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dublinbay

Your favorite Austin?

dublinbay z6 (KS)
10 years ago

I just started a thread on the other rose forum for favorite HT, just cuz I was curious, and now would like to try the same thing here in connection with Austins. I remember that we did a rather long survey some years ago on favorite roses in general, but I don't remember doing one (at least recently) on just Austins.

Let's try it. Please list your THREE top favorite Austins (any order) and briefly indicate WHY--beauty, fragrance, bs-resistance, good re-bloom, etc.

Let me start it. (Pause--I'm thinking. These are hard choices, right?)

Munstead Wood--guess everybody expected me to say that, didn't you! Beauty of bloom and oh, that color!, good bs-resistance so far, good re-bloom
{{gwi:276745}}

Lady of Shalott--beauty of bloom and that unusual color; good bs-resistance; good re-bloom
{{gwi:232521}}

The third choice is always the hard one, since I'm aware that I am fast running out of choices. The logical choice is Queen of Sweden--beauty, bs-resistance--but somehow not a rose I actually love (although I like her a lot). However, I just can't imagine an Austin garden without Molineux which makes my heart sing even though its blooms aren't quite as beautiful (but still very attractive--I love the apricot/golden/yellow colors) and I wish it were a bit more bs-resistant (though its not bad on that score)--so I guess my third choice will have to be Molineux.
{{gwi:222299}}

Now I'm feeling guilty about all the other Austins I left out. These are tough choices!

Let's hear about your top three choices for favorite Austin. I'm curious to see if we have much of a consensus. : )

Kate


Edit: Added photos--to keep up with the other posters! : )

This post was edited by dublinbay on Sun, Dec 8, 13 at 11:50

Comments (56)

  • Lynn-in-TX-Z8b- Austin Area/Hill Country
    10 years ago

    1. Golden Celebration

    2. Bishop's Castle is new, but I am really pleased with it thusfar.

    3. I have tryed new varieties this year so the verdict is "still out" regarding Young Lycidas, Munstead Wood and Gertrude Jekyll. My husband thought I had killed G.J. a few weeks ago; the plant is very healthy, but I guess it is rebelling against my treatment of it and is refusing to bloom just yet. I do not baby roses much, they kind of need to prove that they are tough enough to take it in my yard or else they get to move in with relatives in California, which likely makes some of them happy.

    Lynn

  • Campanula UK Z8
    10 years ago

    Hmmm, let me think. I do not grow many Austins although they are everywhere to be seen now as the Austin marketing team are indefatiguable, ubiquitous and have also got right into the sponsorship scene so basically, any muncipality, stately house, council park or celebratory planting has Austin's all over them, so lots to choose from. Unsurprisingly then, my favourite Austins tend to be the least representative of the Austin oeuvre.
    Starting agreeably with another vote for Wild Edric. This is not terribly happy for me, disliking my highly alkaline soil but when it is grown well, it is an astounding rose. As Tess remarked, it has beautiful, utterly lush, almost edible foliage of a particular parsley green and a delicious fragrance too.
    Next up, Snowgoose. I was given this and left it in its original 5litre pot for THREE years, totally ignoring it in a corner of the allotment. I finally got around to planting it ........ in a horrible dark corridor between a huge bramble hedge and my allotment shed....whereupon it burst into joyous growth, blooming late but repeating more reliably than the vast majority of remontant roses. It is a rose I am still learning about since repeating ramblers are rare as hens teeth, pruning can be tricky to time, it is not a lax and trainable rose....but it remains in the utmost health the entire season, late November and beyond, with a delicious musk and clove scent which is a definite wafter, even to my challenged nose. A rose which crept into my affections through sheer persistence.
    Finally, another sneaky rose - modest but promising - Crocus Rose.I cannot think of a single white shrub bred by DA which I would have - they are either feeble in the Fair Bianca and Nun style (and a bunch of other really early ones), dull (Winchester Cathedral, Glamis Castle, Tranquility and that royal one and another, Susan something) or just hopeless (Claire Austin, a flopper) so, putting out a cream seems to have broken the jinx against pale, pale roses. Crocus is another healthy Austin (can count these on one hand) and has robust blooms which neither shred, rot, wither but bloom away and fade with dignity and speed.

    At any rate, these three are the only ones I will be planting in our wood so it was a pretty short shortlist

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    10 years ago

    I have very few at this point, a number having faded into the sunset for various reasons. Young Lycidas is too young to comment on but so far I'm not impressed.

    1. Potter and Moore - just for the loveliness and fullness of the cupped, pink flowers which look old rose to me. An old Austin which seems to have picked up some blackspot now from surrounding roses, but it's a compact, smaller plant which I like.

    2. Bishop's Palace - Beautiful and fragrant flowers on a compact bush as long as I deadhead down very low into the plant. Quite healthy for me and a pretty good rebloomer.

    3. Sophy's Rose - A stalwart rose in a hot location with good rebloom of its large cerise flowers which have shorter petals in the middle, a look I really like.

    Melissa, I hope you're happy that you've convinced me to order Wild Edric, a rose for which I have no room. It sounds perfect for my tough climate and I admit I fell in love with it when I first saw its picture quite some time ago. At the time I didn't think a rose with rugosa ancestry could possibly work for me but you've convinced me otherwise.

    Ingrid

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    In case anyone was wondering, Wild Eric is evidently only available if you order from David Austin's English site. Not listed on the American site.

    I could not locate Potter and Moore on either site. You may have the last living representative of that line, Ingrid! : )

    And how about a point of clarification. Are Bishop's Castle and Bishop's Palace the same rose? I can find BC listed on the American site but not the British site, and neither site lists BP--so I'm assuming "Castle" is the correct designation?

    I imagine some others, like me, might want to look up some of these roses, so I was just checking to see where they were.

    Kate

  • kittymoonbeam
    10 years ago

    Abe Darby for the all around merits of wonderful fragrance, pretty flower and all season bloom here.

    Jude the Obsure for the magnificent perfume so delightfully changeable.

    Kathryn Morley because I think it is the most beautiful DA rose blossom of all. The queen of my spring flush.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    10 years ago

    So sorry, of course I meant Bishop's Castle. Potter and Moore is available at Rogue Valley Roses and Wild Edric at Heirloom Roses.

    I hope I'm not the only person who's bought Potter and Moore. I would hate for this rose to disappear. At its best it's really beautiful, with a quality all its own.

    As a runner-up, I do want to mention Carding Mill, which is outstanding in a hot, dry climate, a very pretty apricot rose that blooms a lot, even in the heat, and which for me had no disease.

    Ingrid

  • ArbutusOmnedo 10/24
    10 years ago

    Of those I have planted in the last year while redoing my mother's garden, the best performers so far:

    Abe Darby: Maybe the best rebloom of any of the roses I've planted so far. Intoxicating scent. No mildew or rust issues. BS hasn't really been an issue so far with any rose I've tended to or planted here. Nice large shrubs being 'encouraged' into urn shapes.

    Evelyn: Great scent. Color variability, but it's always a pleasant pastel apricot-cream-pale pink blend. Respectable rebloom, good health and no defoliation issues thus far.

    Crocus Rose: Interesting scent that gets better as the flower ages on the plant to my nose. Lovely color, healthy so far, decent rebloom. Very lovely shrub form.

    The three I enjoy the most that I have seen in person/planted are Crown Princess Margareta, Sharifa Asma, and Abraham Darby at this point. The Shepardess and Munstead Wood are close behind. Growing SA, The Shepardess, and Munstead Wood would likely push CPM and Abe Darby out of my top 3.

    My mom loves Austins, so others I'll report back on over the next couple years will be Ambridge Rose, Tradescant (as a pillar), Glamis Castle, Jude the Obscure, and Wildeve. I was only partial to Jude the Obscure of these, but Ambridge appears promising too so far. JtO is just as deliciously scented as hyped.

    Jay

  • ArbutusOmnedo 10/24
    10 years ago

    This Evelyn was part of a lovely arrangement for Thanksgiving.

    This post was edited by ArbutusOmnedo on Wed, Dec 4, 13 at 19:39

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Some lovely Austins listed --and beautiful pics!

    You know what strikes me as I read these lists is the Austins that were popular about 4-5 years ago are missing. I'm thinking of Shakespeare 2000, Scepter'd Isle, Heritage, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Pat Austin, even Graham Thomas (and others). It wasn't that long ago that posters were raving about them. What happened? New generation of rosers have embraced a new generation of Austins? Is Austin outdating his own roses?

    Just curious. I remember such different Austin names not that long ago in discussions like we are having on this thread.

    For the record, two of my choices are from his recent offerings also. : )

    Kate

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    10 years ago

    Kate, I wonder if the reason is that the man has just created too darn many roses and, being dazzled with the new, we discard or forget about the old. Sometimes roses that seem promising in the beginning don't live up to the hype, and I think precious few roses can live up to Austin's own descriptions when faced with the reality of imperfect climates and soils, busy gardeners and local disease pressures. That's one of the reasons the advice given here from people who garden in similar areas is so crucial. For instance, I never would have considered Wild Edric if Melissa from my neck of the woods hadn't mentioned its sterling qualities. You can't buy that sort of specific information.

    Ingrid

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    You have a point, Ingrid, but I certainly don't regret Austin's newer creations like Munstead Wood and Lady of Shalott (which I put in my top 3 above)--and others. If I had room, I'd love to try out Austin's newest rose Boscobel! I really do think some of his recent offerings are much better than some of his earlier ones.

    I guess I'm kinda wondering what will turn out to be the Austin "classics" --the enduring ones that gardeners keep on buying no matter what. Think about the World War II Peace rose--beautiful as it is, it has some real short-compings (disease)--and it still is in commerce and loved by gardeners today.

    I'm getting no sense yet what "classic" Austins our grandkids and their children will still be planting--or will there always be new and better Austins coming forth and replacing the older ones?

    But I guess that really has little to do with this thread in which I just asked posters to list their top 3 favorite Austins for any reason the poster cares to make the selection. So let us continue.

    More favorites?

    Kate

  • gar99010
    10 years ago

    The Reeve
    Abraham Darby
    Graham Thomas

  • sidos_house
    10 years ago

    I love David Austin roses and if one doesn't do well for me I tend to believe that it's my fault and I didn't give it the rose the conditions or "groceries" (love that term) it desired. That's just me, I'm a DA groupie.

    My #1 favorite and true love:
    Graham Thomas

    {{gwi:327643}}

    My #2 favorite for romance and heavy, wafting scent:
    Munstead Wood

    {{gwi:327645}}

    My #3 favorite for its form and elegant beauty:

    {{gwi:327646}}

    I also have to tell you that The Generous Gardener and Tamora are sublime, healthy, and fragrant performers and it pains me not to mention them. I suppose I am cheating :(

    There are many, many Austins I haven't yet tried but are on my list. But those I have are like my children and I take a million pictures of them.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    10 years ago

    May we know the name of the #3 rose? It has a natural charm and is obviously popular with the bees.

  • sidos_house
    10 years ago

    oh my gosh, I'm really embarassed! :)

    It's Scarborough Fair.

    This rose has been so resilient for me, that although we garden at extreme ends of the spectrum I've wondered how it would perform in your garden, Ingrid. I know you are partial to pink...

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    What a lovely pic of Graham Thomas, sidos!
    Generous Gardener is another one I've been eyeing for some time--but no space left!
    Interesting how our different soil conditions (I guess) produce such different shades of red on our Munstead Woods--but that rose looks wonderful in any shade of red, doesn't it!

    Kate

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    10 years ago

    Sidos, it looks beautiful in all the pictures on HMF, but the heat resistance is only stated as good where for me anything less than excellent would be iffy. Its petals look delicate and might fry easily. I would love to be able to grow a rose that looks like that in my garden. The only singles or half-doubles I have are Mutabilis, Bermuda Kathleen, Blue Mist and Mr. Bluebeard, and one mini of which I'm not sure of the name.

    Ingrid

  • view1ny NY 6-7
    10 years ago

    My absolute fave is James Galway. Beautiful blooms, vigorous growth & heavenly scent.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    10 years ago

    OK, I'll bite - my favorite Austins seem to rate among the "classics" I suppose, though it's like calling the 90's "classic rock" and the mere thought of something that recent being a classic makes this baby boomer's head hurt (I'm still young, really I am...).

    My top three and the reasons would probably be:

    Beauty of individual blooms, and very nice fragrance: William Shakespeare 2000. Something about the swirl in the middle of this bloom makes my little heart go pitter-patter.

    {{gwi:304941}}

    For reliably toe curling fragrance at perfect nose height for me, along with good rebloom - Sharifa Asma.

    {{gwi:327647}}

    And for radiance and complexity of that apricot color I can't get enough of, Carding Mill.

    {{gwi:304939}}

    Keep up the photos and votes, folks! We need more rose color to while away the coming winter blasts!

    Cynthia

  • prickles
    10 years ago

    Interesting thread...

    Beautiful photos everyone...

    1. Young Lycidas: beautiful blooms, beautiful scent, beautiful color; excellent rebloomer (still going strong with more than a dozen or so blooms and buds in December!); excellent health in no spray--no rust and no mildew. I like this rose so much--it's been stellar for me--I'll get a few more next season.

    2. Jude the Obscure: beautiful scent, beautiful blooms, although the color fades and the flowers don't last very long... Still a fantastic performer (for an own root rose under 2 yrs old) with a generous spring, generous summer flush and a few scattered handfuls during fall.

    3. A tough choice # 3--being the last on the list, so let me see!--I'm inclined to say either Lady Emma Hamilton or St. Cecilia. LEH has luscious scent, color and blooms, but not as floriferous as St. Cecilia...and mine has RMV--LEH, that is... And St. Cecilia--beautiful blooms, compact plant, generous bloomer and quick rebloomer (less than 1 year, own root, still going strong with many buds etc...)--unfortunately, prone to mildew, minor rust, and myrrh scent... So, I guess LEH is third on my list.

  • sidos_house
    10 years ago

    Oh, beautiful. Aren't David Austin's roses photogenic? Aren't we lucky to be able to grow such gorgeous creatures!

    Ingrid, it is always interesting to me to read how you approach your gardening. You are always so thoughtful and your results so lovely. I am still in the impulsive stage where I will try anything!

    Kate, that is such a good observation! I am struggling with the color on my darker roses and Munstead Wood is one of the better ones for me, believe it or not. Yes, I look at the dark blackberry hues that others are able to achieve and I curse to myself a bit out of jealousy. However, it's only been since this past summer that I've thought about it very seriously. I improved the soil around MW and it likewise has improved. I am hoping that will happen every year. In another area of my garden I have a young Reines des Violettes, a Monsier Boncenne, and a Double Plum. They bloomed for the first time this year and in the spring their colors were so bright it made my eyes water. I kept working little by little on the soil over the summer and when it dried out more in the fall, the tones did deepen noticeably. I'll keep whittling away at it. I may try some of the darker colors in pots to gain some insight as to how much the color is influenced by the soil compared to the overall climate in my garden.

    This post was edited by Sidos-House on Sat, Dec 21, 13 at 20:45

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I was just browsing through this thread again (I agree, Sidos--Austin's roses are unbelievably photogenic) and just noticed James Galway. Don't know how I missed him, but that is one handsome fellow! I know I've eyed him in the catalogue, but this is the first "real" pic of him--actually growing in someone's garden--that I've seen. I'm quite taken with James! Such a full-packed bloom!

    prickles--what rose is that in your photo? I thought LEH was more apricot--but I've never seen a real one, so what do I know? : ) Lovely, lovely, at any rate.

    Kate

  • prickles
    10 years ago

    Kate, terribly sorry for the confusion.... the pic of the pink rose above is St. Cecilia.

    This is Lady Emma Hamiltion--with signs of RMV on her foliage...

  • Krista_5NY
    10 years ago

    Wonderful pics, everyone....

    It's hard to choose which are my top three... A few of my favorites are:

    Eglantyne, love the fragrance and blooms on this rose.

    {{gwi:222305}}

    Evelyn, another superb rose, great fragrance I love the apricot color.

    {{gwi:217751}}

    The Alnwick Rose, beautiful fragrance and charming cup shaped blooms.

    {{gwi:222303}}

  • Kippy
    10 years ago

    My top 3 Austin's would be:

    #1 Darcey Bussell. Still blooming not in great numbers but still at it

    #2 Crocus Rose

    #3. Golden Celebration

    These are not the most beautiful or highest scented. But the healthy, happy, in bounds and consistent ones

    For bloom form I would pick Lady of meggenich, young lycidas and princess Alexandria of kent

  • mzstitch
    10 years ago

    My favorite, pictured here, is Teaclipper. I think it has the prettiest bloom of all my Austins. It's stingy with its blooms, it didn't bloom for me at all the first year but had a couple beautiful flushes this year, and some random repeating.
    Second favorite has to be carding mill. Always in bloom, and a nice shaped bush. The color differers in the heat from cooler times, but always beautiful.

    Third has to be Evelyn for its blooms. This is my first year with Evelyn, I'm hoping she is less leggy next year and more of a bush, but I can overlook that for the beauty of her blooms alone.

    I have several other Austins, and love them all. I just wish they were a bit more black spot resistent. I seem to live in an area where even the more resistent roses still get blackspot though.

  • luxrosa
    10 years ago

    I was very late to appreciating austin roses, because I grow O.G.R.s almost as much for their history, as for their beauty and fragrance.
    However after trying for years to find a disease resistant fragrant red Hybrid Perpetual for my garden, and failing at that search, I noticed my neighbors 'William Shakespeare' and began to seriously work on overcoming my prejudice towards modern roses. Prejudice is never good and I deprived myself from beauty.
    White is my favorite color in a rose, so I vote for
    'Fair Bianca' even though it is a runtling and gives me only 3 or 4 small blooms a year. They are such pretty blooms.
    My neighbor gave me a Falstaff' which is wonderfully fragrant and disease resistant in my no spray garden, so big applause for Falstaff. .

    God bless Mr. Austin, I believe he (and others) created a sea-change in rose breeding. Now there are so many beautiful Austin roses that bloom on attractive bushes. Bravo.

    Lux

  • diane_nj 6b/7a
    10 years ago

    Belle Story. Delicate, beautiful yellow stamens, and it doesn't look like the 1000 other pink Austins.

  • Evenie
    10 years ago

    I just planted my first Austin a month ago, what I assume to be Wenlock. Her growth at this point is a little haphazard, but her blooms are bright, beautiful and gloriously stinky. She bloomed all summer in her pot with no button roses or wash out. She's a little spotty at her feet right now, but she looks pretty good for the amount of cool wet weather we've had. I suspect it will be a superior rose to the Knock Outs that plague my neighborhood. I have Molineaux, Lichfield Angel and Munstead Wood on order for February and I'm very excited.

  • vasue VA
    10 years ago

    Golden Celebration for its bountiful blooms early Spring through frost & happy healthy nature. The Endeavour for its heart-melting color changes & bloom form & Abe Darby for gentle beauty.

  • ken-n.ga.mts
    10 years ago

    Well, this one is REALLY tough. I don't keep an Austin I don't like (any rose for that matter). #1--- I have ABRAHAM DARBY on fortuniana rootstock and this thing is a monster, just covered in blooms all season. #2--- MUNSTEAD WOOD. Beautiful blooms, great fragrance, good looking bush and foliage. I'm going to graft a bush on to fortuniana and see what happens :) #3--- This one is going to be hard. CARDING MILL. Great all around bush and bloom. LADY EMMA HAMILTON. Beautiful blooms and scent. PRINCE ALEXANDRA OF KENT. Beautiful, beautiful blooms, foliage and scent. This one is also going on to fortuniana. I need to stop. #3 is PAOK.

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    10 years ago

    I don't know that I have a particular favorite. My best performers are Tamora, Prospero, and Molineux. Molineux can keep up with 'Iceberg' on repeat, which says something. WS2K is up there as well. 'Evelyn' has the most beautiful flowers, but what a PITA.

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    10 years ago

    I only showed one photo of my three Austin favs, so I'll post pics of them now (lots of time on my hands, since we're in the middle of the arctic blast that has been sweeping much of the West and Midwest). Diane
    Here's Brother Cadfael. He'll probably be booted out of the top three next year by Munstead Wood, or possibly Princess Alexandra of Kent.

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    10 years ago

    And here's Evelyn. Diane

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    10 years ago

    This latest crop of pictures is making me swoon and also making me forget that Austins don't do that well for me. Diane, your picture of a pinkish Evelyn is heartbreakingly beautiful. In my soil it would probably be more apricot. Since hoovb says it's a pain in the derriere for her, I'm sure it would be doubly so for me. But what a treat to see these beauties here.

    Ingrid

  • jeannie2009
    10 years ago

    Oops I goofed. My prior post should have stated Golden Celebration..looking at her she is a "Beauty". Thanks for correcting me.
    Jeannie

  • gnabonnand
    10 years ago

    1. Pretty Jessica - for a small plant
    2. Golden Celebration - for a large plant

    Randy

  • nanadollZ7 SWIdaho
    10 years ago

    Thank you so much for the Evelyn comments, Ingrid. Actually, she is usually more apricot, but I do get a few pinkish blooms, too. I don't find Evelyn any harder to grow than other Austins. I enjoy them all, most of the time. Diane

    Here's a more "apricotish" Evelyn witha different look.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    10 years ago

    Pink or apricot, Diane, I think she's one of the most beautiful Austins. I'm glad she does well for you. Maybe some day...

    Ingrid

  • jumbojimmy
    10 years ago

    1. Sweet Juliet - New to me this year but the first couple of blooms looked beautiful - almost the same as DA's florist rose, 'Juliet' and has a really nice fragrance.

    2.Evelyn - Love this rose. It's beautiful - just wish it has more 'peachy colour in it.

    3.Mayor of Casterbridge - Another beautiful rose.

    Other favorites include:

    A Shropshire Lad, Jayne Austin and Claire Rose (not Claire Austin which I have already shovel pruned).

    Munstead Wood blooms don't always look consistent. The blooms look nicer in cooler weather. In hotter days, the blooms look very different and smaller and red instead of black. So far, the flowering stems are very short.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Since we seem to have a lull in the nomination process, I thought I'd do some totals and list the best of the best! Since over 40 Austins were named, the majority got one vote only, but the following ones got 2 or more votes.

    Abraham Darby--6 votes
    Golden Celebration--6 votes
    Munstead Woods--5 votes
    Evelyn--5 votes
    Carding Mill--3 votes
    Crocus Rose--3 votes
    Bishop's Castle--3 votes

    I guess we would call these the "Honorable Mention" Austins.
    Lady Emma Hamilton--2 votes
    Molineux--2 votes
    Wild Eric--2 votes
    Prospero--2 votes
    Lycidas--2 votes
    Jude the Obscure--2 votes
    Graham Thomas--2 votes
    Shakespeare 2000--2 votes

    Go ahead and post more nominations--3 top favorite Austins--if you want. We can re-total again later, if necessary. : )

    Kate

  • harborrose_pnw
    10 years ago

    Since no one has voted for 'Heritage,' I'll mention it. It has very healthy foliage here and blooms constantly during the summers.

    I ordered 'Munstead Wood' and 'Princess Anne' from S&W next year, and I'm curious to see how do for me. My other two Austins, 'Ambridge Rose' and 'Pretty Jessica' are just so-so here. I might throw PJ in the compost pile as it blackspots here and the blooms rarely open well. It gets another year, but I expect it will go the way of last night's winter squash peels.

    'Heritage' though - I do like it. Gean

  • leezen4u
    10 years ago

    1. Munstead Wood - color of bloom, fragrance, health
    2. William Shakespeare - color of bloom, fragrance, repeat
    3. Christopher Marlowe - color of bloom, continuous, prolific, fragrance, health

    Honorable mention; Molineux, Jude the Obscure

  • johnnidappl
    10 years ago

    1. Ambridge Rose - when it's happy, it's the best
    2. Mary Rose - one of DA's earliest and best roses with extraordinary fragrance and bloom shape distinct from the usual appearance of so many other pink Austins
    3. Lady of Shalot - this is everything that Pat Austin is not.

    Promising: Munstead Wood and Princess Alexandra of Kent

  • Alana8aSC
    10 years ago

    I can only comment on the one's I have!

    Christopher Marlowe- Love this rose!! THE COLOR, Smell and repeat. I also like it's color change :)

    Golden Celebration- Love the form, wished it had better repeat, but it is in some shade :) Smells great!

    Lilian Austin- Love the color, scent, bloom form, and the bush..so far!

    Prospero would be next, but I don't think he likes all my rain, I couldn't detect much scent, but he is new!

  • nancylee2
    10 years ago

    This is interesting and challenging. I found that I have far more Austin's than I first thought. My favorites are:

    1) Jude the Obscure for the tantalizing scent and enigmatic color. Sometimes cream, sometimes a very light apricot.
    2) Munstead Wood for color and scent. Only second due to those prickles that attack.
    3). Tough choice. Golden celebration which plays well with Hot Cocoa, both with far reaching canes.

  • buford
    10 years ago

    According to my Excel Spreadsheet of roses, My top three are:

    Sophy's Rose
    Abraham Darby
    Bishop's Castle

    Of course I love all the others too. I think Graham Thomas will move up when I move him to a sunnier spot so he will bloom more. His blooms, when he decides to grace me with one, are always drop dead gorgeous.

    I'm thinking of adding Lady of Shallot this year.

  • rross
    10 years ago

    Well, thank God someone nominated Jude!

  • gnabonnand
    10 years ago

    Heritage does well for me too, Gean. Glad you mentioned that one. Smells good too.

    Randy

  • hubcap93
    10 years ago

    well I use to have about 15 different Austin roses but due to the Japanese Beetles that plague me every summer here in northern IL. and then they get diseased and frail and can't make it through the winters that we get here, I'm down to 7 varieties now. My 3 fav's would be 1 Crown Princess Margareta for beauty of color and fragrance, 2 would be Crocus Rose for free flowering and the # of blooms, and 3 would be Queen of Sweden for the upright blooms and the beautiful color which is so easy to put perennials with.