If you’re my College Son, you’re currently enjoying 72° days with 66° nights in Costa Rica. If you live on the East Coast you’re currently enjoying a blast of Arctic air. One that likely destroyed many of your at-their-peak spring blooming shrubs and trees. I hope you were able to cover as much as you could. (Preventing frost damage here.)
So, for today’s blog, we’re going to do what gardeners do best: Dream. These David Austin Rose pictures are for those sipping tea while turning up the heat, and needing some inspiration, not for those donning sunglasses and snapping selfies with the word “Epic” tagged on them. Don’t stress. Next Sunday will be 70° and the world will be rosier. Sit back and enjoy, even if roses aren’t your thing. Inspiration is found everywhere in the garden. (Click on the picture for information regarding the name, size, fragrance, etc. for each rose.)
David Austin English Rose | The Lady Gardener | Shrub rose | 3 1/2′ to 4′ tall, 2 1/2′ wide | blooms 4″ across | Tea fragrance with hints of cedar and vanilla
‘Tess of the d’Ubervilles’ | Blooms summer to frost | Crimson color | Climbs to 6′ or shrub of 4′ x 3′ | Old Rose fragrance.
Maid Marion | Another 2015 release | Fragrant (myrrh, fruity) | 3′ x 3′ shrub | Repeat bloomer
‘Susan Williams-Ellis’ | 135 petals per bloom | Blooms May to frost (pretty much non-stop) | Fragrant | 4′ x 3′ | Very winter hardy
En masse ‘Heathcliff’, ‘Thomas a Becket’, ‘Jubilee Celebration’
‘Wisley 2008’|Shrub Rose|Height: 4’ Width 3.5″|Fruity fragrance w/ cupped rosettes|Tolerates poor soil conditions| Paired here with asters
Constance Spry|Climber|Pure Pink| Strong myrrh fragrance|Height: 12′ Width: 10″|Blooms in Summer|Not repeat bloomer, but so worth the real estate
I once had the opportunity to interview David Austin’s Senior Rosarian, Michael Marriott. I asked what criteria was used for a rose to be successful in their breeding program. His response was epic.
“The rose must be beautiful,” he said. “If a plant isn’t beautiful, then there’s really no reason to have it in your garden, is there?”
I hope these pictures lifted your spirits and got the garden juices going again. Now, go sort through those saved seed packets. The time is near.
Written by Cinthia Milner, OSA, Garden Coach, Blog Writer.
BB Barns Garden Center serves all of Western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina, and Tennessee.
