Golden Celebration, of course! I love Austins, but one trouble, to me, is that sometimes blooms are small. Jude the Obscure and Abraham Darby are two that are supposed to have large blooms (tho David A. himself is quite a snoot about 'caring about bloom size', it's low brow to want large blooms apparently!) but I havent grown either of them personally. I saw Abe. D. growing in Roserie de l'Hay in Paris and tho it was a gorgeous bush with huge blooms the color, to me, was strange; a little liverish. The scent also had that unpleasantness that Mary Rose has--chemically and garbagey. Scent is a very subjective thing! And it may have been an off season or something in Paris. There have been photos on the forum here where Abe has a fabulous clear color. Most people agree that Gold. C. has a wonderful scent (like wine!) and its flowers are pretty consistantly huge for an Austin. I wd. like to try Jude the O. but dont really have space for another yellow. I've been really happy with the amount of blooms on Gold. C. too.

Thanks Ermingarde, I have heard many good things about Golden Celebration. I don't have any yellow Austins yet.

Heritage has a great rebloom and a good scent but I'm not sure if the blooms will be big enough for you. Heritage is just about always in bloom. My Heritage is about 6 ft tall, about 4 ft wide. None of the other DA's I have are in bloom as much as Heritage. I don't think any of them are perfect - always in bloom with huge delicious smelling blooms and no disease. Too bad!

My 2 Abes are usually blooming and I love the fragrance.They keep well in a vase too. Graham Thomas blooms all the time. I have baby Judes and a Golden Celebration. I think I am going to love them both but they are immature.Buff

I really love my Abe Darby. I like the smell too, but as you say, it is pretty subjective. I love the rebloom, the color, and the shape and size of the blooms. Typically, the ones later in the year are somewhat smaller, and for me more orange and intense than the early ones.

I have noticed that in intence heat the color fades rather unattractively to that "liverish" color you noticed. A sort of odd greying...

I recently got the Paul Barden rose Oshun, which is supposed to be similar in many ways to Abe, but isn't supposed to fade like that. Mine has only had one flower so far, so I can't tell you much based on that... but it might be worth looking into.

I also love my rose Heritage, but I wish it wouldn't loose all it's leaves to blackspot early in the summer. It grows them back, but it looks pretty awkward in the meantime.

My fav Austin rose so far is actually the once blooming Constance Spry. HUGE big pink cupped roses... I'll have to post a picture of it later for you.

Hi Shelley,

The two that come to mind for me are also GC and Abe. I will say this. My GC has this sometimes annoying habit of the blooms being born on very long, weak, stems, which causes all the blooms to drop downward against the bush. It did this bigtime when it was younger and not SO much now. But, the blooms are lucious and the fragrance is great. The bush is sort of large and messy for me. Maybe I have to prune it better.

I have 3 Abes. This is their 5th season and they have never bloomed so much until this year, although I'm also convinced it's because of the fertilizer I used, a time release fertilizer. The fragrance of Abe is probably in my top 3, it is so wonderful and strong. The blooms are gorgeous too. I've never had a problem with the color of the blooms. I think they're beautiful at every stage. See my Austin album to see more examples of GC and Abe. Abe has bloomed continuously for me for close to 8 weeks. Now it's resting just a bit but there are still blooms on the bush. It's large. I think it's a much neater bush than GC.

I think you need them both.

Here is a link that might be useful: Video of GC-turn up the speakers

That was the wrong video, see below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wrong Video-this is correct

Carol, I love Heritage too. Mine has not stopped blooming since the spring. Smallish blooms though but I like the sweet, spicy scent.

Buffington and Madspinner, I like my Abe Darby too...I should try Jude and I've seen Oshun on Paul Barden's site. Looks very pretty. I planted Constance Spry just this year so I can't wait to see its blooms next year.

Susan, I love my Abe Darby also...but it is a third year own-root and is still only about 2 1/2 feet high. Blooms are pretty though and plentiful. I agree that the blooms are pretty in all stages. Unfortunately, the video on Golden Celebration won't play for me. The prob is probably on my end though. GC does look pretty, though I tend to look more at the pink and purple roses. Maybe I should try another Abe but get a good grafted one instead of own-root. There's a rose from DA that's called Emanuel and I've read good things about it. It is supposed to be similiar to Evelyn but with better rebloom...blackspot tendencies but I am now spraying. Susan, do you have any recommendations for a bushy purplish rose...large blooms...an OGR?

Thanks to all! Shelley

My favorite Austin is Cymbaline because of its fragrance and color, but Sharifa Asma is by far the quickest repeater, and the most disease resistant Austin of the 15+ I have or have had. I like the strong, lemony rose fragrance, too.

AD is a nice, short climber but its repeat is not as good as SA.

Radio Times is only a year old, but I really like its repeat, color and disease resistance so far.

I had to laugh at the "garbagey" description given to the fragrance of some Austins. I detect rotting cantaloupe in some Austins described as having a "tea" fragrance or a "fruity" fragrance. (Pat Austin and Graham Thomas come to mind)

purplish repeat in an OGR? I'm not an expert in OGRs, others are far more knowledgeable, but I'd think about Louise Odier for more of a lilac tint to it? Here's Vintage's page on purple roses!

Here is a link that might be useful: Purple Roses

RosyJennifer, Radio Times is one I'd really like to try. I love the color and I heard the repeat is good. How about the scent? I just got Sharifa Asma this year and it is great.

Susan, great idea about the Vintage link. Actually, one of the roses it lists is a Hybrid Tea called Heirloom that I think is beautiful, I've wanted it for over a year. It is listed as having good rebloom, is a purplish color and the scent is supposed to be amazing. It's an older HT.

Just a reminder, blooms are much much bigger in cool weather. If we have a cool spring some of the Austin roses' flowers can be huge.

shellfleur,
Hi. Radio Times has a strong floral and rose fragrance, not pure Damask like Gertrude, but a blend of florals like a perfume. I really like it.

As for a purple rose suggestion I really like Clair de Lune from Vintage. Not an OGR, but a middle age HT from the 1960's. Elegant, crisp fragrance and quick repeat, too.

For someone looking for a fragrant Austin, may I suggest a rose that looks and grows like an Austin but it is not: September Morn. It is soft pink and extremely fragrant of powder and roses. The repeat is good and is on it's 4th flush this year. The story of its rediscovery is wonderful, too. Don't look at Mel Hulse's photos of SM on HMF unless you have room for one more rose! : ) I got mine from Vintage or the Uncommon rose

Here is a link that might be useful: September morn

RosyJennifer, I checked out September Morn and it is truly beautiful. Can you tell me how the bush shape is...how tall it gets in your yard...etc etc. Can you also tell me this info about Radio Times? Thanks!!!!

Monarda, yes, my blooms are definitely smaller in the hot weather. Abe Darby most noticably so.

Memorial Day is no slouch. I really like this one.

Shellfleur - Radio Times was new for me last fall so it is only about 3 x 3 now. I'm told in our climate it can get 5 x 5 feet and bushy. Hopefully, no octopus canes like Gertrude, Cymbaline or Abraham Darby, which is fine for them because they are planted as climbers, but RT is in a hedge between St. Cecelia and Sharifa Asma.

September Morn is supposed to be a bit shorter at 4x4, but time will tell, I just got mine this spring. I forgot to mention SM's foilage, it is very dark green and matte which is a lovely contrast to the large, pale pink blooms. No BS either and almost everything in my garden has some BS, even w/ spraying.

BS free roses: Lyda Rose (the best!), Felecia, Papa Meilland, Darlow's Enigma and the hideous but great smelling Fragrant Cloud. : )

Most fragrant = Jude the Obscure
Most blooms = Bow Bells
Largest blooms = Evelyn
Donny

I have 2 radio times that I've had for about 4 years now. I love them. They're not in the best spot but give me a great spring flush, then occasional freeflowering throughout the season. The scent is powerful. the color is pure. The form is always lovely. But that fragrance....really special. It gets sun much less than half a day, is planted in very sandy soil so it's more wide than tall. You're always welcome to come to my garden one day if you'd like, just give me some days and times if you're interested. Not much is blooming now.

I've had Graham Thomas for several years, and love it! I've also tried growing 'Othello' and 'The Yeoman,' but both of those were disappointments, although the colors were yummy. I just ordered 'Oshun' this year, and am eager to see how it does. On the subject of reblooming dark purple roses, I can't think of any 'antique' ones that rebloom, but has anyone tried 'Ebb Tide'? If so, what do you think? I've been eyeing that one at the local garden center! :)

I wonder if Ermingarde was smelling pesticide or something when she said AD smelled chemicalish? I've noticed when I sprinkle those systemics around plants they can smell pretty weird for a few days.
I have an AD & while it has awful trouble from vine weevils in midsummer, it makes beautiful flowers. Smells good to me!

We've grown about a dozen different Austin roses and the best for rebloom, strength of scent, and large blooms are:
1. "Tamora" one of my favorite Austins, creamy peach.
2. "Mary Rose" damask rose scent, medium pink, scalloped petal edges gives it a ruffly appearance. "Mary Rose" blooms 3 to 4 weeks earlier in spring than does our "Heritage", is healthier, and produces more flushes each year. "Mayflower" was very healthy but not as pretty as Mary Rose, and has moved to a friends' garden.

3.Pink "Gertrude Jekyll", to my nose, has the best fragrance of any Austin. Deep rich Damask rose scent. Healthy plant.
Lux.

P.S.
"Comte de Chambord" an old garden rose, repeats more than any of our Austins, is healthier, and is very fragrant, of damask rose.

RADIO TIMES

Is the rose for you. Bright medium pink. In a sunny spot she will get big without turning into a Jolly Green Giant, repeats, and has a fragrance that will knock your socks off.

Trust me,

THAT IS THE ROSE YOU WANT

Images of Radio Times by Olga
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So where do we find Radio Times? I do not want grafted, as I live in the South. Anyone have any ideas?
Sharon

Of the Austins I have Abe Darby has the largest blooms and I lobe the fragrance. WS 2000 would be the second, JMHO.

This is an older thread from last summer and I ended up ordering lots more Austins since then:

Radio Times
Molineux
Ambridge Rose
Jude the Obscure
Golden Celebration
another Abe Darby
I also moved my 2 yr old Lilian Austin into a prime sun spot to I expect good things from her this year.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Shelley

I've been growing Austin's for at least 10 years now and I will have to say by far that Abraham Darby is the best when it comes to repeat bloom, fragrance, bloom size, etc. It is an all-around good performer. Now that's not to say that some of the others are worth trying, personally I love them all, but some are definitely better performers than others, and Abe is tops on my list.

I've been impressed with the bloom size and repeat on my Mary Magdalene. Blooms are huge, not as strongly scented as some others, but that may be because it's still a relatively young plant. Mine is Own Root from Amity Heritage Roses.

I also love Mary Rose and The Mayflower...

Nancy

I have several David Austin Roses in my garden, amongst others the beautiful Emanuel. It flowers without end, and has huge roses in the pleasantest of pink/apricot colours.
It also has a very nice perfume and is always the first rose that starts flowering. I have never really understood why this rose is not more popular. In my garden it thrives much better than Evelyn.

Sharifa Asma's flowers are also large, and smells very fruity. These are very pale pink in my garden.

Should you want a white rose, Winchester Cathedral is very nice, although it does not have a striking fragrance, really. This has also been in my garden for several years now, and flowers till november!

Golden Celebration, Abraham Darby and Jude the Obscure is my favorite Austin roses. They are very beautiful and non stop blooming all year round here. Very large flush in winter and strong scent too.