the time, here (but it can blackspot, where that is a problem).

Kim has correctly described Graham Thomas here.

It seems to me that the Austin roses are particularly variable, in varying conditions.

Jeri

Here is the photo of Gertrude Jekyll from my own garden
First bloom of the season is incredible, just fantastic. The fragrant is wonderful even on a cold day when nothing else really has any fragrant

It is thorny, and it does not repeat that well but for me it is worth it

Golden celebration: first bloom of the season is spectacular. I have gertrude jekyll and golden celebration side by side and those two roses but on a show in Jun every year

Golden celebration has great fragrance but it only smells great in the warmer day (unlike Gertrude )

These are shorter David Austin roses that I really like

Charlotte: short, nice plant, very nice flowers
Tamora: almost non stop blooming, until Nov here in BC
Munstead wood: very good fragrance and good repeater.
Sharifa Asma: great flower and frangrance, a bit black spot here and there but I just love the fragrance
Williams Shakepears 2000: very nice grangrance and strong healthy plant
Lady Ema Hamilton: a bit taller but not so tall. I like everything about this plant, except that it does bloom well when cedar leaves fall in to its root :( The plant, the leaves, the flowers and the fragrance - this is one of my favorite

Benjamin Britten is good but it is so hard to mix it with any other plants in the garden. It does quite tall

Golden Celebration and Gertrude Jekyll grow quite tall here in but I would grow them again. Golden Celebration first bloom of the season are so large and so beautiful I just wish it blooms all year long

My Molineux is planted between Crocus and Carding Mill. Crocus and Carding Mill are a little wider then Molineux. All 3 look great together.

For a smaller, well rounded bush, I second Tamora. For me, the Prince also has a smallish, lovely growth habit. Golden Celebration and Evelyn would probably be too large, and Evelyn has very stiff canes. I don't find my several Evelyn roses have a very rounded shape. Diane

I am in zone 6 and am looking for a pink Austin rose that is not too much work and is no more than 4 feet tall. I like a bunch...lol...like Alnwick, Mary Rosr & Princess Alexandra of Kent. I want a rose that isn't too droopy. Does anyone have experience with any of these roses or suggest a similar style?

Dani,

Try Sharifa Asma, though you will be hard pressed to find an Austin that is 4' naturally in the states. You can keep it pruned to about 4 feet though, it will just take a little work. It grows mostly upright, doesn't nod (droop), and blooms well for me. So far it has shown excellent disease resistance as well, though that is no guaranteed in all locales.

The fragrance on Sharifa Asma will also make you fall in love. It's spectacular.

Josh

I second The Alnwyck rose. I have two planted in an East facing bed. It blooms at least 4_5 times between May and late October. They are a beautiful pink with just a hint of salmon. The fragrance is out ofvthis world as well. Almost raspberry. Mine have been in the ground for three years now and are 4 ft tall by 3 feet wide. That's a neat height because Austins can be giants in North Texas. I also have Sharifa Asma. I love her fragrance. But I've had her for two years in morning sun and evening shade. She only puts out about three flushes per season. Perhaps she needs to be in the ground one more year before she " leaps". May you pick the best rose for your garden and your life.

I second The Alnwyck rose. I have two planted in an East facing bed. It blooms at least 4_5 times between May and late October. They are a beautiful pink with just a hint of salmon. The fragrance is out ofvthis world as well. Almost raspberry. Mine have been in the ground for three years now and are 4 ft tall by 3 feet wide. That's a neat height because Austins can be giants in North Texas. I also have Sharifa Asma. I love her fragrance. But I've had her for two years in morning sun and evening shade. She only puts out about three flushes per season. Perhaps she needs to be in the ground one more year before she " leaps". May you pick the best rose for your garden and your life.

I would choose Sister Elizabeth.

@ken-n.ga.mts can you please post a pic of your crocus, carding mill and Molineux together? I'd love to see that. Thanks!

Lisa, your Darcy is a beauty. I especially like your gorgeous first bouquet, with its great design. Diane