Do you have room for a climbing rose? If so, James Galway is fabulous. Beautiful flowers, very healthy. It's one of my favorites & comes thru the NY winters with no problems.

It would partly depend on whether you have any size requirements and are concerned about BS resistance as well as considerations such as heat tolerance and reblooming qualitites--in addition to beauty (and for some people, fragrance).

Since all of those traits (except fragrance) are important to me, I would pick Munstead Wood, Molineux, and Princess Alexandra of Kent as excellent medium Austins--about 3-4x 3 size.

For the larger Austins, Heritage, Golden Celebration, and Graham Thomas are beautiful, but I have heard many complaints about their susceptibility to BS and lack of heat tolerance.

Teasing Georgia would be my first choice for a climber--though the tribute to James Galway above might convince me to take a second very close look at that climber also.

The others have never attracted my attention, so I have no opinion on them--although I have a descendent of Dark Lady (named Braveheart) that has the most gorgeous red blooms that do not fade to purple.

One of the Austins I have been pushing the past couple years is the taller shrub Lady of Shalott. She's a beauty and quite floriferous.
Lady of Shalott
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Kate

You've got a bunch on your list I grow, and I like every one of them. One thing I'd mention is that Princess Alexandra of Kent is looking like its going to be big, not compact, and could rival Golden Celebration (love this rose) for size. I consider GC to be reasonably large, not monstrous like Brother Cadfael and some others. On the other hand, Tamora is described as compact, and has stayed that way for me. She's a lovely rose that resembles Evelyn, but with a little smaller blooms. Munstead Wood has great potential, but is too new for me to evaluate, though everything is looking good. The only one I've purchased from Pickering on your list is Tamora. Here is a pic of PA of K. Diane

From my experience Austins tend to get larger in the US than they do in the UK. Not sure why but it may be climate or soil related. So give them plenty of room when you plant them. Otherwise I think they're all lovely so go with whatever catches your eye and enjoy!

I have to put a good word in for Tamora. I had mine almost 25 years in a pot exposed to everything that our Oklahoma weather can throw at a rose from below zero temperatures in winter to 115 in summer. It kept on going and going and going. It remained a compact floriferous mound for all those years. The fragrance is strong myrrh, one that I find appealing. The color is a light apricot and personally from a display point of view, I find that the pale colors show off better with a bit of afternoon shade in our harsh Oklahoma sunlight. But that's another good thing about Tamora, it can take full sun of part shade equally well. I never had it throw those notorious Octopus arms........ On the negative side, it has some small vicious thorns, and is not suitable as more then a short term cut flower. It will need to be sprayed for B.S. however, it's not any worse then average. .........I lost mine this year to RRD. Very sad for me. It was like loosing an old friend. A very nice Austin for our climate.......Maryl

I love them allllllll.

Christopher Marlowe does very well in the PNW but be warned he does like to bend over. A rose that look ok at the end of a rose bed to add softness to the edge. No disease and a good fragrannce.

Loved James Galway's flowers but he grew straight up and was so busy making growth he forgot to make flowers. I think his blooms are one of the best of the Austins.

Lynette, that is beautiful!

Tess was the only Austin that was a read deep red with no blue. Strong fragrance, no disease but not too generous with the flowers. Do keep in mind she could do better in a different garden.

James Galway has grown extremely well for me and I just love it. It does grow straight up, or more fan-shaped. It's really, really healthy for me and flowers well, but I don't find it to be particularly fragrant.

I think my absolute favorite is Lady Emma Hamilton and she stays pretty rounded and compact. May need sprayed here and there. My other Austins are either way too big to suggest, way to young to form a judgement, or I just don't "love" it enough.

Lady Emma:

Thank you so much everyone. I'm really attracted to James Galway because of the soft pink color. All of these are gorgeous, doesn't make my decision any easier. Susan yours is very pretty. Kate, love the Lady of Shalot, very nice. Diane, your PA of K is beautiful, I really like that shade pf pink. Racin' Rose WOW that Lady Emma is something. Maryl, thanks for the info on Tamora. Lynette your pictures are lovely, looking forward to seeing my Christopher Marlowe as lovely as yours. I really want a good red, maybe Darcey Bussell will work. When you grow an Austin as a climber, does it come in a climbing version or do you train it that way? I noticed in the catalog some come both ways, but I haven't noticed that from other sources. Thanks again everyone.

Susan- Is that Crocus Rose? Lovely looking plant!

Generous Gardener is lovely. This is not a good pic of the blossoms, they are very subtle and sweet . The only official climbing version of an Austin I grow is Abe Darby. The stems are much thinner and pliable. Very different from my regular Abe. Lots of Austin's have a growth habit that can be easily anchored as a climber. And Darcy Bussell is more magenta in my yard.

Everyone has posted such beautiful photos...I'm really thinkng I need one of everything on this page!!!

Carding Mill is one of my very favorite Austins....I understand Chamblees will be offering it as own root this year. Another favorite is Sophy's Rose - very healthy and always in bloom. James Galway is a huge shrub for me - it blooms a big flush in the spring, sporadically the rest of the time, very healthy. Crown Princess Margaretta is making a fine climber - saw a couple of lovely blooms today. Tess of the D'ubervilles has been around a few years and it is lovely - not covered with blooms, but always has some and its very healthy. Graham Thomas is a huge shrub and isn't covered in blooms like some of the photos of him I have seen. Not that impressed with it. But it is healthy....

I'm thinking of getting roses this year. Everybody puts up such amazing pictures, the question is more like which one not to have!?!?

But then, can't have em all. Tough decisions :/

If you have lots of growing space, you can go through and pick out any Austins you especially like. However, if your space is limited (like it is for many of us) or your gardening zone is susceptible to certain rose diseases, you have to make more precise decisions often based on size and disease-resistance. The good news there is that that also cuts down on the number of options--makes the choices easier!

And then there is also the design consideration. If I decide I want a bed focusing on red and white roses/flowers with a few different colors for dramatic interest, that cuts down on my selections. Or maybe I want a bed of shorter Austins so they won't block the longer range view or I decide that George Graham or Lady of Shalott needs a dramatic purple next to it--that certainly cuts down on my choices.

Lots of reasons why you might exclude any number of roses. It does help if you come up with a general plan based on some of your preferences for certain types of roses or a specific rose that you want to build around.

Actually it is all a lot of fun. Nothing like seeing a picture of a new rose and falling head over heels in love with it---gotta have it, gotta have it!

LOL

Kate

Kate you are so right! I do not want to hijack this thread. So I'll make a new one. I need help with suggestions too!

H

I was wondering how good of a red L. D. Braithwaite is? Looks like it might be a good one. Susan mentioned her Darcey was more of a magenta, I know that doesn't mean it would be for everyone, but I do want a true red.

It is Teasing Georgia....I think. Here is a close up of the spring blossoms. Look at those buds!

Second flush.

The foliage was a little large to be Crocus Rose I thought after posting originally. Thanks for the information and for adding another wonderful photo Susan.

Jay

If you are looking for a true red, you might want to look outside of the Austins for what I have seen in the heat (unless just a few blooms is okay)

As much as I complain about Don Juan for the damp part of the year, he is incredible right about now here. Probably 30 open blooms today, no scent though.

Kippy, DJ is one of my most fragrant roses. Does scent come with age?

Susan,

I have no idea, ours is very old, so maybe it has more to do with climate?

Don Juan is fragrant here too, but only during the spring, fall and very early in the morning during early summer.

Lynn

True Crimson Red? If you don't mind it not being an Austin, may I suggest Rouge Royale (Meilland) which has large Austin/OGR style blooms on a vigourous 5-6 foot tall upright shrub. Very fragrant. Be aware however that the blooms last longer in the vase then on the bush. One of my favorites...... As far as L.D. Braithwaite I haven't grown it, but did see it several times in a friends garden. A nice true red with larger blooms that got my attention (I understand Darcy Bussel has smaller blooms). My friend told me that the repeat for her however hadn't been very good. It certainly was pretty, but I'll stick with my Rouge Royale.......Maryl
...........Rouge Royale
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L. D Braith is very red-crimson. Nice form too! Although the website says medium fragrance, my nose picked up none.

H

Thanks for the suggestions. Maryl - That Rouge Royale is lovely. Kippy - I've wanted to try Don Juan for a long time. I'll keep both of these in mind.

And thank you H for the info on L.D. Braithwaite.

Again off the topic....but I am just going to copy this onto my spring shopping list. Lolol

racin rose, your Lady Emma Hamilton rose is to die for. What gorgeous flowers! Can you tell me how old is your plant? Are those flowers from an established plant? Thanks, Karen

Maryl, your Rouge Royale is stunning. I've debated about this rose for years, and you've pretty much convinced me...I must have it. Just where to put it is the question.
Susan, that is an exquisite little bouquet of Teasing Georgia. Lovely. Diane