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Perennials Antique Roses Roses

Austins -- Gertrude Jekyll or Mary Rose?

last year

If you had to choose between these two, which would you choose and why?

Featured Answer

Krista_5NY

last year

I prefer Gertrude Jekyll, I think it has better fragrance and the blooms are wonderful. Gertrude Jekyll has a strong Damask fragrance similar to perfume. It's quite hardy, my Gertrude Jekyll is 20 years old, 4-5 feet tall.

It has light repeat bloom in summer. It defoliates in summer as most of my Austins do. Olivia Rose Austin does not get as much blackspot as many of the other Austins.

Gertrude Jekyll

Olivia Rose Austin

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Comments (9)

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last year
Not what you want to hear, but neither. I prefer that my roses have leaves.
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
"I prefer that my roses have leaves."

And....why don't they have leaves?
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I just bought a Gertrude Jekyll from Heirloom. I'm hoping it will be free of RMV-related decline that Ann describes. Several of my Austins come from Heirloom for just that reason. I haven't decided yet whether to train GJ horizontally or prune it as a shrub and keep it short. I'd be interested in hearing from other growers who, like Palustris, have had it a while and like it. GJ is not the only rose that repeats better with age. My Pierre de Ronsard did not repeat well for several years. Now it blooms in good flushes several times a season. Many growers of young PdR plants give up on it for lack of repeat. BTW, I prune mine as a shrub. It doesn't even try to climb anymore! Rosefolly
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IMHO David Austin has made a grave mistake by not promoting RADIO TIMES more to his U.S. customers. I get the impression from his writings that this cultivar isn't as good a performer in the UK. Pity, because here across the pond it is one of the few Austins that can be kept as a medium sized shrub (with pruning). Repeat is reliable and the disease resistance is on par with the rest of his collection. The color is a rich pink, a bit warmer in tone than GJ. While the fragrance is not quite as strong as GJ, it is still "strong" and will please any parfume junky. I consider RADIO TIMES and SHARIFA ASMA to be the best pink Austins available for the American rose gardener. The only vendor I know that sells it is HEIRLOOM ROSES (heirloomroses.com). Please note that what they sell are "bands"; i.e. rooted cuttings. I can't stress this enough. The plants are tiny. On the plus side they are guaranteed to be virus free. I've always had success with them but put this disclaimer in simply because I don't want you to be shocked when you open the box.
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Comments (48)
Wow, I'm totally jealous of Krista's reports and photos of both GJ and The Generous Gardener. I have a tip-hardy GJ that has never once bloomed in 10 or more years I've had her. It's not in great sun but any other rose in that area at least puts out a few blooms. TGG is in a better sun spot and if I'm lucky will put out a single flush of blooms never to be seen the rest of the season. TGG is also notorious for losing most of its canes over the winter and taking forever to regrow them, more than most of my many Austins. I suspect the snow cover in NY explains some of this, but I'm also learning quite a lot that I don't know about rose growing in my zone (I'll post separately later), so take my input FWIW. Cynthia
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Comments (4)
Thank you. Carol, Olivia Rose Austin is a wonderful rose. Mine has reliable repeat bloom, an excellent rose to grow with other Austins or antiques. It has a moderate, sweet fragrance. Gertrude Jekyll is one of the best Austins for quality of bloom and fragrance. I've been growing it for many years, still a garden favorite. Olivia Rose Austin Gertrude Jekyll Duchesse de Rohan
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Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b)
last year
I think the implication is that they suffer badly from black spot and therefore defoliate.
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last year
Yes, exactly. Here, Mary Rose blooms, drops all its leaves, and doesn't have leaves until next year. I don't have personal experience with Gertrude Jekyll, but its reputation is bad, and its daddy is one of the absolute worst roses for blackspot I've ever had the displeasure of growing, Comte de Chambord. For some perspective, at the time I was growing Angel Face, and it wasn't in the same league.

Newer Austins as much better in regards to blackspot resistance. They have to be.
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
"Newer Austins as much better in regards to blackspot resistance. They have to be."

That is helpful. I have two Royal Jubilee and have never seen a single leaf with blackspot. But, I have few non-rugose roses and the neighbors are a ways away so risk of transmission is pretty low in my yard.
K L
last year
Gertrude Jekyll. I used to often visit the local botanical garden where Mary Rose and Gertrude Jekyll were grown close together. Gertrude Jekyll always had a stronger and better fragrance.
mxk3 z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
^^ Oh, those are lovely blooms!
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
last year
Mary Rose is great here and GJ probably is too although I don't have her. Less BS pressure here.

Voles love MR.

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