Very pretty indeed! I have to find one too!! Thanks for sharing!

Beautiful!

Wow that's amazing you have had it for so long and wonderful you love it so much! It's really beautiful!

That creamy pink is a favorite! What are the particulars? ..... size, shape, fragrance, bloom period, disease resistance, zone..... It reminds me a bit of Nahema, a climber. Beautiful arrangement.

Chaucer remains one of my favorite Austin's of all time. I will always have one (or four) in my garden, even on a desert island. It's vigorous but grows like a floribunda and tops off at 4-5 feet tall. Hardiness should be average to good with winter protection. The gallicas Duchesse de Montebello & Belle Isis are in Chaucer's lineage. The leaves defoliate from black spot, but I don't care nor spray. The flowers are gloriously fragrant with a powerful pure "myrrh" fragrance. The blooms can attain 4.5" with cupped & quartered form on a well fed mature bush. It blooms singly and in corymbs, and should have four good flushes a year. It is heat & drought tolerant, but likes lots of water while flowering or to form new buds for the next flush. The plant will survive on water rationing, but won't flower much. The color intensity is variable with weather and sunlight, ranging from porcelain pink to fleshy off white. Chaucer has an easy, uncomplicated charm that many of the newer buttoned up DA introductions lack. Its fragrance is the epitome of "myrrh," which to me smells like a blend of vanilla, marzipan, and baby powder. I've never smelled nor understood the references to anise, petrol, or dirty diaper --maybe those people's sniffers are broken.

Those blooms are so pretty they don't look real! They are so perfect and I love the color.

Thanks, romogen, for the detailed description. I bet it's hard to find now that it's out of production.

It's simply beautiful Suebelle. I'd love to grow one. Judy

Oh, what a wonderful, romantic journey you have had with this rose!! Your photos are so ethereal and nostalgic looking!! I'm so glad I opened this thread!!

Carol

Chaucer is still propagated own root and sold by Angel Gardens and Heirloom Roses. It's not always in stock, so it's best to call or email the nursery directly to check availability.

Lovely photos and an impassioned and well-reasoned enabling to consider this rose! It's now on my wish list for Angel Gardens, as well as Roses Unlimited and Rogue Valley that are listed on hmf. I sadly doubt it'll cycle back into an affordable range at Heirloom given their recent pricing policies.

Cynthia

Brilliant photos, and gorgeous arrangement! Love the old-fashioned photo to one side.

Thanks to all of you for your lovely comments. One of the things I like about Chaucer is that is does grow upright and does not have octopus arms. Also, the fragrance is always there. Here in the deep south, it blooms from April until the first freeze. It was introduced in 1981 and it is the parent of many later introductions.

Here is a picture of that same bouquet 30 hours later. The bloom are just as pretty when is opens as it was before it opened. Can you tell that I love this rose.

So beautiful and love the arrangement. Thank you so much Suebelle for taking the time to post these !

I still get upset every time I think about this rose being discontinued. If you can find one, please get it so that we can keep it going. In my opinion this rose is better than any of the newer Austins. Same goes for Troilus, another favorite of mine.

Suebelle....... HMF rates this rose as having poor disease resistance, has that been your experience? Perhaps that may account for its' demise.

smithdale, I have never had a problem with powdery mildew or blackspot on Chaucer. No botrytis either, even when some others get botrytis. However, we do spray occasionally for blackspot.

I love Troilus, and have been searching for a replacement since 1996.... I am also presently still looking for Bibi Maizoon and Robbie Burns. I'm keeping a close eye on my Emily because I think the garden gnomes might have spirited it away.

@smithdale every part of the country has a different combination of blackspot strains and whatnot. In California Chaucer blackspots terribly, doesn't mildew much, and rust can be an issue depending on microclimate. I have grown Chaucer in both SoCal and NorCal, and I get the impression that it prefers NorCal's more temperate climate.

romogen, could you please share where you were able to get a replacement for Troilus. I have 4 of them right now, but they are getting old. I really don't want to be without one. We really do need to keep these discontinued Austin roses going.

Suebelle

@Suebelle Why are you worried about your old plants of Troilus, are they declining? I wholeheartedly agree, we must keep the discontinued off-patent roses in circulation. The best way is to make new plants from their autumn trimmings. Bury the cut branches two thirds in the ground, leave them there to overwinter, and once the cuttings form roots in spring they are good to go.

As far as I know, Troilus is only commercially available in Australia and South Africa....

Oh, wow!!! Your last picture looks even more ethereal than the others!!! Well done!!

Carol