I love Sharifa for her heady perfume as well as her lovely pink flowers. I hope never to be without her. I am unfamiliar with Cecelia.

I bought Sharifa Asma several years ago. Blooms are very fragrant. I love the fragrance, which I would describe as old rose, but my wife is less enthusiastic. It does not bloom profusely, although it only gets morning sun. It is also very hardy with little dieback in the winter (I do not spray or winter protect). I bought St. Cecilia this spring so it has not been through a Chicago winter. Blooms are nice with a "fine" myrrh fragrance. In other words it smells like licorice but in a good way. It was recommended on this forum as being winter hardy.

Sharifa Asma is one of my finest roses. I love the fragrance and blooms.

The fragrance wafts, to my nose it's a mix of Old Rose, with fruit.

Sharifa Asma has a more traditional fragrance, but I really like the unusual fragrance of St. Cecilia. St. Cecilia repeats well and is good for cutting. Both have good, medium shrub habits without rogue canes. St. Cecilia is fully susceptible to blackspot and mildew; will need spraying in the East.

Both did very well in my semi-arid garden and never had any disease issues. But there is just something ultrafine about St. Cecilia's perfume. I'd call her scent INTOXICATING. :)

Debbie

I don't have St. Cecilia but I had Sharifa. The fragrance is wonderful. The foliage however was strange, looked diseased and wrinkly. I posted about it thinking it was just mine but others said they had the same experience with it.
Nancy

I have St. Cecilia but not Sharifa Asma. St. Cecilia's color is a light pink but appears to be taking on a bit of apricot now in the fall. It is not as heavily petalled as Eglantyne, for example, but it did bloom all summer in its pot through triple digit heat and all. So far it doesn't appear to be a giant octopus plant in growth habit, but now that it is in the ground, that could change. It does, however appear to be a bit sprawly. It does have a nice smell, and the flowers do not vary much in size. They aren't large so far. They appear to run about 3 inches in diameter. It looks to me like it will be okay. I haven't had much in the way of disease problems with it, but I do spray.

I used to have Sharifa beside Distant Drums. What a beautiful display. Then I stopped spraying forever and ever, and had to pull them both out. Sharifa could not exist here in my Tulsa garden without spray.

Sammy (I know I am much farther south than you.)

I've grown Sharifa Asma for a number of years and really love that rose. She's hardy in my zone 5 garden and a good repeat bloomer. As a matter of fact, she's one of the few roses still blooming up a storm out there after several hard freezes. I don't have St. Cecilia so I can't compare the two. I do grow the lovely St. Swifun (also hardy and a nice rebloomer) but she is more of a climber in my garden.

Kitty, thought I'd quickly mention (since I have just a few spare moments this morning to share) that I'd still be growing St. Cecilia in my no spray garden today if I hadn't had to downsize my garden for health reasons. She was that memorable!! Also, will add that, like Belle Story, she did not have an ungainly, sprawling growth habit--even with minimal pruning--in the climate/microclimate she lived in for about 6 yrs here. Hope this info helps you a little bit in your decision and also that you have a great Sunday. :)

Debbie

A couple more things that might help the Bustopher and others; she was own root (from Heirloom Roses) and planted in the ground from the time she arrived.

Debbie

You are all so kind. Thank you so much. It sounds like you guys like both of them and that they are both quite hardy. I am afraid after this year I'm going to have to start spraying. Even my John Cabbot got bs this year. It was a strange weather year here though.

Debbie, Are you saying own root helps with it not being a sprawler or, that it helps with the bs? Thank you for your kind words. Sadly, I spent most of the day in bed with a head cold.

Krista, Not to change my own subject but, I came across an older thread where you mentioned growing Duchesse de Brabant. I about flipped! I've been longing for that rose. I thought there was no hope without tipping it, something I'm trying to do less of. How do you winter protect her and do you grow any other teas?

Thank you all so much for your help. I can't say I've made a decision but, I'm glad to know that I probably can't go wrong either way.
Kitty

Kitty, I grow Duchesse de Brabant as a small bedding rose. I put a small pile of mulch at the base of the plant, and wrap it in burlap. It's the only Tea Rose that I grow (but I do grow some Hybrid Teas.)

It's supposed to be one of the hardier Teas, and I've been pleasantly surprised by it. It blooms all summer, a great rose.

Duchesse de Brabant in a vase:

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No, Kitty, I'm not saying own root helps to keep her from getting blackspot; I'm pretty sure she didn't get bs because she lived in a semi-arid climate/microclimate and had plenty of room for air to circulate around her. Blackspot is not a problem in my garden. It sounds like it is in yours. She very-well might blackspot for you? Also, I can't tell you what her growth habits would have been if she had been grafted; more sprawly? sorry, I just don't know.

I'm so sorry about you having to spend most of the day in bed with a head cold. Miserable stuff for sure. :( Take extra good care of yourself, dear, and I hope you have a speedy recovery. :)

Beautiful rose, Krista!! :)

Debbie

Krista, Thank you for the beautiful picture. I'm really excited about giving her a try. When you say small bedding rose, how small? Is she small because of dieback or do you just trim her to keep her shorter?
Kitty

Debbie, I guess my cold really did go to my head. Either that or, I really should have been a blonde (No offense to blondies. My mom and sister are blondes and they're probably less flighty than me). I should be out watering since we haven't had rain in about a month but, I still can't hear out of my right ear. I'd take my daughter up on her offer to water for me but, I'm afraid she'll water the rose leaves. Maybe it can wait 1 more day.
Thanks for your well wishes,
Kitty

Lol, Kitty, I was born a blonde but no offense taken. People often call me a blonde but my hair really ISN'T blonde; it's been light brown since just after my early years. Lol, funny that you mention taking up your daughter's offer to water your roses; I'm watering mine right now. Sorry to hear that you still can't hear out of your right ear; I wouldn't worry about your roses getting watered today (well, it's early evening now)--they can wait for another day or so. Take care good care of your ear, and see a doc if you need too. Whoops--talk to you later--gotta move that hose! :)

Debbie

I've tried both and only St. Cecilia is still with me, but I think there are better roses than this. Jana

Jana,
What would you recommend?
Kitty

St. Cecilia is healthy for me here in Eastern, Ontario, zone 4b. She is also extremely fragrant, repeats in flushes, gorgeous blooms and one of the two or three most winter hardy English Roses. Cane hardy with only some damage to the tips. That is with temperatures to -30C for many winters now, can compete with Ag Canada roses for hardiness in my experience. One of Mr. Austin's best cold climate roses. A winner.

I haven't grown Shariffa Asma in the East, did on the Pacific Coast. Also extremely fragrant, but the plant I had was not nearly as vigorous as St. Cecilia is and that was in a zone 8 climate. She has Mary Rose in her breeding though, which often indicates cold hardiness. I've been tempted to try her here again, but where to put her?

Cheers, RRL

RRL,
Thank you. Now I'm definitely going to have to get St. Cecilia. There's a few other Austins I feel I have to try. Can you tell me what the other most winter hardy English roses are?
Thank you,
Kitty

RRL,
Thank you. Now I'm definitely going to have to get St. Cecilia. There's a few other Austins I feel I have to try. Can you tell me what the other most winter hardy English roses are?
Thank you,
Kitty

Some that I've had (at my old home) that were more winter hardy are

Brother Cadfael (sometimes doesn't open in wet weather- but beautiful when it does)

Golden Celebration

L.D. Braithwaite

Gertrude Jeckyll - but I hate this rose

Carol

Interesting that so many of us here and on another current thread spoke up for St. Cecilia, a rose that is rarely mentioned on the forum.

My Golden Celebration died over its first winter after growing like gangbusters its first summer and I am in zone 5a.

I have David Austin's Crocus Rose, Eglantyne, and Pretty Jessica. They have all come through at least two Minnesota winters. My Pretty Jessica's (I have 3) are grafted and the others were purchased as own root bands. They will have some die back, but come back just fine for me. My method of protection (if you can call it that) is to rake leaves onto the bed and hope for good snow cover all winter. My favorite is Pretty Jessica because it blooms a lot.

Many of the older Austin roses are quite cold hardy due to the Old Garden Rose Genetics that is only one or two generations removed in their breeding. Mr. Austin has also used some Rugossa roses in his breeding programs which helps with hardiness.

My personal list of hardiest Austin varieties is:

St. Cecilia,
Mary Rose and her sports,Redoute and Winchester Cathedral,
Crocus Rose,
Lilian Austin,
The Reeve,
The Mayflower,
Saint Swithun,
Teasing Georgia,
Eglantyne.

All of the roses named above survive and do well here without winter protection. Though aside from St. Cecilia and the Mayflower, the rest will have significant die back if not protected or covered by snow.

I grow other Austin varieties that are somewhat more tender, but still do very well for me here with winter protection. I plant all my roses with the bud union three to four inches below the soil level. I cut my more tender rose plants back in mid to late November to approximately 12 inches and then cover them with straw and leaves, because I do not have reliable deep snow cover.

Generally the yellow and peach roses are more tender.

Cheers, RRL

Canadian rose, Brother Cadfael was one on my list. Glad to know he's a good one. Just curious why do you hate Gertrude Jeckyll?
Thanks,
Kitty

Kristin, Pretty Jessica was on my for sure list. I didn't want to bring her up because I planned on getting her no matter what anyone said. So glad she should make it here. I don't know a lot about Crocus rose so will have to check it out. How large are the blooms on Eglantyne and how well does it repeat?
Thank you,
Kitty

RRL,
This is my 1st year with a few Mary roses. I buried them deep and will mulch. Hope that will be enough. I've heard mention of your other suggestions other than The Reeve. I will check it out on HMF but, how is the repeat for you?
Thank you so much for the help,
Kitty

Hi Kitty, I tried Sharifa Asma as many people rave about its scent. Yes, it is nicely scented also in times other roses are not, but anything too special to my nose. Some of its canes were also flopping and I really don't like staking roses. I don't spray or fertilize in my first years of personal trial, too, because I believe there are still many roses worth growing without any special care. St. Cecilia seems to behave better, but there is still some blackspot at the end of season with lower parts defoliated. It blooms quite continually, but without any too rich flush and is quite good for cutting. But I think e.g. Heritage is still better, healthier. I have roses, which are still with me, listed on HMF (special favorites of this time in my favorite list), those I've tried and wasn't satisfied with are listed in my journal. You can find it under Jana, Czech Republic.

Eglantyne is a great rose... probably my best Austin. Superb bloomer and wonderful scent. The blooms are about 3 inches across.

Eglantyne

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Sharifa Asma, one of my best for wafting fragrance.

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Jana,
I like your choice of favorites. I wonder how Paul's Himalayan musk would do here. I have a tree I would like to grow him or something similar on. Thank you for leading me to your lists.
Kitty

Krista,
Thank you so much for the pictures. Both roses are very pretty; my list keeps getting longer and longer. I checked out your page. You have a LOT of roses I am interested in. I won't overwhelm you with questions about all of them yet but, could you give me your opinion of Geoff Hamilton and Bishop's Castle? Thanks again for the pictures.
Kitty

Bishop's Castle is a wonderful rose, beautiful blooms and fragrance. I planted mine a few years ago, I'm so glad I added it to the garden. It repeats well; has a very strong, sweet fragrance.

I really like Geoff Hamilton as well. I have two Geoffs in the garden. They form nice shrubs, the dark green leaves are a nice backdrop for the blooms. The fragrance is strong, reminds me of fresh strawberries.

Both these roses do very well over winter.

Bishop's Castle

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Geoff Hamilton

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Krista, all your photos are amazing. Thanks for posting! You are making my mouth water for Bishop's Castle and Sharifa Asma. I am glad, I have Geoff Hmilton already ;-)!

Christina

Krista,
Yay, more pictures!!!! They are too pretty. I have to have both of these now too. I've only seen Bishop's Castle available at one place. Where did you get yours? I looked at DA's website and they don't have it. I wonder why.
Thank you for all your help,
Kitty

I got mine from Jackson & Perkins, a few years ago. I think at the time, Jackson & Perkins was the only place that could sell it, I think that they had acquired the rights from Austin roses.

It's a great rose, I just love it.