David Austin Roses is a British family-owned company that has been at the forefront of rose breeding for over 60 years. It all began with a man named David Austin, who had a passion for roses and a dream to create something new.
In the early 1950s, David Austin set out to create a more beautiful rose. He was fascinated by the old garden roses, but he wanted to combine their beauty and fragrance with the repeat-flowering ability of modern roses. It was a quest that would take him many years, but he was determined to succeed.
In 1961, David Austin introduced his first rose, ‘Constance Spry’, named after the famous British florist. This was the beginning of a new era in rose breeding. Over the years, David Austin and his team created over 200 new varieties of roses, each one carefully bred to capture the best of both worlds.
Today, David Austin Roses is still a family-owned business, with David’s son and grandsons continuing his legacy.
David Austin Roses come in different sizes from compact varieties suitable for containers to larger shrub roses and climbers. They generally have a bushy, rounded growth habit with arching canes that contribute to their classic, romantic appearance.
Varieties of David Austin Roses
1. Gertrude Jekyll
- Flower: Large, bright pink blooms with a classic rosette form.
- Fragrance: Strong, traditional old rose scent.
- Growth Habit: Tall and upright, can be trained as a short climber or large shrub.
- Bloom Time: Repeats from late spring through fall.
2. Graham Thomas
- Flower: Rich, golden yellow flowers with a cup shape.
- Fragrance: Light, tea rose scent.
- Growth Habit: Vigorous and upright, can be grown as a climber or shrub.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms throughout the growing season.
3. Claire Austin
- Flower: Creamy white blooms with a hint of soft lemon, forming a cup shape.
- Fragrance: Strong, myrrh scent with hints of vanilla and heliotrope.
- Growth Habit: Climbing or bushy shrub with arching canes.
- Bloom Time: Repeats from late spring through fall.
4. Jubilee Celebration
- Flower: Large, salmon-pink flowers with gold undersides, forming a full cup shape.
- Fragrance: Strong, fruity scent with hints of lemon and raspberry.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and rounded, making it ideal for borders and hedges.
- Bloom Time: Prolific blooms throughout the season.
5. The Poet’s Wife
- Flower: Rich yellow, cupped blooms.
- Fragrance: Strong, fruity fragrance with a hint of lemon.
- Growth Habit: Compact, bushy shrub suitable for smaller gardens.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from late spring through fall.
6. Abraham Darby
- Flower: Large, apricot-pink blooms with a classic, full shape.
- Fragrance: Strong, fruity fragrance.
- Growth Habit: Large, arching shrub or climber.
- Bloom Time: Repeats well from spring to fall.
7. Munstead Wood
- Flower: Deep crimson, velvety blooms with a full, old rose form.
- Fragrance: Strong, old rose scent with a hint of fruit.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and compact, ideal for borders and containers.
- Bloom Time: Repeat blooms throughout the growing season.
8. Lady of Shalott
- Flower: Apricot-yellow blooms with a chalice shape.
- Fragrance: Light, tea scent with hints of spiced apple and cloves.
- Growth Habit: Robust, disease-resistant shrub with arching canes.
- Bloom Time: Repeats from late spring to frost.
9. Olivia Rose Austin
- Flower: Soft pink, rosette blooms with a perfect form.
- Fragrance: Strong, fruity fragrance.
- Growth Habit: Compact and bushy, excellent for borders and pots.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from early spring through fall.
10. Boscobel
- Flower: Salmon-pink blooms with a classic, full shape.
- Fragrance: Strong myrrh scent with hints of hawthorn, elderflower, pear, and almond.
- Growth Habit: Upright, bushy shrub suitable for borders and hedges.
- Bloom Time: Prolific bloomer throughout the season.
11. The Alnwick Rose
- Flower: Rich pink, deeply cupped blooms.
- Fragrance: Old rose scent with a hint of raspberry.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and compact, perfect for borders and containers.
- Bloom Time: Repeats well from late spring through fall.
12. Princess Alexandra of Kent
- Flower: Large, deeply cupped blooms of warm pink.
- Fragrance: Strong, fresh tea fragrance with hints of lemon and black currants.
- Growth Habit: Rounded, bushy shrub.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms throughout the season.
13. Lady Emma Hamilton
- Flower: Orange-yellow buds opening to rich, tangerine-orange blooms.
- Fragrance: Strong, fruity scent with hints of pear, grape, and citrus.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and compact, with dark red new growth.
- Bloom Time: Repeats well from spring to fall.
14. Scepter’d Isle
- Flower: Soft pink, open cup blooms with golden stamens.
- Fragrance: Strong, myrrh fragrance.
- Growth Habit: Upright and bushy, ideal for borders and mixed plantings.
- Bloom Time: Blooms repeatedly throughout the growing season.
15. Golden Celebration
- Flower: Large, rich yellow, deeply cupped blooms.
- Fragrance: Strong, tea rose scent with a hint of Sauternes wine and strawberry.
- Growth Habit: Vigorous and arching, suitable for borders and large containers.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from late spring through fall.
16. Winchester Cathedral
- Flower: White blooms with a hint of pink, in a cupped form.
- Fragrance: Light, old rose scent.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and rounded, great for borders and hedges.
- Bloom Time: Repeats well from spring to frost.
17. William Shakespeare 2000
- Flower: Rich, velvety crimson blooms that age to a purple hue.
- Fragrance: Strong, old rose scent with a hint of violet.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and upright, good for borders and formal gardens.
- Bloom Time: Repeats throughout the growing season.
18. Charles Darwin
- Flower: Large, rosette-shaped blooms in a soft yellow to rich yellow color.
- Fragrance: Strong, tea rose scent with a hint of lemon.
- Growth Habit: Upright and bushy, good for mixed borders.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from late spring through fall.
19. Queen of Sweden
- Flower: Soft pink, cup-shaped blooms that gradually open to form shallow cups.
- Fragrance: Light, myrrh scent.
- Growth Habit: Upright and bushy, with few thorns.
- Bloom Time: Repeats well from late spring through fall.
20. Wollerton Old Hall
- Flower: Soft apricot, deeply cupped blooms.
- Fragrance: Strong, myrrh scent with hints of citrus.
- Growth Habit: Climbing or large shrub with arching canes.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from spring to fall.
21. Darcey Bussell
- Flower: Rich, deep crimson blooms with a rosette form.
- Fragrance: Light, fruity scent.
- Growth Habit: Compact and bushy, ideal for small gardens and containers.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from late spring through fall.
22. Thomas à Becket
- Flower: Loose, informal blooms in a rich crimson-red.
- Fragrance: Light, myrrh scent.
- Growth Habit: Natural, bushy growth with a slightly arching habit.
- Bloom Time: Repeats well from late spring through fall.
23. Crimson Shower
- Flower: Small, semi-double, deep crimson blooms.
- Fragrance: Mild fragrance.
- Growth Habit: Vigorous rambler, suitable for covering walls and trellises.
- Bloom Time: Blooms once in late spring to early summer, with a prolific display.
24. Rambling Rosie
- Flower: Small, semi-double, bright red blooms.
- Fragrance: Mild fragrance.
- Growth Habit: Vigorous, spreading rambler, perfect for large areas and fences.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from late spring through fall.
25. Nye Bevan
- Flower: Large, rosette-shaped blooms in a deep, rich crimson.
- Fragrance: Strong, old rose scent.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and upright, good for borders and mixed plantings.
- Bloom Time: Repeats well from spring to fall.
26. Eustacia Vye
- Flower: Large, cupped blooms of a lovely apricot-pink color.
- Fragrance: Strong, fruity scent with hints of old rose.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and upright, suitable for borders and containers.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from late spring through fall.
27. Penelope Lively
- Flower: Large, rich apricot-pink blooms with a rosette shape.
- Fragrance: Strong, fruity fragrance.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and rounded, great for mixed borders.
- Bloom Time: Repeats well throughout the season.
28. Emma Bridgewater
- Flower: Soft pink, rosette blooms with a classic shape.
- Fragrance: Light, fruity scent.
- Growth Habit: Bushy and compact, ideal for small gardens and pots.
- Bloom Time: Continuously blooms from late spring through fall.