English roses by David Austin: varieties and cultivation characteristics

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Yakov Pavlovich

Professor, Head of the Department of Vegetable Growing

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Austin roses, of which there are more than 200 varieties, are the most popular in ornamental gardening. Large buds, a thick and delicate aroma, low susceptibility to infection and pests, versatility in landscape design – these are qualities that have contributed to the spread of English roses around the world. Despite their elite status, luxurious plants are not capricious and require standard care.

English roses - plant characteristics

The famous English breeder David Austin obtained magnificent rose bushes in the mid-20th century. He set out to create roses that were similar in appearance to classic English species, but more resistant to infectious diseases and unfavorable climatic factors.

The first variety was obtained in 1961 and was called “Constance spray”. After 20 years, the number of varieties reached 50, and tea roses or rose hips were always used for breeding work.

The characteristics of English roses are varied: some are tall, others are short, some have buds appearing once a season, others bloom continuously. But there are several qualities that Austin rose bush varieties have in common:

• large buds of a cup-shaped, pompom-shaped or rosette shape;
• racemose inflorescences;
• incomplete opening of the bud;
• delicate, deep aroma;
• the appearance of buds on short branches up to 5 cm long;
• long flowering;
• unpretentiousness to growing conditions and light levels;
• low susceptibility to infection.

INTERESTING! Many varieties created by Austin have received worldwide popularity and recommendations from the Royal British Community.

History of flowers

The history of the appearance of flowers goes back to ancient times. In the 50s of the 20th century, David Austin first saw old varieties of roses. He was so inspired by the sight of these plants that he decided to create new flowers that would look like the old bush roses. However, David sought to preserve the aroma and delicate beauty of the buds. Old varieties of roses did not have yellow and orange flowers, and Austin wanted to correct this.

By crossing the Belle Isis and Le Grace varieties, the breeder got the first flower, whose name was Constance Spray. This rose turned out to be very beautiful, had a peony-like shape and a delicate aroma. But, to Austin's great regret, this flower bloomed only once, and this was very disappointing for the breeder.

David did not stop, and 23 years after the first attempt, he presented to the public another 50 new varieties, which he developed by crossing different types of English roses. He grafted the plants onto rose hips, crossed them with hybrid tea roses and other flowers. The scent of flowers was very important to Austin, so he paid special attention to this criterion.

Today, David Austin is one of the most successful plant breeders, selling more than 4 million seedlings a year.

Pros and cons of growing

Austin roses are in demand among gardeners because:

• smell intensely and delicately;
• have a uniform, rich color;
• produce large buds from the beginning to the end of the shoot;
• distinguished by the lush shape of flowers with a terry effect;
• survive in severe frosts;
• immune to adverse weather conditions;
• easy to care for;
• Suitable for creating landscape and bouquet compositions.

English varieties also have disadvantages:

• inhibition of plants during prolonged rainfall;
• branches falling off due to heavy budding;
• low leaf resistance to black spot.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the variety?

The main advantages of English roses include:

• strong and unusual aroma;
• ease of care;
• are not afraid of even the severest frosts;
• buds are formed along the entire length of the stem;
• strange shapes of flowers that differ in each variety.

But even with such significant data, the estimates also have some disadvantages:

• there are varieties that do not like rain, wind and hail;
• under the weight of flowers, young plants can often droop and begin to break under their own weight;
• Flowers with dark colors tend to have black spots.

David Austin never planned to create new rose varieties. His goal was to improve the characteristics of old species, even the names of which were undeservedly forgotten, and restore them to their former popularity.

Examples of use in landscape design

You can grow English roses in an open area and in a greenhouse. These are universal plants, suitable for decorating parks, garden plots, alpine slides, flower beds, and borders. Roses with climbing shoots are used for landscaping hedges, arched structures, and external walls. English roses look especially beautiful in combination with coniferous tree species.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

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ATTENTION! It is preferable to plant low, spreading varieties in the foreground of the composition, and tall ones in the background.

Landscape designers use several options for decorating areas using rose bushes:

• monochrome - select several specimens with similar shades of petals;
• tint stretching - bushes are planted in a row from light and pastel to dark and saturated;
• contrasting composition - select plants that differ greatly in the color of their petals.

Many roses of English selection grow to significant dimensions: they can reach a height of up to 4 m and occupy an area of ​​up to 2 m2. This is taken into account when choosing a variety: a large version is suitable for a park, but not for a small summer cottage.

Bush planting schemes

If you follow all the rules, then the classic scheme for planting Austin roses is a triangle. The essence of the scheme is that there are three rose bushes of different varieties in the flowerbed. You need to draw a triangle on the flowerbed and dig a hole for the seedling at each corner. The distance between each hole is 50 cm. The two bushes that will be located at the back should be higher than the bush in front. Triangle planting is suitable for small areas.

Photo of Austin rose planting pattern.

When choosing a layout for rose bushes, it is important not to forget about the color scheme. The shades of the inflorescences should be in harmony with each other and not spoil the overall picture of the rose garden. The range can be monochrome (when different shades of the same color scheme are used), two-color (two primary colors are used that are in harmony with each other) and variegated (the rose garden consists of inflorescences of different shades). It is easiest to use a monochrome or two-color scheme.

Varieties

When choosing an English variety, take into account the size of the plant, the type of shoots, and the desired landscape composition:

• tall shrub varieties are suitable for creating hedges;
• low-growing flower beds - for decorating flower beds;
• low-growing container varieties - for growing indoors;
• low-growing, spreading - to create a luxurious floral “carpet”;
• climbing – for supporting compositions.

The buds of English varieties are only monochromatic:

• white;
• pale pink;
• pink;
• raspberry;
• yellow;
• orange.

When to water

The need for watering directly depends on weather conditions. D. Austin and company offer the following:

In winter, outdoor roses in cold regions are not watered. In warm climates - as needed.

In spring, newly planted roses are watered every 2 - 3 days. Well-rooted plants - 1 - 2 times a week as needed, taking into account weather conditions.

In summer, rooted roses are watered as needed. As soon as you see that the roses are quickly withering, increase watering. Usually this happens in hot weather. The soil around the bush should be moist. If you planted a rose in the summer, water the new seedling every day.

The best English varieties of breeder David Austin

Several dozen English varieties are grown in the climatic conditions of Russia. For growing in the middle zone, cold-resistant roses are chosen. In the Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region, and on the Crimean Peninsula, any variety can be grown. And for Siberia, roses with high frost resistance are chosen.

With large flowers

David Austin has created many varieties with unusually large, lush flowers, the number of petals in which reaches hundreds:

1. "Golden Celebration" The shoots are dotted with golden-yellow buds, reaching a diameter of 16 cm. The rose blooms for a long time, filling the garden with a fruity aroma.
2. "Jude the Obscure" A lush and spreading bush grows up to 1.2 m. It blooms profusely and continuously. The inflorescences include 2-3 round flowers with a diameter of 12-14 cm with double, light peach or light cream petals. The smell is intense, wine-fruity.
3. "Abraham Darby" The height of the strong rounded bush is 1.5 m. The rose blooms magnificently and continuously. Cup-shaped buds of golden peach or pinkish-peach color reach 15 cm. The aroma is unusually deep, with fruity notes.
4. "Teasing Georgia" A strong branched rose grows up to 1.2 m. There are almost no thorns on the branches. Blooms profusely twice a season. Light cream flowers are single, strongly doubled, 10 cm in diameter. The smell is rich, with tea, creamy, lemon and honey notes.
5. "Crocus Rose" ("Crocus Rose"). The low-growing, spreading rose grows up to 1.2 m. The flowering is unusually lush and continuous. The flowers are rosette, white or light lemon, 12 cm in diameter.
6. "Princess Alexandra of Kent" A small, round-shaped rose blooms profusely and continuously and is resistant to prolonged rainfall. Neat, terry, cup-shaped pink buds reach 12 cm. At the beginning of flowering, the smell is tea, closer to wilting it is lemon-currant.
7. "Pat Austin" The orange-copper buds reach a diameter of 12 cm. They emit a rich tea aroma.
8. "William Shakespeare" This English rose is the record holder for the number of petals; there are more than 100 of them on a raspberry double flower with a diameter of 12 cm. The inflorescences contain 3-5 buds, emitting a violet aroma.

See also Preparing roses for winter: pruning and covering

With an upright bush

Of the straight-shooting varieties suitable for flower beds and hedges, the most common are:

1. "The Pilgrim" The rose is compact, strong, with lush foliage, ideal for creating mixborders, reaches a height of 1.2 m, and 3 m when grown as a support. The flowers are rosette, pale yellow, exude a tea scent with a hint of myrrh.
2. "Brother Cadfael" The rose branches strongly, grows up to 1.2 m. Blooms profusely 2 times per season. The flowers are cup-shaped, double-lush, deep pink, and smell intensely of rose oil. There are almost no thorns on the shoots.
3. "Wollerton Old Hall" A strong, lush bush, growing up to 1.5 m, blooms continuously. Volumetric cup-shaped buds of light peach color become pale beige closer to wilting. The aroma is thick, with myrtle notes.
4. "Queen of Sweden" The low-growing rose branches abundantly and blooms continuously. Neat, cup-shaped, double, pink-peach flowers are ideal for bouquets. A bud with a diameter of 8 cm has up to 90 petals. The smell is not intense, with a hint of myrrh.
5. "Lady Emma Hamilton" The low branched rose blooms profusely. The petals are orange, yellow on the back. The smell is intense, citrus-grape.
6. "Alnwick Rose" A branched, medium-sized bush with a round shape blooms until frost. Cup-shaped pink flowers with a diameter of 8 cm with dense double flowers have up to 80 petals. The smell is intense, pink-raspberry.

Pilgrim

Tall varieties

Popular English roses with tall shoots, suitable for decorating the background of landscape compositions:

1. "Lady of Shalott" The shoots reach 2 m, each with 3 soft orange buds emitting an apple-clove aroma. The rose blooms continuously and actively grows.
2. "Molineux" The bush grows up to 2 m. Thanks to its elongated shape, it is suitable for creating a hedge. The flowers are deep yellow and there are no thorns on the branches.
3. "Crown Princess Margareta" The rose is strong, thick, reaches 1.8 m. Flowers 2 times per season. The buds are orange-yellow, cup-shaped, double, connected into inflorescences of 3-5 pieces, each with 90 petals.
4. "Gertrude Jekyll" The height of the rose is 2 m. Pink petals form a rosette. Smells like rose oil.

For growing in containers

Compact English bushes suitable for container growing include:

1. "Anne Boleyn" English rose with pink rosette flowers emitting a faint fragrance. The best option for people with allergies to strong odors.
2. "Christopher Marlowe" This English rose resembles a rose hip in appearance and smells of rose oil.
3. "Darcey Bussell" English rose with deep burgundy petals. Suitable for both container growing and front gardens.

Climbing and curly

English roses with thin stems tied to a support are suitable for decorating arches and walls:

1. "Graham Thomas" A bush with yellow peony-like flowers exuding a tea aroma. Blooms until frost.
2. "William Morris" A fast-growing rose with cupped, double, pastel peach petals. Blooms twice per season.
3. "The Generous Gardener" The bush is capable of stretching up to 3 m on a support. Pale pink buds form inflorescences of 2-3 pieces.
4. "James Galway" The shoots stretch up to 1.8 m. The flowers are pink, large, reaching a diameter of 13 cm.

New this year

The following excellent English varieties were created between 2022 and 2022:

1. "Emily Bronte" On a lush bush that grows up to 1.2 m, neat, flattened, cup-shaped, double flowers of pink-peach color are formed, emitting first an intense tea, then a lemon aroma. Flowering 2 times per season, continues until frost.
2. "Dama Judi Dench" The spreading rose, reaching a height of 1.2 m, produces cup-shaped, double, red-peach flowers. Flowering is abundant, twice per season. The smell is subtle, tea.
3. "James Austin" A compact rose with deep pink flowers is optimal for alpine hills. Raspberry-currant aroma.
4. "Banessa Bell" The inflorescences are large. The petals are pale lemon, cup-shaped, with strong terry. Flowering is lush and continuous. Lemon tea aroma.

Reviews from flower growers

Galina, 34 years old, Uzhgorod

Of all the ostinas, I am most impressed by 'Graham Thomas' with its bright cup-shaped flowers of golden yellow color and the scent of tea roses. The bushes are erect, dense, highly branched. I do the pruning in the spring. To obtain a large spreading bush, I remove only the thinnest shoots, as well as frozen and damaged branches. It looks great next to 'Benjamin Britten' with its deep red flowers.

Margarita, 37 years old, Tuapse

“English women” create a wonderful harmonious ensemble in our garden. You can admire them from early summer until late autumn. My favorites: Lady of Shalott - a wonderful, trouble-free, hardy beauty, Jubilee Celebration - luxurious and incredibly fragrant, Gentle Hermione - profusely blooming and most delicate, Darcey Bussel - bright, not fading in the sun, Wollerton Old Hall - amazing and the latest.

Andrey, 49 years old, Belgorod region

I planted several Munstead Wood seedlings after I formed the rose garden. After a few years, it became clear that there is no special wisdom in caring for them, but the “awn” should be placed separately: they do not combine well with other varieties. The flowers are large, in the tradition of ancient roses, with purple velvety petals and a delicate fruity aroma. The bushes are very spreading and require a lot of space. So when purchasing, be sure to pay attention to the stated dimensions of the plant, its height and width.

Rules for planting and caring for roses

Austin English roses will be healthy and bloom profusely if they are planted correctly and care instructions are followed. Caring for bushes is not difficult; standard measures are required.

Requirements for the site and soil

Austin roses grow well in moderately lit places (in the southern regions in partial shade). A 4-hour daylight period is enough for them. In a sunny area the plant takes on a rounded shape; in partial shade the shoots become elongated.

The soil should be loose and fertile. You cannot plant English roses in swampy soil where groundwater is close to the surface, otherwise the roots will begin to rot. If the terrain is uneven, then it is better to choose a higher place for planting, where the root system will warm up better and freeze less often.

IMPORTANT! Roses are not planted at a distance of less than a meter from tree crops, otherwise a struggle for nutrients will begin.

You should not plant roses on the north side of the house, in a place blown by strong and cold winds.

See also Treatment and treatment of roses for powdery mildew

Timing and technology of planting

In temperate climates, English roses are planted in mid-May, when the soil warms up to 10°C. Then the bushes will be able to adapt to the autumn cold.

Before planting, seedlings are immersed for 30 minutes in a pale manganese solution for disinfection. Next, they are placed in a root growth stimulator solution for a day. To fill the hole, make a mixture of peat, compost and mineral fertilizer, combined in equal proportions.

The planting hole should be approximately 0.5 m deep and wide. The distance between the holes should be 0.5 m if the bushes are compact, at least 1 m if the plants are spreading.

Roses are planted according to the standard scheme:

1. Place the seedling in the hole.
2. Straighten the roots.
3. Cover with prepared nutrient mixture. At the same time, shake the plant slightly so that there are no voids left between the roots.
4. The earth is lightly compacted.
5. Water generously. Take 5-6 liters of water per plant.

Watering

Water English roses when the soil dries more than 3 cm from the surface. Watering is carried out in the evening so that the sun does not evaporate the moisture. For an adult bush take 10 liters of water, for a climbing variety - 15 liters.

Loosen the soil regularly, simultaneously removing weeds and leaf litter.

Fertilizer

Roses are fed from the 2nd year of life. In the spring, when green mass is formed, nitrogen fertilizers are used. In the budding phase - phosphorus. And before hibernation, plants need potassium.

Bush formation

The first time roses are pruned after planting, the second time in the season - before covering for the winter. Next season, the shoots are shortened by half to allow lateral branches to appear. Next, rose bushes are cared for year-round; to stimulate budding, shoots are cut by a quarter; for climbing ones, by a maximum of 15 cm.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

Ask a Question

ATTENTION! The shoots formed below the grafting site must be cut off immediately - this is wild growth.

Sanitary pruning is carried out regularly and broken branches are removed. For work, use pruning shears. The surface of the cuts is coated with charcoal powder.

Winter shelter technology

English roses survive without shelter even in severe frosts. But young plants that are less than 3 years old need shelter. They are covered with peat and sawdust, making a hill no less than 15 cm high. Climbing bushes, removed from the support, are placed on the ground and insulated in the same way.

Insulation begins at the end of October. When the air temperature drops below 0°C, the plants are additionally covered with non-woven insulating material.

Features of "ostok"

Due to the wide variety of forms, it is difficult to give a general description of the roses bred by the famous family rose nursery David Austin Roses Limited. It should be noted that most “ostokos” are distinguished by abundant repeated flowering, endurance and high immunity. The smell deserves special attention - many “English women” have a unique, refined, strong aroma.

As a rule, shrubs do not require complex care and grow well in temperate climates. There are varieties with simple (according to some data up to 40%), semi-double and double flowers of different sizes and shapes - mainly nostalgic, cupped (rosette-shaped). The color scheme of the petals has a wide range.

A distinctive feature of English ramblers, including The Albrighton Rambler (Ausmobile - Austin, 2013), is repeated flowering throughout the season.

In the accepted international classification, “English Roses” are included in the “Modern Shrub Roses” garden group. The modern assortment of “Austin” collections includes more than 200 items and is impressive in its variety of species. These are not only bush forms (scrubs), but also climbing plants, which are climbing plants (Climbing) - bud mutations (sports) of bush varieties, as well as varieties belonging to the groups: Ramblers (R.) and Climbing large-flowered (Plt. Kr.) or Climbers (climbers) / Large-Flowered Climber (LCL). Almost all English ramblers, in contrast to the “classic” representatives of this “creeping” group that bloom once on the shoots of previous years, have repeating, that is, multiple flowering.

Among the English scrubs, which form lush, spreading, profusely flowering bushes, the following are widespread: “Graham Thomas”, “Abraham Derby”, “Crown Princess Margaret”, “Golden Celebration”, “William Shakespeare”, “Lady of Shalott”, “ Princess Alexandra of Kent", "Queen of Sweden", "Lady Emma Hamilton". Detailed information about them can be found in the articles published on our website.

David Austin roses (pictured) are grown as scrubs or climbers, used in single and group plantings when decorating various types of flower beds and vertical gardening

Diseases and pests of roses: treatment and prevention

English bushes can get rust, mosaic, powdery mildew, and black spot. The causes of diseases are waterlogged soil, insufficient or excessive fertilizing, excessive pruning, intense lighting, heat. To destroy the infection, use nettle or wormwood infusion, soap-copper or Bordeaux solution.

Rose pests include aphids, scale insects and spider mites. To combat them, use tobacco infusion, soap-garlic solution, and insecticides “Aktara” and “Aktellik”.

Prevention consists of:

• avoiding dense planting of bushes, which interferes with air circulation;
• preventing soil from becoming waterlogged;
• moderate use of nitrogen fertilizing;
• timely removal of broken and dried shoots;
• Do not delay opening bushes after winter.

How to plant climbing roses

After the climbing rose seedling has undergone rehydration, it is placed in the prepared planting hole. Its dimensions depend on the size of the roots or container (if you bought a container seedling) from 60 cm by 60 cm. A useful mixture of rotted manure, compost, soil and fertilizers is poured onto the bottom. The following are the same steps as described above. The only difference is to place the roots away from the support along which the rose will curl.

Watering is perhaps the most important aspect of rose care. The right amount of water will promote healthy growth throughout the bush's long life.

Reproduction methods

English roses are propagated in all possible ways: cuttings, layering, suckers, grafting.

Vaccination

For grafting, buds are usually used rather than cuttings. The thickness of the root collar of the selected seedling must be at least 7 cm. On an adult plant of the English variety, healthy shoots with buds are selected. Remove leaves.

A T-shaped cut 2.5 cm long and 1 cm wide is made on the rootstock. A piece of wood with a bud 2 cm long is cut off on the rootstock and carefully inserted into the cut. The protruding part is cut off. The graft is tightly wrapped in film and left to take root for 2 weeks.

By layering

Only healthy and strong plants are propagated this way. The shoot is pressed to the soil with brackets, sprinkled with earth, and watered abundantly. A year later, the young plant is separated from the mother plant and replanted.

Breeding by offspring

The root shoots formed during the growing season have weak roots, so the shoots are replanted only after a year. The procedure is carried out in early spring, immediately after the snow melts.

Cuttings

For propagation, young shoots are selected and cut so that 3 leaves remain on each. Before planting, the 2 lower leaves are removed, the cutting is buried in the ground, leaving the top leaf on the surface. Cover with a plastic bottle without a cap. In winter they pile up snow. In the spring, they are moved to a permanent place by transshipment without damaging the thin roots.

How to plant bush roses

For bush roses with a bare root system, dig a planting hole so that the roots fit freely in it. It is approximately 60 cm wide and 60 cm deep. For container roses, the hole should be such that the planting ball in which the roots are placed fits freely into it. The bottom of the pit is fluffed up.

A mixture of rotted manure, compost and fertilizer is poured into the bottom of the pit. It will provide the rose with the necessary nutrition for growth and strengthening in the first year after planting. If you don't have manure, you can buy ready-made planting mixture for roses at a garden center. Almost the same thing is done with roses with a closed root system.

Place the flower so that it is in the center of the planting hole. To correctly set the height of the grafting site, place a stick across the hole. She will be your guide. The grafting in cold regions should be buried 5 - 7 cm into the soil.

Next, carefully fill the hole with the selected soil. After the hole is completely filled with soil to the desired level, it is lightly compacted and watered well. The same is done with container seedlings.

Before planting, rose seedlings need to be prepared

The best planting period is still autumn, namely mid-October. Because flowers planted at this time will have the opportunity to take root and not grow.

You can also add some rooting agent to the water. To prevent the seedlings from becoming infected, they should be placed in a fungicide solution for a couple of hours.

If you bought seedlings of English roses, but did not have time to plant them in the fall, then you can wait until spring. Only during winter should they be buried in a greenhouse or basement. The main thing is that the temperature there is within zero.

How to water

Roses should be watered according to the area of ​​the root system. Do not pour all the water at once. Dosed watering will ensure complete penetration and saturate the soil with moisture. Do not water the foliage and flowers of the plant. Such watering contributes to the appearance of diseases: moisture at night on the bush with a change in day and night temperatures will ensure, for example, the appearance of powdery mildew. Do not pour water from the hose under pressure in one continuous stream - it washes away the soil and exposes the roots. Use a special sprinkler attachment. This will allow the water to gently permeate the soil.

Pay more attention to newly planted roses, climbing roses against walls, roses growing in sandy soils, and roses growing in pots and other containers. They need more moisture due to special growth conditions.

As they say, all roses love fertilizer, especially English roses (according to information from the company’s website). If you want to get the healthiest and most beautiful roses, you need to feed them regularly.

The company recommends fertilizing roses twice a year: at the beginning of the growing season and after the first flowering to stimulate the appearance of new flowers.

Naturally, while working on the selection of roses, the breeder developed his own special formula for fertilizers. If you have such an opportunity, then use ready-made David Austin Rose Food fertilizers. 1.7 kg of ready-made granular fertilizer from D, Austin includes nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and basic microelements. Similar mixtures are also available on our market and you can safely use them according to the instructions.

Preparing for winter

English roses, if unprotected, do not tolerate Russian winters, so for successful wintering they require thorough preparation and protection. The preparation is proper care during the summer and regular feeding. Protection from frost should be taken care of separately.

With the onset of autumn, it is important not to pick flowers from the bushes so that they can bloom and fall off on their own. This will contribute to more complete ripening of the shoots. With the onset of cold weather, the leaves that have not flown off are removed, and the immature shoots are cut out completely. Then you can start covering.

Important! Plantings can be covered only after a steady drop in temperature to negative readings (but not below -10 degrees).