Please recommend an Austin rose to me :)

7 years ago

So currently I have one Austin rose I planted as an experiment: Heritage. I love the blooms and the fragrance, and despite some winter cane dieback it grows back tall (though spindly) each year.

Problems: the blooms shatter far too quickly which is disappointing, and for whatever reason (bad luck? Location?) this particular rose is a magnet for aphids and caterpillars.

Since I always hear such great things about Austin roses I would like to try again. I prefer shrub/floribunda roses, and fragrance is important (I'm not fussy about colour, though I am partial to soft hues like pink). Hopefully reasonably disease-resistant (especially BS), and hardy (I live in Toronto: z5b). The spot I have is about 4 feet wide at the base, but the surrounding plants are shorter so if it has a vase-like shape then wider than 4 feet is fine. 4 feet or taller would be nice.

Suggestions? Thanks!

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ratdogheads z5b NH

7 years ago

You mention that you like shrub/floribunda type roses, which makes me think you might prefer a tidy shapely plant. Many DA roses can grow long canes that require staking or regular pruning. So I'm going to suggest one of my favorites: Boscobel.

It remains compact and has a tidy growth habit, somewhat more like a modern rose but still bushy. The flowers are large but held upright on sturdy stems. The color is warm pink often with a touch of yellow at the center. It's very hardy. I'm in z5 and provide no winter protection (mine are grafted with the grafts planted 4-5" below grade). It's one of DA's most fragrant varieties, and as with many of their newer introductions there is some better disease resistance. Your conditions many vary, but mine resist blackspot quite well in New England's wet, hot summers.

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Comments (22)

romogen
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
The Huntington Rose (AKA Alan Titchmarsh).

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.40800.1&tab=1
Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
7 years ago
Evelyn!

If I could grow only one Austin rose, Evelyn would be it! The blooms are the longest lasting of any Austin I know. My Evelyn is becoming progressively endearing to me, year by year. This exceptional rose is quickly becoming almost human like...like an old, beloved, faithful friend. No other rose has this effect on me, but a close runner up is Madame Isaac Pereire.
P TW thanked Moses, Pittsburgh, W. PA., zone 5/6, USA
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PnP, I put in a black metal fence around the front part of my yard and plan to grow her on the part abutting my driveway. It's between her and Teasing Georgia... whoever gets to planting size first, but think the colour of JA might suit this place better. I hope to get Quicksilver to plant next to her to mingle a bit and loligag over the fence. I had planned to plant Annie Laurie McDowell next to her on the other side, but all my cuttings froze out. : ((((( My only concern is that her general flower shape will over shadow the more delicate forms of Cornelia and Felicia. I'll just have to see how it goes! : )) I have high hopes for this fence line. : )) The only other person growing her was in BC that I could find. It did GREAT there! Monarda, setting is everything sometimes, isn't it? Comtesse, I will read about first, but usually these bags are so cheap, I think it might be worth a try! If it does BS, at least my friend will understand why it takes me so long to decide on varieties. He's a very impetuous buyer and lucked out with his first roses setting the bar high. Until one has seen formerly beautiful roses completely defoliate, it's hard to understand.
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mzstitch
7 years ago
Carding Mill. Nice fruity fragrance, blooms stay long, sometimes pinkish other times more peachy. I am in a warmer climate (7b), but did look it up and it says good to zone 5. I haven't had luck with Evelyn, she doesn't give off enough canes for me, and she is very prone to black spot. In fact, I just gave her a shovel pruning warning this weekend if she doesn't improve for me this year :) However the main reason I got Evelyn was because so man raved about her, perhaps its my climate she doesn't like.
P TW thanked mzstitch
KarenPA_6b
7 years ago
Wow, that is a gorgeous CM rose bush! Hope mine will look like that someday.
User
7 years ago
PTW, there is a guy called Toronto Stan on Help Me Find that has beautiful roses. Here is the link... he has 29 years experience and you might get ideas from his rose photos of what you would like to see in your garden. Happy Rosing!!!!

http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=99.121530&tab=9

Rebecca
P TW thanked User
mzstitch
7 years ago
Thank you Karen, this photo was taken last year, I'm guessing the plant is about 5 or 6 years old ow.
mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
7 years ago
You didn't state what zone you are in. It makes a big difference as to how a rose will perform.
P TW
Original Author
7 years ago
That Carding Mill looks fantastic!

Boscobel also looks really good.

I am familiar with Evelyn and love the fragrance but I hear it can be hit and miss.

Decisions, decisions. Maybe I'll have to find room to plant more than one.
lavenderlacezone8
7 years ago
Jude the Obscure is rated to zone 5 and has a wonderful fragrance. Mine are usually pinky peach, rather than yellowish so I think it depends upon your soil.
P TW thanked lavenderlacezone8
Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
7 years ago
I second the recommendation for Jude! I loved mine so much bought a second and I don't have a huge garden so getting duplicates is a big deal for me.. and I may end up getting a third!

I also recommend looking up St. Swithin and Benjamin Britten (BB is definitely not the colors you prefer but very unique color! and hardy for me in zone 5 with little to no snow cover).
P TW thanked Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
lavenderlacezone8
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
LOL, Michaela! I'm at fourteen and counting, love him in spite of his mediocre foliage!

P TW, I have the same problem with Heritage and now only use her as a landscaping rose. It was so frustrating to try to make a beautiful bouquet only to have it shatter.
Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
7 years ago
Lavender, I don't blame you. I wish I had enough space for that many, I would certainly would if I could! We have about 1/3 of an acre which can be a lot for where I live, but a lot of it is running space for our german shepherds so I can't fill it with roses. I keep finding new places to tuck them though.
Dave5bWY
7 years ago
PTW - I have a couple of Austin's whose blooms shatter after a couple of days (Claire Austin, Corvedale) but the strengths of the plant greatly outweigh this trait and I just enjoy them in the garden.

A disease resistant, fragrant pink Austin that is very cold hardy that I grow is Gentle Hermoine. Some don't care for the myrrh and old rose fragrance but I like it. It wafts through the garden. The blooms last for a few days on the plant during the summer and a week or so in spring, fall. I can't say she makes the best cut flower, but not bad.

Here is her last spring:

And her last fall:

Olivia was new in the US last year and mine grew to about 4 feet, zero disease, and had a decent tea fragrance.

ratdogheads - Your Boscobel is wonderful! Mine just went in the ground yesterday. Very much looking forward to growing this one!
nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
7 years ago
Beautiful Gentle Hermione, Dave. I'm hating on Olivia right now. I want to replace her with Crown Princess Margareta. How is your spring going? It finally arrived here, but we've got a long way to go. Diane
Dave5bWY
7 years ago
Hey Diane - So glad spring has arrived for you! What a hard winter you had. The past 6 weeks have been unseasonably warm and my roses have been leafing out nicely and many perennials are up but we're going to be hit with a couple of hard frosts over the next few days along with snow. Yuck :( Trying to protect some but cannot provide protection to them all.

I love the color and fragrance of CPM but just needs lots of room. I had to move mine last week. Why are you hating Olivia so much. When I saw Olivia at my local nursery last spring in bloom (mine were a bit behind the nursery's stock) the blooms were beautiful. Then mine bloomed and it was "uh, that's okay, I guess" reaction. By the fall, though, the blooms were better. Not sure why there was such a difference, though, compared with the nursery's Olivia. Her disease resistance alone makes me happy but I know that is not much of an issue for you there. Are you still thinking about getting Abraham Darby. He loves the heat here and I assume he'd do we'll for you there.
nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
7 years ago
Your roses are far ahead of mine, yet strangely, you're facing frosts (I'm sorry to hear that). Weather is perverse. It will continue to be warmish and wettish here. The Boise river is at flood stage mostly because of release of water (7500 cfs) from behind the Lucky Peak Dam. They're trying to make room in the reservoirs for the water which will be coming from the big snow melt in the mountains. Lots of flooding down in Boise, but not out here..... Which do you like better: Abe Darby or CPM? Do you grow Abe? I simply can't make up my mind, and presently have room for only one. It kills me to read on the Forum about all the huge orders people are making. Those days are gone for me. Have a wonderful spring. Diane

Back on topic: P TW, a good rose for those who haven't grown a lot of Austins is Boscobel. It has no weird habits and is just about trouble free for me. Plus, its blooms are beautiful, as ratdogheads shows in her photos. Diane

Boscobel
Dave5bWY
7 years ago
Yes, I have 4 Abe's - 3 in the garden and one potted. Although I love CPM, I'd choose Abe hands down. Love your Boscobel!
nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
7 years ago
Thanks, Dave. I think (ha) you've made up my mind for me. Diane
HalloBlondie-zone5a
7 years ago
My favorite austin for me so far has been Benjamin Britten, but as mentioned above, the colour is more unique. It is more of a cerise colour. Love the growth & rebloom of it. And the fragrance is delightful. Very fruity. It grew to 4 feet in one season. Not sure about winter die back, but it is rated as very hardy.

This was a 2 gallon potted plant, photo taken 3 months after planting.

The other austin that did well for me is teasing Georgia. Apparently it can get quite large, but it all depends on your zone. Rebloom was good & growth was excellent. Colour varies with temperatures.

As for comments about Abraham Darby - mine did not bloom for me at all its 1st season. Only rose I've planted that did not bloom in its first year. Waiting to see in the spring. Not sure if it's a dud or mislabeled. But it grew 4 new basal breaks & had 6 foot canes in one season. I was just surprised; because of all the glowing reviews of this rose!

And because of this forum I'm adding lady of shalott, Munstead wood & boscobel to my garden this year!
HalloBlondie-zone5a
7 years ago
BTW- I'm just north of you. I can see in your post that you are in Toronto. I live in Barrie. So if mine grow and over winter, than you should be fine.
KarenPA_6b
7 years ago
So far Olivia has been very unimpressive for me. Though i am trying to reserve my judgment until year 3. If it continues to give me small shallow cupped flowers and throw octopus canes with no flowers, it will be a goner too.