I have 5 and 3 more on the way ...coming in the mail tuesday (that I want together in a big 18 gallon Terracotta pot). It is not one of the bigger Austins. My 3 plants together forms a 2,5 feet small dense shrub rose - some shoots have reached 3 feet. But it is impossible to compare my climate to yours. I predict it will not become bigger than William Shakespeare 2000 - if you know how big that rose becomes in your area? - but it has a better growth habit and the colour, shape and fragrance is really are something! It will probably look best planted in position where it get some protection from too - much sun - since it does make these Dark wine merlot Red Roses bleech to a strange dusty purplish mauve. Cant wait til mine blooms again in about 6-7 weeks .-)

I'm in the SF Bay Area and my Munstead Wood is about the same size as Cupshaped Roses's. It is going into its third year, so I suppose it could get larger, but if so it is taking its time about it.

Rosefolly

I have 2 newly planted, but based on what I've seen in MY area it gets no bigger than 3x3ft and usually stays below that. Now in California...hard to tell, but it's supposedly a more mannerly grower and doesn't send out random lateral canes or octopus canes. I would say no more than 3.5x3.5ft in Cali, but I'm unsure there.

I ordered two MW early this year from David Austin in Texas. They are still small but they are healthy and have bloomed. The only reason I bought from David Austin is that I really wanted them, but I didn't like the price. I'm used to ordering from Chamblees and Antique Rose Emporium. If they had carried MW, I would have ordered from them in a heartbeat. Just depends on how much you want this rose.

I planted the two plants side by side to get a really good show because I wasn't sure how large they would eventually grow. Usually roses in Texas get much bigger than the stated sizes. Sorry I can't report on the size of full-grown plants from personal experience - yet.

I have not taken full bush shots of mine yet - but will make sure I do it this year - Seing pics of full plants is much needed on HMF too ...but if you search online you can see a good specimen of Munstead Wood - On this Italian blog - it gives you a good idea of the size. See link below.

In this picture - I think there are 3-5 plants together:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j--D3jEUDX8/TqwCh2KN5gI/AAAAAAAACGI/r2TRFEi8xfA/s1600/Munstead+Wood+in+border.jpg

Earlier Austins became almost 2-3 times bigger plants in most parts of USA -than here in cool Northern Europe. In California I have seen the puny Tradescant become a fence climber .. - but the newer introductions - have a much nicer growth habit - and does not seem to grow that much bigger - only time and experience will teach us.

I think we all have been amazed seeing Olgas - Abraham Darby - Hoovbs Evelyn sigh ...and Jeri's Golden Celebration

In sunnier, warmer, southern parts of Europe some Austins becomes spectacular:

Take a look at these:

Pat Austin:

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg122/CC_Schnuppe/?action=view&current=pataustinphoto.jpg

Shropshire Lad

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg122/CC_Schnuppe/?action=view&current=aslphoto.jpg

I would not have room for many of those ._)

Here is a link that might be useful: Munstead Wood

I was hoping it would be much larger. Does anyone have any ideas for a rose with this color that might become about six feet high by about five to six feet wide?

Will all dark reds fade in full sun? The spot that I have for this rose will be in full, blazing sun all day.

I have Munstead Wood also. Given time and warm temperatures, it will get at least 6 ft tall, but mine wants to flop over. It is more restrained than some of the others, but it will get fairly large. I would imagine that in California it might get even larger.

If you give it amazing soil, wonderful, composted amazing soil...it's going to get big over 3-4 years. That's just an intuition. Mine are little own-root bare roots planted in February or March, about to go into their first flush. I've learned a lot since planting my first rose in 2004, and Austins here really appreciate any soil improvement you give them at planting. A hedge of Wllm Shakespeare 2K and Dark Lady I put in in '06 took years to get going, but finally this spring it's going ballistic. I've learned with Austins here, patience, soil and feeding win the day.

Jerome's right. Mine's going into it's 4th year and it's showing signs of wanting to be a typical Austin...long, octupus arms. It's grafted from Pickering, and the first couple of years it just took its' sweet time settling in; almost had the growth pattern of a miniflora. The old adage of 'third year, they leap' is definitely true. I'm excited to see how it's going to perform this year.

I was hoping it would be much larger. Does anyone have any ideas for a rose with this color that might become about six feet high by about five to six feet wide?

My 'Tradescant' is that size, but the flowers will toast. Full blazing sun will do that to a rose of that color. Mine gets afternoon shade.

Hmm, mine has stayed small after three years, good soil, compost, and water. I have actually situated mine where I don't want it to get large, so I hope it stays about knee high for me. If it starts to take off I'll have to move it, and I like it right where it is.

Rosefolly

Hello Andrea,

I am just south of you in Oakdale. I planted MW (from David Austin Roses) in my garden last year and it reached a height of 3 feet or so. I noticed in late fall, that the gophers pruned off most of the roots, so I cut it back and moved it closer to the house, where it gets only morning sun. It is recovering nicely now and is producing some really nice blooms now. One of its new neighbors, Darcy Bussell, was planted as a bare root rose in early 2010. It is already 5 feet high and has a color that is not too different from MW. The flowers of DB in early spring have been much darker and more richly colored than I remember from previous years. If I had to choose my favorite between these 2 roses, it would be difficult.

I have grown Austins for many years in CA. I am not a patient gardener and I water and fertilize heavily. One of the normally short Austin roses, Ambridge Rose,is ususally around 2.5 to 3 feet tall. One winter I neglected to prune it, and it got up to over 6 feet! In our climate, I think you can coax these rosees to grow much larger than is stated on the Austin website, if that is what you want to do. Lordly Oberon, a now rare Austin rose that is reported to grow to 10 feet tall, has been reported by Kim Rupert to grow 20 to 25 ft!