Ok, just read the rest of your message. Unfortunately, Cressida is not a good rebloomer, but I would not be without it. The fragrance is one of a kind and the beauty of the blooms is stunning to me.

Ludlow Castle is a total dog and a blackspot magnet like no other. It's gone from my garden.

I like Heritage a lot.
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I think 'Sharifa Asma' might become a classic. She's healthy (even though I have a climate where disease is not a great problem, most of my Austins blackspot, but SA doesn't), contained, thrifty, reflowering, and easy to propagate and grow from cuttings. The flowers, which I always think of as white when in fact they're pink, are pretty but not spectacular, but the fragrance is one of the best, and that is why I think gardeners will continue to love her.

Melissa

I am craving Tamora because I feel she is one of the oldies but goodies (relatively speaking, for Austins anyway.) She has definitley been 'shortlisted' in my books.

Sir Walter Raleigh is very thorny but IMO one of the most stunning and fragrant roses I have. and he repeats well

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another gem is Evelyn who also repeats well

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Perhaps a mention for Ambridge Rose which was released in 1990. This is one of my top pick Austins for its continuous production of flowers which are especially good in the autumn and on cooler days. I adore the fragrance (although I know it isn't to everyone's liking). The bush is nice, neat and compact with little disease in a dry climate, and its easy to propagate by cuttings. It even performs well when infected with RMV (at least in the warmth of South Australia it does). I really like this one.

An interesting list! Thanks, decobug! I don't do much with the Austins, even though I like them, but I do think other classes tend to grow better for me, and there are so many rare roses out there that need a home and a stage. However, I must say, 'William Morris', which entered the garden a couple of years ago, is looking thriving and beautiful. Lord, don't let me fall in love with them all over again: I have too many rose interests already.

Melissa

Seeing this list, I realize perhaps my three favorite, vigorous, Austins--Cymbaline, Graham Thomas, Mary Rose--are all from '83. Fair Bianca and Wise Portia are from '82. I'd say I'm still sold on the older set.

Colleen

The oldest one I have is 'The Wife of Bath' (1969) which is a small, spindly thing with sparse foliage, yet--it manages to look quite graceful and beautiful anyway, with rapid rebloom. The canes die back if pruned even a little: I cannot nip it beyond the abscission layer else it dies back a foot or more. So older tired canes get removed right down to the ground, and a new basal replaces the old. Fair Bianca is the same way.

1982 was a good year, apparently. Fair Bianca and Prospero--two little gems.

I have Cressida as well; it is really beautiful. Mine reblooms well if promptly and thorougly deadheaded. Leave the hips to form and she thinks she's done for the year.
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youngquinn, how do you get good rebloom from 'Evelyn'? How much do you prune? Do you cut back after bloom? She's a lazy diva here.

I have a vast collection of the Austins and looking over that long list I most certainly grow a LOT of the older ones, and in fact, prefer many of them. One stands out above the rest for me and I have praised her here on the Forum for years now (and enabled a few folks along the way!).....PRETTY JESSICA. Of course, I am in cold and snowy zone 4 with short summers, etc. so your mileage in other (more favorable) climates will vary. For me, she is compact, bushy, a blooming fool, with VERY fragrant blooms that are perfection in itself. She is always covered in blooms right to the killing frost. I don't have any disease issues here with her either...she stays clean for me. Of all my dozens & dozens of Austins, new and old, she is my favorite.

Celeste

PRETTY JESSICA

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Cressida is gorgeous. Lillian Austin is often overlooked but one of the best in my garden.
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Carla

Ingrid, my favorites are Tamora, Belle Story and Sharifa. I find that Austins take a while to get going, but these three are very remotant and beautiful. Belle can be grown as climber in your climate. Tamora can be kept to a small bush.

If you want to grow a beautiful once bloomer, I still think Constance Spry is such a beauty.

Carol

Constance Spry is still one of the best roses ever bred. I also love Heritage, Sharifa Asma, Abraham Darby, and Propero among the older Austins.

I adore Crocus rose. The shrub is graceful and well foliated and the flowers beautiful and forthcoming. No one seems to grow Lordly Oberon. Austin says it is not vigorous but in California it is a huge thing with wonderful huge blooms.

Thanks, Celeste, you enabled me last year. Pretty Jessica is leafing out in 2 containers.

I am glad to see Prospero on several lists. I am considering that one.

Thanks for the beautiful pictures.

What about Fisherman's Friend and Queen Nefertiti? Both are on that list of "oldies" and I'm considering trying both of them. Any opinions? I've heard that Fisherman's Friend is a thorny sucker, but a beautiful red. Queen Nefertiti just looks so lovely.

QN got replaced by DA as she had a rather unattractive feature which he did felt didn't measure up. check the link and the 1993 revised opinion on her by DA.

Here is a link that might be useful: DA on QN.

I love this post. I got on an "older" Austin kick while ordering this spring. I'm eager to see how some of them will do for me: Pretty Jessica, Jaquenetta, Troilus, Cressida, Lordly Oberon, Cymbeline, Lucetta, and a mess of others...

I'll give an update later this summer.

Robert

We'll be waiting. ;o)

Heritage is just so delicately beautiful. And performs near flawlessly in my garden. So that's my choice older Austin.

Randy

Abraham Darby and Gertrude Jekyl are the ones I'm fondest of.

Abraham Darby grew for several years on a raised mound in front of our local garden store and was perfection itself.

I tried it twice in my garden, but in each case it succumbed with the increase in shade from mature trees.

Another garden shop planted a row of Abraham Darby along a fence on level ground, and that seemed to disappear rather quickly. Therefore, I suspect Abraham Darby likes excellent drainage in Pennsylvania clay. It seems able to overwinter if given what it wants--I don't know what finally killed it in front of the garden center; maybe it is naturally short lived? I love the color variation from peachy to yellow to pinky tones, the tightly packed petals, and the lovely fragrance. I would plant it again, given a spot with good drainage and sufficient sun.

I have tried Gertrude Jekyl twice, because I love its rich fragrance, and the dark rose color, which sparkles in sunlight. I placed it in a rather wild spot with sharp drainage, and it did not seem to return. Possibly it needed more moisture than it had where I planted it...but there is a small rose coming up near where I last planted it-- and as that spot now has more sun, I am hoping it is my lost Gertrude Jekyl. (I can't remember if I planted another rose in that location after it disappeared or not. :os)

These have been really awesome contributions with wonderful pictures! Thank you decobug for the timeline. I never realized just how many Austin roses there were. If I had to pick the ones I would most like to try, I'd probably choose Sharifa Asma and Lilian Austin. It'll be very interesting to hear Robert's assessment after he's had a chance to evaluate his selections.

Ingrid

I like Tamora a lot. I think she smells like candy; she's sweet and addictive. I like to keep a cut flower on my desk, and bury my nose in the petals whenever I notice her beside me.

This year I added was Evelyn, I think I must have a broken nose because while Evelyn is nice, she's nowhere near as strong or pleasant as Tamora to my nose. I have the two of them in a pots next to each other, and they intertwined into an incredibly explosion of blooms that made my heart just sing. Unbelieveably beautiful. Both keepers, but especially as a pair.

Tamora and Evelyn:
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Eglantyne is quickly becoming one of my favorite roses:
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I love The Prince, his color is incredible, and he has a great scent:
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Heritage never dissappoints me, it's a wonderful rose.:
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And finally, I recently mentioned that I have mixed feelings about Cottage Rose. In my garden she tends to stretch too much, and her stems don't hold the huge bundles of blooms well. On the other hand, she's really quite beautiful, and I'm often amazed of just how beautiful she really is. I agree with Ingrid, she really does have a fantastic "cottage rose" look, so Mr. Austin named her well:
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I have Pretty Jessica as a new band this year, and suspect from all descriptions that she will become a favorite.

Of the older Austins, I'd love to have Sharifa Asma, The Reeve, Wife of Bath and Lordly Oberon.

Sharifa Asma, Tamora and Jude and Heritage are on my 'list'. Some older, some newer, I know. I am holding out on Tea Clipper. I can get her from back east in Canada now but it is rather steep, and with shipping on top. SO I will give her a couple years to see how she does according to the general opinion and wait for her to become more readily available. Then I will know if I still want her or not.

My best old Austins are Heritage and Othello. Both were dissapointing until I got own root plants that stayed smaller and bloomed more. I want to try Lordly Oberon. Of the newer ones I would say that Huntington, Abraham and Kathryn Morely are my pets followed closely by Charlotte and St. Cecelia.

I grow Lilian Austin and she is a real beauty. She shakes off BS in my no spray garden and gets prettier with each passing year. Too easy and beautiful not to grow. She also doesn't blow like so many Austins do.

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Sophy's Rose is a real gem. Blooms that hold and reoccur very quickly in my garden.

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But of course my love affair with Abe is well known....

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ronda

I am not one for grabbing up the first new thing as soon as it comes out. I like to give things a few years to see how they do. For technology it gives manufacturers a chance to work the bugs out.(Hybrid cars for instance) They are still having problems with Windows Vista too. Think I will stick with XP for the time being.
This thread is right up my alley. I prefer things that have stood the test of time and proven their value. (Well OK my new Pope John Paul ll Rose is an exception) Thanks Ingrid for starting this. :o)

I will surprise everyone and recommend Tamora. She is such a great performer here. It sounds like she does OK in So. Cal too from the above posts.

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Scepter D'Isle and Heritage are amazing repeatbloomers here. Also Glamis Castle is doing really well. Sharifa Asma will love the dry hot climate where you live Ingrid, since it balls here if it rains. If dry and sunny very few roses are this fragrant. Jude The Obscure and The Prince are the worst performers here. But I love the few flowers I get. JTO defenitely does better in warmer climates. Teasing Georgia is amazing here too - The biggest Austin Shrub I grow. Crocus Rose is also a great rose. The 2 last ones mention can hardly be call ed old... Charles Austin Is another oldie Austin That does Great here.

One I didn't see mentioned here, but that has done well for me everywhere is English Garden. The flowers are always perfect, and the plant doesn't get huge.

Evelyn repeats well here in Northern California (we grow it as a cut flower). Both Charles Austins are great (yellow and regular), and Tamora is very hard to beat. I saw Cymballine at Gregg Lowery's garden, and bought one for myself this year.

And I concur with Lori Elf, Constance Spry is just fantastic.

Another great one is Swan. It's by far the most vigorous and trouble-free white.

--Ron

Harry, you'd be surprised at how often Tamora comes up as a favorite (or were you doing the ole tongue in cheek thing?)

Constance Spry (huge and lovely plant) and Abraham Darby top my list of winners. I have grown William Shakespeare, The Prince, Graham Thomas and Heritage, but they are not really the knockouts (Sorry!) of the first two. Gertrude Kekyll has gained a local reputaion as "blackspot on a stick." I am trying Golden Celebration- time will tell. Fair Bianca was nice but croaked.

Triple,
Just making fun of myself because I always recommend Tamora. Always post pictures of my most photogenic rose too.

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Blendguy, I love your picture of The Prince, and that bee. I must get a camera that can capture those deep garnets and purples.

My favorite old Austins are Abe, Gertrude, Tamora, Heritage, Mary Rose, Othello, and Graham Thomas. Lordly Oberon has been really pretty this year but it's not very big here. Queen Nefertiti was new to me last year and bloomed all summer...just beautiful. I like St. Cecilia a lot too..it's a great bloomer and pretty healthy and upright. Evelyn, Redoute and The Prince are also ones I wouldn't be without. Teasing Georgia may be my favorite of all but it's not as old. I got some older ones this spring that haven't bloomed yet:
Charles Austin
Sharifa Asma
Constance Spry
Pretty Jessica

Mary Rose and Evelyn growing side by side:
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Redoute this spring

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Linda

Linda, your pictures are so beautiful. I've only grown Mary Rose and didn't like the thorns or the fact that it blew so quickly but your Evelyn and Redoute are awesome. I love the delicate pink of Redoute.

There must be something seriously wrong with me because to me Tamora is so underwhelming. Please don't hate me but I shovel pruned mine. The color seems one dimensional and the shape of the flower unexciting. After that statement I hope there's someone left on the forum who will still speak to me, but I cannot tell a lie. Fortunately there are enough Austins to please everyone, and if you love your Tamora I'm happy for you.

Ingrid

...and guess which rose is MOLINEUX's favorite??

Ingrid, I'll still speak to you. I've seen Tamora, and I can live without it too.

Randy

Thank you Randy. It's good to know I have one forum friend left.

Ingrid

well it takes all kinds to make the world, If we were all the same it would be pretty boring wouldn't it? Not to mention we woulnd't learn anything either.

Such a small and beautiful shrub rose... no disease here, and a constant bloomer... I have him next to Lilian Austin and the colors blend very nicely...

PROSPERO
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Ingrid,

There are roses that it seems everyone goes gaga over which just don't appeal to me as well...one that comes to mind immediately is the modern HT Double Delight...

I have the rose society coming over today, and I'll be interested to see which roses excite them and which ones don't.

btw...i'll speak to you too..

robert

I dug up Tamora too :-). You wouldn't believe the roses that I have dug up that everyone else loves. Mine wasn't as beautiful as Harry's. The thing is that the roses in your garden should make you happy. The same roses don't make everyone happy and that is a good thing, look at how different we all are and that allows a lot of different roses to stay in commerce instead of the same ones being in every garden. I'm still speaking to you!

My favorite old Austins are Cressida, Prospero, and The Knight. I loved the bloom and color of The Yeoman but it struggled here and finally died.

Carol

Thougths for those old favorites for colder climates?? Montana pereformance and that in southern climates may be really different, I suspect.
Thanks
Jennie

Fair Bianca+++
Really hardy in zone 4b - often cane hardy.
Grows really well layered, and from cuttings, and sends up many canes from the root, and the bush gets bigger each year.
Growth is restrained, does not become lanky and overgrown, like Graham Thomas, or Heritage, does not start reaching for the sun in the fall. Blooms open well, unlike Abraham Darby that balls up in our cool climate.
Very productive blooms, highly fragrant.
Very disease resistant.
White, but will occasionally shoot up a pink sport for bonus!!! I just put out 38 rooted cuttings in the community lighted cross garden, the path to the cross, to symbolize the purity of Christ - absolutely stunning and outstanding.
Thank you David Austin, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

the path to the cross, to symbolize the purity of Christ
* * *
not only a Canadian, but a fellow believer too!

I grow many of the older Austins. In fact, I find myself to have an affinity with, if not a prefernce for some of the earlier English roses. My rose garden is just starting to bloom in the past two days. Many of the earliest blooming roses are the older English roses. The reds seem to be all opening, including; The Squire, Prospero, Wenlock, William Shakespear (Original) and William Shakespear 2000.

Here are some images of some of the older English roses I grow and love:

[IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/DSCF0031.jpg[/IMG]

English Garden is vigorous healthy and has good rebloom in my garden.

[IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/DSCF0030-2.jpg[/IMG]

A close up of a bloom of English Garden.

[IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/P6160049.jpg[/IMG]

Pegasus is gorgeous, fragrant, healthy and prolific in my garden. My two plants are covered in buds and opening now. Less of an old rose character and more musk like though with large blooms.

[IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/SUMMER015.jpg[/IMG]

The Squire, a bit fussy, I grow him in a pot. But when he blooms, he's worth the trouble, 5 inch dark crimson blooms that take your breath away.

[IMG]http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa146/rideauroselad/Roses07/P6160050.jpg[/IMG]

The Pilgrim, powerful Tea Rose fragrance, intricate old fashioned flowers, the most gorgeous yellow flowers and healthy to boot.

There are more, but one mustn't go on too long.

Cheers, Rideau Rose Lad

Sorry for the bad links in the previous post. I don't post images often and forgot which code to past into the message. Looks like I got it right this time. My bad!!!

Here are some images of some of the older English roses I grow and love:

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English Garden is vigorous healthy and has good rebloom in my garden.

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A close up of a bloom of English Garden.

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Pegasus is gorgeous, fragrant, healthy and prolific in my garden. My two plants are covered in buds and opening now. Less of an old rose character and more musk like though with large blooms.

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The Squire, a bit fussy, I grow him in a pot. But when he blooms, he's worth the trouble, 5 inch dark crimson blooms that take your breath away.

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The Pilgrim, powerful Tea Rose fragrance, intricate old fashioned flowers, the most gorgeous yellow flowers and healthy to boot.

There are more, but one mustn't go on too long.

Cheers, Rideau Rose Lad

Love this thread. The pictures are beautiful. Wow...The Pilgrim is breathtaking!