Josh

Rosefolly

One that comes to mind is 'Wife of Bath' which had the old HT 'Mme Caroline Testout' as its seed-parent. That seed-parent was a Tea-leaning HT by parentage. 'Mme Caroline Testout' had a Tea seed-parent ('Mme de Tartas'), and an HT pollen-parent ('Lady Mary Fitzwilliam'). And THAT HT pollen-parent had 'Devoniensis' (a Tea-Noisette) as a seed-parent, and 'Victor Verdier' (an HP) as a pollen-parent. And THAT HP pollen-parent had 'Safrano' (a Tea) as a pollen-parent. So 'Wife of Bath' had one Tea grandparent, plus a Tea-Noisette great-grandparent, plus a Tea great-great-grandparent.

Which Austins have 'Wife of Bath' listed as an ancestor? Quite a few, but I'll leave that information out as an encouragement to support HelpMeFind with a paid membership -- that's where I got my info.

:-)

~Christopher

Josh

I don't have any pictures but could post some later if anyone was interested. But MS is another one of those Austins whose family tree is shrouded in mystery.

I wish there were more hybridizers using teas in their breeding. Anyone know if other breeders are using teas in their work?

And there could be others in his breeding program. All of these except Lotus Born are available from Roses Unlimited. Unfortunately, Roses Unlimited either lost their plant of 'Lotus Born' , or the cuttings sent to them never rooted (I can't remember which I was told). I'd really like to grow Lotus Born.

Roses Unlimited also sells this one.

Also 'New Blush' - Parentage: [Old Blush X (Unknown Tea X R. gigantea seedling)]

It is a great loss to us folks who garden in warm climates. I was greatly disappointed when I bought Malvern Hills' and it dropped its leaves before Halloween, when all my Tea and Tea Noisettes are blooming fully and beautifully; Celine Forestier, Mme. Alfred Carriere, Crepescule, to name a few, and they bloom through early December and are lovely foliage plants past Christmas, and bloom again in January if we have a warm spell.
If I had bought an Alistair Stella Gray instead, I would have yellow roses blooming in my garden through early December.
Some of the most beautiful Tea roses ever bred came from England, the rose out of Devon; 'Devoniensis' for one,
Lady Hillingdon' for another, which has produces astoundingly long bloom cycles, with no need for deadheading.
(pollen is infertile but it has been used as a seed parent previously)
If Mr. Austin wishes to truly breed "continuously blooming" roses, he should look to the Old Garden Tea roses, for they are the only class of large flowered rose that do bloom continuously,because of their short pedicals and evergreen leaves, which allow continuous bloom through a very long bloom season that in our Mediterranean climate lasts for 9-10 months out of the year. Under the same conditions Hybrid Tea and Austin roses begin to bloom from late April, through late Oct. However, the average Austin rose blooms for only between 28 and 33 days, in spring and blooms again in July near San Francisco, Ca, then again in Autumn for a years total of c. 90 days of bloom per year, in our Mediterranean climate.
Compare the average Austin, which Mary Rose(The longest blooming Austin out of 14 tested, produces between 90 and 99 days of bloom per year to Lady Hillingdon, which far surpasses it for days of bloom each year for it has amazingly long bloom cycles: Mid-March through Mid-July=120 days than stops for a month to rest in the hot summer days until mid August then blooms continuously through mid November for another 90 days of bloom = 210 days of bloom each year with never fewer than 33% of its peak bloom production during any day of a bloom cycle except during its first and last week of a bloom cycle. even at 33% that is a very decent garden display and that is at a low ebb.
Lady Hillingdon =210 to 240 days of bloom per year.
because if it is a warm Autumn through mid December
add another 30 days, which is an average count.
These are averages which have not fluctuated more than 5%+/-
for 3 years, counting the first day of a bloom cycle when 5 blooms are open, and stop when the last 5 blooms open. There is a very good reason for doing this, which would take longer to explain and I'm not sure if any one is interested, here.

To me there is no other class of rose that shows the "exquisite delicacy" of a Tea rose, one blossom in a vase can mesmerize me for hours. Tea roses are, to quote Jeri, are THE roses to grow in California.
I live in hope that more Tea roses are bred in my lifetime. A lemon- yellow unfading Tea would be most welcome.

Lux.
You may quote this information to Mr. Austin if you wish.

Perhaps if someone at the US branch of the Austin machine took up official breeding for warmer US markets, something along the Tea-Austin breeding might prove useful for our conditions. I'm not holding my breath over that. It's something best left to others who wish to follow that path. Kim

Teas do really well here too and they are utterly exquisite.

Josh