Sharifa Asma is one of the most beautiful and fragrant of the Austins, IMHO.

The blooms remind me of the old Alba Roses.

Fragrance is very strong and wafts. To my nose the fragrance is a mix of Old Rose with a hint of berry.

It's been a hardy rose for me, just lovely in the garden.

I don't know how long it lasts as a cut flower...

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Thank you, Krista. I enjoy ALL of your pictures. I am enthralled by Sharifa and its hardiness. Some growers in Michigan reported Sharifa as less ideal blooming in partial shade.

Is yours in full-sun, and in a raised bed? Some Austins can tolerate wet alkaline soil, others prefer well-drained, more acidic soil. I wonder what type of soil you have (woodland? alkaline clay? or more acidic?) - you have great roses always loaded with blooms.

I don't like Pat Austin but I planted it since it likes my wet clay soil and partial shade. Looking back, I would rather do more work, and make raised bed in full sun for the varieties that are worth it and enjoyed more.

I've had Pegasus for several years. The only complaint is it wants to grow very long canes before reblooming in my climate. Perdita is excellent and fragrance is good. One of the better old Austins here is Wise Portia. Another is Emanuel. Both rebloom quickly and are very fragrant. I love the bloom and the fragrance on Admired Miranda but she's not the most vigorous. Some of the older introductions are really worth growing.

Kaye: I agree with you on Wise Portia for quick rebloom and fragrance. I got so many blooms from Wise Portia that I gave to my neighbor who adores its baby-powder fragrance.

I was tempted by Gentle Hermione and Strawberry Hill in recent catalog. But I compared realistic on-line flower pictures, and Radio Times looks best in real life.

Looks like Pegasus is good for our winter climate. Thank you, Kaye.

My nose is plugged up from hayfever, I can't smell anything except Radio Times and Mary Magdalene - which are rated 10 in fragrance by Roses UK Locator.

Thank you, StrawberryHill.

It's not in a raised bed.... it gets sun from about 11 AM until the end of the day.

(I have two Sharifas, the other gets all day sun.)

The soil is probably neutral to slightly acidic. Rhododendrons do well in the area, and as I understand it they like acid soil.

I grow Reine des Violettes and a rugosa Purple Pavement, and they seem to do well, they are supposed to like acidic soil.

I have hemlock trees in the backyard, with the woods nearby, so the area has a wooded feeling to it.

I put down manure and humus topsoil type products, which the roses seem to like. The native soil is rocky and has bit of clay texture to it. It's rather dense. I've topdressed it, though, with organics, so it's nice and crumbly.

James Galway and Mortimer Sackler tolerate some shade, they are both beautiuful, fragrant roses.

such a beautiful bloom.. I've been eyeing pegasus too..

Hey Oldrosarian, I have been trying so hard to get my hands on lilac Rose. It was my mother's favorite and I can't track it down anywhere. It has a lot of meaning to me. If you would be at all interested in sending some cuttings or a rooted plant, I would make it more than worth your while! If not I thank you so much for the beautiful picture regardless :)

Potter and Moore 1988

Krista, love your rose pictures. I hope you'll post a lot of them this spring. My garden is challenged, so I have to rely on others to see beautiful roses.

old rosarian, every picture is wonderful. I'd love to see more inclusive garden pictures from both you and krista.

Potter and Moore is not very fragrant but in past good years I've been enthralled with the full old-rose blooms. After years of drought and very little rain this winter it hasn't recovered after its first bloom, but then most of my roses are struggling. I'll be surprised if many make it through the next six months of heat with no rain.

Alas Michael, Lilac rose was not a strong grower and a nasty winter did it in. Many of the old Austins also didn't do well after a cold winter.

I have Emily and Brother Cadfael. Emily is a sentimental rose for me as my great grandmother's name was Emilia. I just love the Brother even though he does get a bit sulky in the hot, hot weather. I also have Sister Elizabeth and Mary Magdalene. I used to have Sharifa Asma which I adored but root stock took over in that part of the garden and I had to get rid of her. She also did not like the heat but that first bloom was glorious. Jude the Obscure was an awful rose for me and I was glad to also get rid of him. Evelyn too sulked in the summer and didn't produce much in the way of bloom after the first flush, loved her scent though. I also grow Pretty Jessica. Great for an Austin. No disease, practically thornless, laughs at the heat and stays below three feet. Great scent too.

What a shame Oldrosarian, the hunt continues!

Are you still looking for Lilac rose, the old Austin beauty? I have an excellent Lilac in my garden, I could share cuttings with little effort I believe.

Hi Michelle, i am so glad you reached out! Yes I am! I would love to share some cuttings with you as well and would be eternally grateful.

I grow an old, 1984 Austin that I rarely see mentioned - Bredon. It is in a pot and still spindly but I hope to get it plumped up and more eager to grow. Same situation with Sir Edward Elgar, bred in 1991. Also have Cressida, 2 Lillian Austins, 4 Belle Storeys. Am babying these along, hoping they will become more robust. Even if they don't, glad to have them and hope they will survive. Have 2 of Charles Austin - these are robust plants with long canes. The blooms, sparse though they are, are a beautiful apricot. Have Jacquenetta on order for spring.

Judith

We grew Emanuel for a long time, and I loved it. Great bloom production and fragrance -- and good disease-resistance.

We still grow Cymbaline -- which is a sparse bloomer here, but lovely when it obliges, and with a great myrrh fragrance.

And we grow Prospero -- whose blooms are incredibly lovely, though the plant is not robust.

I wish I still had Sister Elizabeth. It's one of my favorite of the older Austin roses for its overall look and beautiful lilac pink color, but it wasn't the strongest grower for me. The second one I bought never took off at all.

I grow Radio Times for 4-5 years, but I'm not sure for how much longer. It has those perfect English style blooms in the first flush, then that's it. No blooms, no growth. I've tried a whole range of water and fertilizer, but there was no change. I'm going to see what it does in a pot this year.

I have othello. I like the color and fragrance. But it’s too thorny.

I have Lordly Oberon, Sharifa Asma, Evelyn, Abraham Darby, The Generous Gardener and Brother Cadfael, if it made it through its first Winter. Lordly Oberon has never bloomed and is slooooowly gaining strength. Not by inches but by centimeters in years.

Cath

Sharifa Asma is the best blooming Austin I have.

still waiting on a response from Michelle! Your messaging isn't enabled, hope we can make this happen :)