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starseven7

Queen of Sweden or Geoff Hamilton?

StarSeven7
12 years ago

I bought this Austin rose this summer and it was labeled L.D. Braithwaite. After it started blooming pale pink, I realized it must have been mislabeled! I started thinking it was Queen of Sweden and even emailed pictures to the David Austin offices and they agreed with me. But after looking at more pictures of Queen of Sweden and comparing it to my rose, I think maybe it looks more like the pictures of Geoff Hamilton that I've seen. Anyone care to weigh in? Thanks!

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Comments (24)

  • caldonbeck
    12 years ago

    It hasn't enough petals for Geoff Hamilton - most likely Queen of Sweden, have you had any tinges of apricot? Geoff Hamilton has probably twice the amount of petals which is why it is such a pain for balling.

  • StarSeven7
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I would say mostly pink but I would have to go outside and look again to see if there's any hint of apricot and it's already dark out! The David Austin catalog lists Queen of Sweden as having 140 petals and Geoff Hamilton as having 110 petals? The rose I have has a nice scent but being new to roses, I can't differentiate between the different types of scent. It also has very few thorns, mostly towards the base of the plant (you can see in the pictures that there aren't any near the flowers).

  • StarSeven7
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for your response Kate! My rose definitely has nodding canes and does not grow straight up at all. I wasn't sure if this was because the plant is young (planted at the end of July)? I will look at it tomorrow to see if there's a hint of apricot.

  • Krista_5NY
    12 years ago

    I grow Geoff Hamilton, (but not Queen of Sweden...)

    I don't think it's Geoff, the foliage doesn't look right, and the bloom doesn't seem to look exactly like Geoff as well...

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    12 years ago

    Kate, it's dark here, but not rainy so being curious I went out with a flashlight and you're right. Queen of Sweden's leaves are more rounded and broad rather than narrowing before they come to a point like many other rose leaves.

  • karenforroses
    12 years ago

    Here's Geoff Hamilton in my garden - he tends to have more of a cupped form, packed with petals in the middle, while Queen of Sweden is more open.
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    And here's my Queen of Sweden
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  • StarSeven7
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hmmm...it doesn't seem to look exactly like either of those! Here's a shot of the entire bush so you can see it's not really growing straight upright.

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  • caldonbeck
    12 years ago

    That aint Geoff. The apricot comes and goes with the weather on QoS if it does have it it is likely to be her, but just cos it doesn't at the moment doesn't mean it isn't. When it is light here I will look at the unopened buds on both, that may well be a bigger giveaway than the open blooms. GH has hardly any thorns either so that is nothing to go by. With it only being first year, I doubt you can go by growth habit. Take a look at Geoff's dad - heritage, just to make sure it isn't that, I don't grow it, but it looks similar. http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=452

  • jeannie2009
    12 years ago

    I agree with Caldonbeck that it could be Heritage. If not that perhaps Sharifa Asma. When a bush is so young it is difficult to tell. Actually when it gets older it can still be difficult. Your bush is so healthy.
    Jeannie

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    12 years ago

    The flowers, and especially the way the leaves twist and turn this way and that, do look like Heritage.

  • Krista_5NY
    12 years ago

    IMHO, it's not Sharifa Asma...

  • StarSeven7
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Ok, I just went outside to look at it and compare it to the pictures of Heritage and I think it could be that! Maybe I'll have to count the petals once they start falling. Thanks for your help everyone!

  • User
    12 years ago

    Since flower size, color, petal count, etc. can vary so much, it's usually better to focus on the plant for id purposes. Compare the foliage, stipules, sepals, receptacles, shape/color of thorns, etc. The problem with that, of course, it's sometimes difficult to get detailed pictures of all the plant parts since most people focus on the flower.

    You should revisit the fragrance, too. According to Austin's website, the possibilities mentioned here all have different fragrances, so that could really help, too:

    Queen of Sweden: light myrrh
    Geoff Hamilton: light old rose w/ hint of apple
    Sharifa Asma: strong; fruity; white grapes and mulberry
    Heritage: strong; fruit, honey, lemon, carnations, myrrh background

    Good luck! Let us know what you decide. Love a good mystery!

  • Merilia
    12 years ago

    I have no idea how people dissect a scent like that. To me, a scent at best smells like one thing. I can't describe the scent of Heritage as anything beyond "soap", and I know I don't like it very much. Oddly I normally adore scents describes as "fruity".

  • User
    12 years ago

    Merilia, I can't either. I meant to write that those were from Austin's website and seemed over the top. I hope StarSeven sniffs and describes in her own words what her rose smells like. It might ring a bell with someone who grows it.

    With some scents, I can smell two layers if they're both strong: La France smells like lemons and old rose. Francis Dubreuil/Barcelona is something spicy over old rose. But that's about it. Usually scents are one dimensional to me.

  • karenforroses
    12 years ago

    Bellegallica makes an excellent point. One of the first things I always notice about my Heritage roses is their lemony scent. Queen of Sweden does have more of a myrrh or licorice scent. Geoff Hamilton reminds me of my grandmother's talc power.

  • karenforroses
    12 years ago

    I just though of another thing about my Heritage roses - they tend to shatter fairly quickly. It's a good thing they bloom consistently throughout the growing season, often the first to bloom in the spring and last to bloom in the fall - as it makes up for the fact that they don't hold long on the bush or in a vase. Queen of Sweden, Geoff Hamilton, Sharifa Asma all last much longer in the garden and in the house. Maybe you could use that as another gauge to figure out what it is.

  • caldonbeck
    12 years ago

    'karenforroses' how does the unopened bud in second pic compare to your heritage? It looks very round in the pic.

  • karenforroses
    12 years ago

    The unopened bud in the picture of Queen of Sweden is typical of that rose's buds - full and round. The Heritage buds are smaller and not as round.

  • StarSeven7
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I honestly haven't smelled enough roses to know the difference of scents, I only started growing roses this summer and the ones that were already at the house we moved into have no real scent and this Austin rose (whatever it may be!) definitely smells strong to me. I also think my rose shatters quite quickly which is one of the things that made me question whether it's Queen of Sweden or not because QoS is described as being a good cut flower and long-lasting in the vase. I've only cut one flower for the house and it seemed pretty droopy in the vase.

  • caldonbeck
    12 years ago

    Bet it's heritage then - it's the only one of the possibles that's described as strong fragrance. That and it looks very much like it lol.

  • gnabonnand
    12 years ago

    Hi, StarSeven7. Your rose looks identical to my 'Heritage' in every way ... leaves, plants habit when young, boom form and color.

    Randy

  • Mountie
    9 years ago

    Perhaps it's Kathryn Morley.