Under different growing conditions the same rose can grow quite differently.

Austin roses are bred in England primarily for a: cooler, damper, mild winter, overcast, less Iight intense environment. What growth habits an Austin rose bush has, that typically is a 4' tall bush on average, in England, can be a 10' tall climber in California, Texas, or Florida.

When choosing an Austin to grow in your garden, determine how its growth habit is under your immediate growing conditions. Local rosarians, neighboring rose gardeners, public rose gardens near you, and reliable local nurseries that know Austin roses (not found by bucketfuls!), are all places to find out the growth habits of an Austin in your area.

You cannot reliably go by listed heights and widths of Austin roses in catalogs. They generally list the sizes Austins get ON AVERAGE. You are obviously in an ABOVE AVERAGE growing climate.

Always check here on the Roses Forum, too. You will get very reliable and current information from very helpful folks.

One last thought or two...

Go to the Austin USA web site. When you see a particular rose listed that can be grown as a bush as well as a climber, it will most likely get climber size for you.

I have found that grafted roses get bigger than own root roses. If you want to keep an Austin smaller, grow it on its own roots. If you want the same rose to be big, grow it grafted.

Moses

It's a bit of a misconception to think Austin's don't climb here....may take a little longer than in a warm climate but they are dual purpose roses, depending on how you want to train them...For us, it's all in the training... Anything 4 foot or above can be trained to 10 or 12 feet with support, and they must have support, otherwise they grow as stated... I find the 3 foot or less tend to stay just like that...