I don't know whether Hortico still has it. Send them an email, they are quick and helpful.

Ann, those colours are beautiful. I will show mine what is expected of her! Thank you for sharing.

That's a beautiful rose, Ann, but it doesn't look at all like the Belle Story that I'm familiar with. Am I wrong in this? Does anyone else have a Belle that looks like Ann's? BTW I just checked Hortico's web site and Belle Story isn't on it ;-(

Thank you gdinieontario and noseometer for your comments.

Noseometer - I understand your skepticism but if you scroll up on this thread to my post from June 2016, I think the rose I photographed is BS. It could be that first year roses are a bit variable so we'll see what happens. When most roses bloom, they look the same every time. With others, there can be some variation and I think BS might be one those that have variations.

Here are a few more photos. I'm not sure if it helps or makes things more confusing? :))

The color difference between the last two blooms isn't due to lighting. One was more pink and other more peachy pink.

Ann

It's not the color that has me curious, it's the form. I've never seen Belle that double. Usually when a rose is young, if anything, it is less double. If Belle does get that double, I'd be less inclined to get her since I have other roses that look like that and the thing I love about Belle is the semi-double form showing the stamens.

It's very full and a much bigger rose than I expected. I guess I'll see how it develops.

Ann

I sent an email to Hortico about a month ago and they replied it's sold out for this season and to try in Fall, let's hope :)

Meanwhile just enjoying the picture I took last uear at Deep Cut Gardens in NJ, I love showy stamens, one of reasons I want her...hmm the form really looks different from Ann's BS though.

Ann, there is a possibility that it may be Ambridge Rose, but you are right on the variability of DA roses. I had a bunch of DA roses with lost tags I transplanted from my old property. There was one rose I tagged/thought was Mayor of Casterbridge. The next year I thought it was either Chaucer or Belle Story. But this year's flush has me convinced that it is most definitely Ambridge Rose. Even the most seasoned rosarians can have a difficult time identifying their own plants!

A different plant bloomed for the first time this year which I think is Heritage, but I don't ever recall purchasing Heritage <shrug>. I was hoping it was Belle Story, but the coloring & form isn't quite right.

I forgot what Belle Story smelled like. I don't recall it being myrrh. What's the consensus?

Ann9BNCalif, your plant isn't Belle Story, way too many petals. The ones that Jeri and Liakawak posted are more indicative of Belle Story.

Thank you for your comments.

Romogen - I just planted The Ambridge Rose this winter and only have one bloom to go by. I don't think it's AR, the leaves especially are quite different.

I looked at some BS photos on Facebook; most look like noseometer's post, a few look like my rose at the early stages, not quite open. I'll keep taking photos and seeing if I can figure out what it is, if not BS. Thanks!

Ann

Russian River Roses has Belle Story in stock, but they don't ship. Great excuse for a lovely day in Healdsburg though!

Oh darn, I wish I lived closer lol. I hope you get one. I emailed Angel Gardens in FL a week ago and they don't have any Belle Story's in stock and not having any luck rooting any lately. I guess this one is just gonna have to be my 'unicorn" rose.

Just wanted to provide an update on my Belle Story.

Hortico says the rose is Belle Story; they did a google search and feel that a range of internet photos do match up to mine. I agree that some photos do match up but there are differences.

I contacted David Austin customer service in the U.K. They guessed the rose was Gentle Hermione which I have, and told them it's definitely not GH. I asked them to forward my photos to Michael Marriott for an opinion. They didn't say no, so I'm hoping they did forward the email. I'm hoping for the best.

Meanwhile, I found a photo from my rose society's rose show last year where someone entered Belle Story. The photo does resemble one of my photos after the rose is fully open and on its last day, with stamens showing.

I live about an hour and half from Russian River Roses so maybe I should drop by and take some photos!

Ann

Ann did you ever find out anything from DA about your rose?

sultry - I never heard back from David Austin. It's funny you should post this question to me today, because I was taking a photo of Belle Story this morning and thought I should get back to this thread. Belle has prematurely finished her second flush due to the intense 100+ degree heat wave we're having, even though she's planted under a tree. Here are some recent photos.

It's definitely not like the rose that noseometer and others have posted that have a "wildflower" appearance. Mine is growing in a spray similar to noseometer's photo but the blooms in her photo are very close together. My blooms are larger and spread out.

This bloom is typical of my Belle Story with many more petals than nosemeters and Jeri's. Before you conclude that it's not Belle Story however, please look at the next photo.

I've had this book for years and it should be titled 100 David Austin Roses for the American Garden because it's virtually only about DA roses, published in 1997. Clair Martin who was the curator of the Huntington Botanical Gardens at the time he wrote this book, liked Belle Story so much he put her on the cover. This Belle Story does not look like noseometer's Belle Story either.

Here's another photo from inside the book. This one, in terms of the growth habit and size of bloom resembles my rose but is just a bit lighter.

In the book, Martin says, "Flowers can be as large as 4 ½ inches across with the center bud opening to a 6-inch spread." That's huge! But it's consistent with the photo of Belle Story that I posted from my rose society's 2016 show.

In another book I have, "David Austin's English Roses" DA says the parentage of Belle Story is ('Chaucer' x Modern Climber 'Parade') x ('The Prioress' x Floribunda 'Iceberg'). In looking at HMF, I can see the smallish wildflower look comes from The Prioress; I think those genes get overwhelmed in some versions of Belle Story.

Additionally, a friend went to the Russian River Rose Garden and took this photo of the mother plant of the Belle Story roses that were available.

This one also looks like my Belle Story, just a bit darker and slightly bigger.

It's clear to me that this rose is quite variable, and while I would have preferred noseometer's rose, I'm quite happy with what I have. I'm pleased with the form, color, and the fragrance is a sweet and spicy version of myrrh. It's still unique compared to my other DA roses.

Here are two more photos. As it's gotten hotter, the yellow/peach undertones have become more prominent.

Sorry if this information has disappointed you. I re-read the whole thread and I think you referred to Belle Story as a "unicorn". I think you might be right.

Ann

Well, let me throw my Belle Story from Hortico into the mix. I pinched off a few other buds, almost with tears in my eyes :-(, but I let the largest one grow. Of course an early rose midge found exactly this stem to lay her eggs in, but I recognized the signs and 'popped the zipper', early enough that the bud survived. Then something else bored a few holes in the outer petals, but yesterday this is what showed up:

Not a strong fragrance, but it was cool and rainy, and I could hardly smell Heritage either. I will give it another try tomorrow. If mine is Belle Story, it is one of the many petaled ones, like Ann's. Hortico clone?

Thanks for sharing your photo! It does look like my Hortico rose. The last in the series of photos from noseometer's shows a multi-petaled rose, just smaller. I'm enjoying mine but there's a type of bug that is always eating the stamens. It also loves the stamens of The Poet's Wife.

OT: You mentioned in an earlier post that you'd planted The Reeve. I got one from Hortico last December and it's bloomed twice so far. Just wondering how yours is doing?

First bloom mid-May

Second bloom mid-June

Mine is moderately fragrant and seems to grow quickly. It was the tiniest bare root I've ever received, and was labeled "Free" even though I paid $5 :)). I like the dark pink color; the rose doesn't last too long but it's still a baby so we'll see.

Good luck with your Belle Story and The Reeve.

Ann

Yes, it seems the same as yours. I had also hoped for that more open look, but we will see. This bloom is probably not quite typical, with only part of the stem having survived. I stuck my nose into it this morning, and I definitely got a whiff of something spicy, quite different from for example Heritage. My The Reeve was also spectacularly tiny, but it is doing surprisingly well. It had more than one bud, but I let only one live. It looks like it will bloom next week. That is a beautiful bloom on yours. I don't have anything in that strong pink colour, so I am looking forward to seeing it. I have bugs eating the centre of Heritage. I shake them into a bowl of soapy water, mumbling murderous incantations, while trying not to think of JB season :-(.

Here's one that bloomed today with fewer petals.

Ann

That gives some hope for the future ;-). And that colour is great! Thanks for showing. I will update once I think mine is big enough to let it bloom more.

Thanks for all these pics. My NOID that I thought was Anne Boleyn may actually be Belle Story. It gets terrible BS, but blooms quickly and profusely. I suppose BS isn't much of a problem for most of you. What is the experience of those in the BS zone.

Do you have any recent photos you can share? I don't usually get blackspot in my climate but this year some of my roses have it, but not Belle Story. I usually don't have a lot of bugs either but this year I have a really bad problem with the cucumber beetle. Each morning I carry a bucket of soapy water into the garden and head straight for Belle Story, The Poet's Wife, and especially Julia Child to try to diminish their numbers.

Ann

Ann, I had some very fluffy full blooms similar to yours last year, but here are the most recent from this week. From bud to bloom:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4130507/queen-of-sweden-noid-rose?n=32

Thanks for sharing the photos. While it has some resemblance in form, Belle Story is pink with a peachy cast; your rose appears to be pink with a white undertone. Also, your rose looks to have thin and wiry stems; the stems on my rose are quite straight, both the tall and short ones.

I forgot to mention that I planted Anne Boleyn which I got from David Austin earlier this year. It's been very slow to take off, and is just starting to put out buds. It will soon have its first bloom after six months. (Other newly planted bare roots are on their second flushes after six months so AB has been surprisingly slow.) I took this photo a few days ago. It has that thin, wiry look to the stems that yours has. I checked it today and there is a touch of black spot that I don't get much in my climate. Will post photos when I actually have blooms. However, it's sometimes hard to judge a rose's identity based on its initial first bloom, but for what it's worth, I will share what my AB looks like.

Ann

Thank you, Ann. Its 1st flush was more pinky, but these latest blooms do have a distinct apricot tinge as did those last year. My camera has a hard time capturing it in the bright sunlight. However, the growth habit is the deal-breaker as it has a winsome delicacy about it with airy stems. I look forward to seeing your AB develop and if yours is getting BS in NCal, it probably is Anne!

AB bloomed this morning and she's quite pretty!

And here's the black spot, pretty minimal but a bit unusual. I have a newly planted DA rose, Chaucer planted near AB, and he has a bit black spot too.

Based on this one and only bloom, do you think your rose is AB? I think the incurving petals, the growth habit, and peachy pink color you indicated yours has make it similar. However, mine has only a slight fragrance as DA advertises; I recall yours has a strong fragrance which puts a question mark in my mind.

I'll post more photos. The other buds may wind up looking different from the first bloom - you never know with these Austins in their first few years.

Ann

Oh, thank you!!! I do believe mine is AB as the flowers in last years post looked exactly like yours with the little button eye and delicate colouring... and BS! I'm a super smeller, so I'm at odds with many descriptions, especially Tess which many can't smell at all. I find AB's scent varies throughout the day, so you may just have caught it a light moment. We also have high humidity here which enhances fragrance, I find. Please post more pics!

Ann, here is the first bloom of my The Reeve. Quite big, and with a nice, medium strong fragrance. I am very happy with it.

Very lovely! The color is fabulous and glad to hear the fragrance is good. Looking forward to seeing more!

Ann

If anyone is looking for belle story .. it looks like hortico is offering it again! Fingers crossed it's accurate but I am taking the chance :)

Dear Lilyfinch

attached is a photo of the rose Hortico sent me when I ordered Belle Story, I am not sure but think it might be Jayne Austin...I told them about this and got no response...your mileage may vary, I hope so!

cheers - Claire

Thansk Claire! I'm sorry so many people don't get what they order. I hope they honor a return : exchange policy. They seem to be the only vendor who may have belle story, which stinks for us rolling the dice. Hope this year they get it right.

A little update on my Hortico Belle Story. It has done well this year, after being planted in November 2016, with several small flushes and minimal disease. We had a very rainy spring and summer, and around September I noticed several leaves had rust. I took those off, and that was the end of it. Heritage, across a narrow path from BA, had much more severe rust. I hope a more normal summer will cure this, otherwise Heritage and I may have to part ways, which would be a shame. The flowers on BS do show their centres in a later stage, but they have become increasingly full. If someone had told me the last picture was of Heritage, I would have believed it. I noticed that cup-and-saucer stage with the reflexed outer petals in more blooms.

The individual flowers have a lot more staying power than Heritage. In the end they are almost white:

All in all, I am very happy with this rose, though to my eyes it is not as gorgeous as Noseometer’s.

gdinieontarioz5, your Belle Story is pretty darn nice! Thanks for sharing.

Thank you. I do love it, and I will have to get my “semi-double with sunset colours” fix from Fighting Temeraire:

GD, I think you would like Fire Opal. It's also phototropic and reminds me of BS a lot at times.

While my Belle Story from Hortico produced some very full blooms in her first year, below are some of last roses from about a month ago which are less full.

I also have a second Belle Story from the Russian River Rose Garden and initially I had some full blooms, followed by semi-double flowers.

Belle Story's petal count seems to vary so I wouldn't give up on seeing the semi-double blooms yet!

Ann

Ann, that gives me some hope for mine. That last one is gorgeous.

Thank you, Vaporvac. I think I have seen Fire Opal in a garden nearby. Very pretty.

By the way, Hortico did respond, and is replacing the incorrect rose! <g>

best

claire

Nice, Claire. Your pictures here next year!

I would love to share my Belle Story photos. I bought this rose approx 10 years ago, knowing nothing about it, and not much about roses either. I planted it in way too much shade and never pruned it properly and pretty much ignored it. The flowers are beautiful and the scent is wonderful.

I moved it to the center of my new apricot rose bed in full sun and with irrigation, so I'm looking forward many more flowers in the coming year.

This is a truly beautiful rose, with a subtle coloring not captured well in photos. Also, it's often still blooming in December here.

I just ordered Fighting Temeraire and am really looking forward to it! It will go in the same bed of apricots/warm pinks/ and orange roses as Belle.

Those are some beautiful photos of Belle.

Ann, that first photo is Belle Story at her most perfect (to me)!

THHHHH

T

For anyone who is still on the hunt for Belle Story, Garden Roses LLC is selling it (AUSelle) for $20

https://gardenrosesllc.com/products/auselle?variant=44399072379098

Just to remind you all of how beautiful she is ;-) !

This is a worthy and distinctive rose. People love it. It should never disappear.

How big does it get? Sorely tempted.

Jerijen, don’t make it harder ;-). If I wasn’t sure it would get rust here, I would grow it again in a heart beat.

For me it ended up as around 3' by 2.5' I think, but I only had it for maybe three years. I will see if I have a picture of the whole bush.

Here it is in its first year, July 31, 2017.

And two years later, August 15, 2019.

That was the last year I had it. In 2020 there was nothing left of it because of rust. Looking at these pictures, I think the height was no more than 2.5’. But you are in a completely different zone and climate of course.