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rosefenn

David Austin rose

rosefenn
11 years ago

If you could pick just one David Austin rose, which one would you pick for your garden? I only have room for one. I am tempted by Eglantine, also by Abraham Darby. Please give me your suggestions!

Comments (61)

  • Kippy
    11 years ago

    I don't think my Abe is very happy, but Carding Mill and Ambridge are loving life. Ambridge has several dozen buds on her today

  • predfern
    11 years ago

    Evelyn is surprisingly hardy. That would be my top pick.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    11 years ago

    Pick just ONE Austin?

    That's like that old commercial selling potato chips: Bet you can't eat just one!

    You are warned--try one Austin, and you'll end up ordering a dozen and lamenting that you don't have room in your garden for at least another dozen!

    In picking your "first" Austin, you might also decide whether or not you intend to spray for blackspot. A number of the gorgeous Austins recommended above have serious blackspot issues. If you would prefer to cut down on spraying, check out a number of the more recent Austins in his catalog--look for ones that are listed as "healthy" or, even better, "exceptionally healthy." Save yourself some worries that way.

    Definitely make sure your selection is cold hardy in Nebraska--what is that? Zone 5, I think.

    Good luck -- you will love your Austin!

    Kate

  • susan4952
    11 years ago

    Glad to see the AUstins have gained a LITTLE respect. A few years ago, on this forum , they were referred to as THE BIG MAC AND FRIES of the rose world.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    11 years ago

    Yeah--us Austin-lovers just refused to go away!

    I suspect the Knockouts probably now are the new BIG MAC AND FRIES of the rose world. : )

    Kate

  • susan4952
    11 years ago

    I love Austin's, they are the roses that caught my eye years ago. Opened up a whole new world to me......and I do love the occasional Big Mac.

  • jaspermplants
    11 years ago

    My choice would probably be Evelyn; she has the biggest most luscious blooms and is an easy plant to grow. Blooms last very long in the vase also.

    My mom has Abe Darby and it's great but I don't think it's as healthy as Evelyn in my climate.

  • onewheeler
    11 years ago

    James Gallawy is my all time favorite for hardiness, continuous bloom and disease resitance. I have many Austins in my zone 5 garden. I love them all! :-)

  • nastarana
    11 years ago

    I would choose Evelyn and The Prince.

  • caldonbeck
    11 years ago

    I've got 50 odd of them and can't imagine only having one!! It would probably have to be Princess Alexandra of Kent or Princess Anne, leaning more towards Princess Anne. Abe Darby is just too scabby in our climate, rarely you will get a perfect bloom, but it is too rare.

  • susan4952
    11 years ago

    And mine is a beautifully shaped shrub full of huge fragrant blossoms at least 3 times a summer. He does get bs, but I do not care. Such a beauty....no wait, maybe Teasing Georgia is my fave....no wait......

  • caldonbeck
    11 years ago

    lol @susan4952 - exactly how you end up with hundreds of them!!

  • sc_gardener
    11 years ago

    Just one? Actually for the record, I am zone 5 in Chicago metro and I have not had any hardiness issues with any of my austins, I have own root and grafted. Only one winter I had severe cane die back when the canes were completely encased in ice after an ice storm. Good luck!

  • BaaBaaRaa
    11 years ago

    This is making me realize how important it is to pay attention to Zones. I have not had great luck with Abraham Darby (one of my very first DA purchases). I practice organic. No sprays. I shovel pruned at least two Abraham Darbies already. (I kept giving it a chance by reordering and trying a different location with more sun.) I love my Eglantine... very large (trained as climber in a tripod). Carding Mill is new and struggling (not ideal sun). It was reccomended for my area (growing at Filoli). I also shovel pruned one Evelyn and reordered because I could not live without it. I did NOT reorder Abraham Darby. Sometimes I wonder if I overpruned? I often prune out disease. I also love my new Munstead Wood (but both the latter are small in my garden). I would say I could not live without William Shakespeare 2000. I would add photos, but they are of blossoms in spring, which are ALWAYS beautiful. What is more important to me is disease resistance and reliability of bloom and overall habit of the rose.

  • jerijen
    11 years ago

    BaaBaaRaa -- You are right about zones. Soils and water matter a lot, too.

    Abraham Darby was "OK" here (until gophers ate his roots) but the blooms were so big, and the stems and canes so floppy, he was awkward to deal with.

    I really liked Emanuel much better. Smaller blooms of the same type, on a gracefully-arching plant that was disease-free in our garden. We had it on Multiflora, and it eventually began to go down hill, but I'd grow it again, if I had the space.

    Probably the last Austin purchases here was our first Golden Celebration -- and it continues to be a terrific rose here. Even the original one, on Multiflora, is doing very well. It rusteth not, neither doth it mildew (tho it can be touched by blackspot, when we get one of those freaky warm-humid periods. Not badly, though. I love it in the garden, and as a cut flower.

    The only other Austin I really like, HERE, is Prospero. Once we quit pruning it, it turned into a little powerhouse, and is never completely out of bloom. Good in a vase, too.

    Jeri
    Coastal Ventura County
    SoCal

  • susan4952
    11 years ago

    and today.....GEnerous Gardener

  • alameda/zone 8/East Texas
    11 years ago

    I totally agree about roses doing well in different zones. I am in east Texas and our summers can get brutal - 2011 was the worst - NO rain, 3 months of 105 degrees every day, never saw anything like it and hope never to again - lost quite a few roses. I am hoping some rose lovers from Texas will chime in - would really enjoy knowing which Austins do well in our climate. Chamblees carries a goodly number of Austins - I am guessing these are the ones that do well in our zone, not just what they can get. James Galway is one that is out in full, hot sun and does great. Scepter d'Isle also. Evelyn was just planted a year ago, not showing alot of growth yet, but love the blooms - may try this one in back of my horse barn, which still gets lots of sun but is protected from 3pm on from the brutal heat. Young Lycadis is doing quite well and love the color of the blooms, Lady of Megginch also. I have quite a few Austins on order for this year:

    Wollerton Old Hall
    Fighting Temeraire
    England's Rose
    Sir John Betjeman
    Princess Alexandra of Kent
    Princess Anne
    Bishop's Castle
    Lady of Shalott
    Darcey Bussell
    Can anyone from my area comment? Thanks....
    Judith

  • harmonyp
    11 years ago

    I added a bunch this year so it's too early for me for a fav, but I have had one of my Young Lycidas' for more than one season now, and I couldn't be happier with it. Blooms are big, purple, very fragrant, and hold for a few days in a vase. I'm really glad I placed him in front of our front steps in such a visible place, next to Bolero. Will be adding SDLM to that group, and think they'll look wonderful together.

  • Kippy
    11 years ago

    One other here, Darcey Bussell I picked up the last two plants from the local nursery toward the end of their rose fields season. They looked a tad sad...

    But, they have had a bloom on them pretty much since the day they got planted. They have gotten a touch of mildew, but they are in the shade a good part of the day and get hit by the lawn sprinkler when we use it. And the mole/gopher had a field day in their little "raised bed" So not ideal.

    But always a nice fat rose on both of them.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    11 years ago

    Since I'm from Nebraska too, I thought I'd chime in about hardiness and disease resistance and such from our area. In general, I agree with sc_gardener that Austins don't have many hardiness issues in our area once established. You do have to be careful to prune out all the cankered branches after a real winter (canes that have dark tan centers when pruned), but they always come back rapidly from pruning regardless. Some are totally tip hardy, like Teasing Georgia or The Mayflower in our area.

    I have about 50 Austins, and my favorites in terms of frequent & quality blooms would be Scepter'd Isle, Carding Mill, and Queen of Sweden. Scepter'd Isle is cheating a bit, though, since it's planted by the water spigot in prime sun and gets twice the water of my other Austins, which has really mattered in these drought years. All three of those happen to grow tall and narrow in our zone 5 NE (at least 6' high and no more than 3' wide) particularly Queen of Sweden. I'd say my Austins blackspot less than a majority of roses in my yard - the notable offenders are on the purple side of colors (William Shakespeare 2000, The Dark Lady, Tradescant) or big honkin' once bloomers for me like The Generous Gardener (obvious my experience differs from others).

    I also have both the Austins you originally asked about and either should do fine in Nebraska. Abraham Darby also gets above 6' high and wider than the others I mentioned - its blooms tend to hang down but it can be nicely bushy in a good spot. Eglantyne has survived from a teensy band in a non-ideal spot, so she's clearly a survivor, but I haven't seen enough blooms to rate her for more than that.

    Basically you already have some good choices as long as you have the room, and if you're tight on space we can advise you on Austins that stay more compact.

    Cynthia

  • Terry Crawford
    11 years ago

    Out of all of my gang....'Pretty Jessica'.

  • roseteacher
    11 years ago

    Abraham Darby is prone to rust in my zone, and I have to spray it. When it is healthy it has gorgeous blooms, but they tend to nod. Evelyn is perfectly healthy and HUGE - 6'w x 8/9'h. I grow it as a climber. I agree - buying Austin roses is addictive!

  • kittymoonbeam
    11 years ago

    Abe Darby is pretty on a trellis if you want to save space. Just keep tying it on. If I had but one space, I would put up a trellis and plant Abe Darby and Jude the Obscure side by side and let them intermingle.

    My favorite rose for the color+shape is Kathryn Morely but it's not my favorite fragrance so Abe wins the contest as the 'only one'.

  • cjrosaphile
    9 years ago

    I'm surprised that no one has mentioned my fav, Crown Princess Margareta. .I can see that Evelyn is stunning, but I've heard that she doesn't bloom much. I also have Mary Rose, what a beautiful shrub and she is covered and blooms for weeks. I love her shape. Then, there is Sharifa Asma, beautiful -- Tamara, doesn't bloom that much with unusual fragrance. New for this year is Jubilee Celebration and Christopher Marlowe.

  • boncrow66
    9 years ago

    I would love to hear what DA you decided to purchase! I planted Evelyn and Golden Celebration this year and so far are growing beautifully. I love love love the fragrance of Evelyn.

  • charleney
    9 years ago

    I have mostly Austins now! Not all of them by any means. I an a tightwad gardener. But I really want quality for the price. I just bought 7 ownroots from Chamblees
    and they are full and healthy. Abe blackspots a bit for me, but I use Bayer Disease Control, and cleans it right up. So there is not much I have to do . The prices are usually 25-30$ apiece in the nurseries around here, but Chamblees was very reasonable and the shipping was also well priced & they arrived beautiful, and nothing was destroyed. I would have to go out in my garden and list them all. I don't remember the list as puppy tore out the stakes. The new ones are well-labeled though. I am surely happy with all of the Austins that I have. Mostly, I only buy the smelly ones.
    Good Luck and horse manure should be in your future.

  • Mountie
    9 years ago

    I would pick Geoff Hamilton. Gorgeous color, shape and fragrance.

  • canadian_rose
    9 years ago

    I shovel-pruned my Abraham Darby. Couldn't stand the floppy canes - tried cutting back hard, cutting back lightly - didn't matter.

    BUT...
    I love my Queen of Sweden and Evelyn!!! Evelyn is new this year, and I love how the canes and flowers stay upright. The fragrance is intense lemony (to me) and I love the petals!!! Wow!!
    Carol

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    Can't make up my mind whether my one solitary Austin would be Molineux or Munstead Woods.

    Kate

  • ken-n.ga.mts
    9 years ago

    Kate---Keep them both. You'll be happy with both.

  • Connie Shaff
    8 years ago

    Gourgous, grown Salisbury, Md.

  • the_bustopher z6 MO
    8 years ago

    In my garden, I think the best Austin overall is Crocus Rose followed by Lady of Shalott, Windrush, Munstead Wood, and Lichfield Angel.

  • zack_lau z6 CT ARS Consulting Rosarian
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Sharifa Asama followed by Radio Times.
    FWIW I have Geoff Hamilton--funky bloom pattern--routinely shovel pruned in warmer climates (needs winter?) for being stingy with blooms.

  • Spectrograph (NC 7b)
    8 years ago

    I planted a Munstead by our front door and I couldnt be happier. Lovely bloom shape, gorgeous color, abundant flowers and amazing fragrance.

  • fragrancenutter
    8 years ago

    My pick would be Evelyn as well. She seems to have lots of votes here already. I love her for her intense fragrance and long vase life. She will need lots of space and lots of sun though.

    Evelyn


  • fragrancenutter
    8 years ago

    p.s. If you like the Austins look but open to other hybridisers, I would vote for Sonia Rykiel for a beautiful dense bush from the ground up covered in buds all the time, plus intense fragrance:

    Sonia Rykiel


    Bush of Sonia Rykiel:


  • zack_lau z6 CT ARS Consulting Rosarian
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Sharifa Asma really loves this full sun location with the reflection of the sun off the window.
    This is a big 8 ft cane that not only survived winter, but is actually blooming off "laterals" sent out when the cane was fully vertical. Many roses will only bloom at the top of long canes, unless you pull them horizontal.

  • fduk_gw UK zone 3 (US zone 8)
    8 years ago

    I have a dozen or so Austins, best grower in my no spray garden is Wildeve, unfortunately unscented, but pretty much bulletproof and floriferous. Sharifa Asma is also good, and so are Munstead Wood, and Fighting Temeraire. Eglantyne has been in two different places in my garden and has been an unhappy blackspotted mess in both - so I suspect in zone 5 you would almost certainly have to spray to keep it alive.

  • noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    In my old yard, I only allowed myself one variety of rose for design reasons. I chose 'Winchester Cathedral' and planted several. Now that I have many more roses, I realize that WC was a good choice, since it is vigorous, blooms frequently, stays compact, is moderately fragrant, has a nice bush form and tolerates some shade.

    Of the roses I have, I might choose another rose like 'William Shakespeare 2000' for heartbreakingly beautiful flowers. Then again, maybe not. He grows okay but the flowers fry so easily, even in the shade and he mildews even in my dry climate. To misquote Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: When he's good he's very very good, but when he's bad, he's horrid. Same with Abe who is miserable here. Falstaff is gorgeous, vigorous, and so far, more tolerant of this climate than WS2K but very little scent. The Alnwick Rose may have the most addictive scent of all my roses for me, but so far not many flowers and I'm not fond of the flower form, but promising. Jude gets 10/10 on my noseometer for fragrance, but 2/10 for growth and flower form (they don't seem to open here). Glamis Castle smells like mothballs to me, but this is just its first year. Promising but not much time in the garden yet, is Radio Times, which has beautiful flowers that don't seem to fry, disease free foliage, and a sharp rose scent, not the luxurious heady rose that I want, but still nice. But if I had to choose one Austin, of the ones that I have, this would be it.


    If I had to choose one rose of any (not just Austins), I might choose Iceberg instead,
    which is reliable, floriferous, fragrant, but those yellow leaves. Or I
    might choose Madame Isaac Pereire. Sigh. Madame. Just about everything a rose should be, (fragrance, form, bush shape, vigor, bloom quantity and frequency) and nearly disease free in my climate.


  • pat m
    8 years ago

    my favorite is sharifa asma, for the blooms, health and the scent

  • ellatiarella (SW Mich 6a)
    8 years ago

    Munstead Wood is one of the very smallest David Austin roses. Bush size is 3 H by 2.5 W if I remember correctly. Fragrant and not too large.

  • susan4952
    8 years ago

    Munstead wood


  • susan4952
    8 years ago

    Teasing Georgia


  • Jeff Whetstine
    7 years ago

    A Generous Gardener has been a stand out performer for me here in Zone 6. I needed a climber for an east facing wall. Purchased two from David Austin directly and they grew to nine feet tall the first year. They are training very nicely and are loaded with buds. Will be blooming soon.

  • barbarag_happy
    7 years ago

    I've always had a thing for Tradescant, but just couldn't grow it here due to BS. Am captivated by that photo of Munstead Wood!

    Of the Austins I DO have, Golden Celebration is my favorite. Mine is a nice big self-supporting shrub and just covers itself in spring; never without blooms. Many roses fade in our heat or lost their scent. Not GC!

  • alameda/zone 8/East Texas
    7 years ago

    Carding Mill is a long time favorite. This year, I am seeing Ambridge Rose come into its own and it is gorgeous! Nice smell too. Great big fat blooms, healthy bush......

  • jjpeace (zone 5b Canada)
    7 years ago

    Let's see, I have Golden Celebration, L.D. Braitwaite, Mary Rose, Heritage, Teasing Georgia, Evelyn, Othello, Jude the Obscure, Crown Princess Margareta and Graham Thomas. I love them all but the best blooms I love are those from Graham Thomas and Heritage. However they are both stingy bloomers for me. Seeing them bloom is nothing short of a miracle.

    In terms of vigour, Golden Celebration and LD. Braitwaite (many years) are great in my area and it looks like Teasing Georgia and Evelyn will be as well (this will be the second season).

    If I could only add one more Austins, any of the following will be good for me: Queen of Sweden, Olivia Rose, The generous Gardener, Abraham Darby, Munstead Wood, Lady of Shalott and William Shakespeare 2000.

    But then again, as other posters already mentioned, it is very hard to choose just one more. I would suggest you research it more to see which ones does very well in your area. I am also picky with disease resistance roses nowadays. That is one of the big factor for me as I don't spray in my garden.

    Good luck.


  • alameda/zone 8/East Texas
    7 years ago

    Several years ago, I bought a very healthy Graham Thomas on sale in the fall. I babied it - it grew into a large bush, no blooms. Frustrated, when I was at Chamblees Rose Nursery, I mentioned my problem with this rose. They suggested fertilizing with Carl Pool BR61. I did and it bloomed. I looked at over 10 blooms on it the other day and I haven't fertilized it since last year. Maybe this fertilizer jump started it.....or maybe it just needed some age on it. Whatever - I am now very proud of my GT and plan to use this fertilizer on it again.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    7 years ago

    I realize I never did pick a favorite on the original post. I'm agreeing with Kate that Munstead Wood and Molineux are top picks, followed closely by Lady of Shalott and Sharifa Asma (dear heavens, Zack what do you FEED yours - mine is a miniscule 3' or less in absolutely full sun).

    Cynthia