Here are the five groups Austin always lists in the front on his catalog.

English Old Rose Hybrids--the "original English roses." Have much of the character of true Old Roses--Gallicas, Dasmasks, etc. Often Old Rose fragrances. Limited soft colors--pink, crimson, purple.

Leander Group--a bit more modern. Large, robust, wide-ranging colors. Blooms still typical of Old Rose formation.

English Musk Roses--crossing of original Old Rose Hybrids with Noisette Roses. Daintier. Soft colors.

Alba Rose Hybrids--most recent Austins--somewhat removed from the other groups. Crosses between Alba Roses and other English Roses. Light airy growth. Mostly pink.

Climbing English roses--not a breed in their own right, but are shrubby varieties of the other groups.

Does that help?

Kate

You got me curious--so I checked a few of my favorite Austins to see what class they belonged in.

Old Rose Hybrid--Shakespeare 2000, Dark Lady, Tamora, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Munstead Wood, Gertrude Jekyll

Leander Group--Alnwick Rose, Teasing Georgia, Pat Austin, Lady of Shalott, Jubilee Celebration, Golden Celebration

English Musk--The Pilgrim, Scepter'd Isle, Queen of Sweden, Molineux, Graham Thomas

Alba Rose Hybrd--Lady's Blush

Don't know that that tells me much since I seem to have some in every group (except the newer Alba one). Interesting, however.

Kate

I had heard quite a while ago (here?) that the Leander group was somewhat better in my conditions. Cool, dryish winter and steam bath monsoons for eight months.

At that time, my faltering research did show that those few I had were better than others here.

Thank you, Kate. That does help. Looks like I need to order his catalogue.

dublinbay, where did you find the information about what class your English roses belonged in? All I can find on HMF is "English rose collection" for the cultivars I looked up. For example, Lady's Blush, which looks to be a lovely shrub, is designated as part of the English rose collection.,

From the catalog. Directly under the name of every listed rose is the class to which it belongs in David Austin's world.

You definitely need to get a David Austin catalog.

Kate

DA catalogue has been ordered.

DA catalog is lethal, the ultimate rose porn. Put it down, and walk away slowly.... :)