119 What are some popular varieties of English Roses to try growing?
Description
This article is from the Rose Gardening FAQ, by Bill Chandler chandler@austin.ibm.com, Jolene Adams jolene@cchem.berkeley.edu, Brent C. Dickerson odinthor@csulf.edu, Karen Baldwin kbaldwin@veribest.com, and many contributors
119 What are some popular varieties of English Roses to try growing?
Those who haven't planted English Roses before may want to try one of the
popular varieties below. Beside the name of each variety is listed the year
of introduction and the plant's mature size in England. Many varieties will
grow twice as large in warm climates.
* Graham Thomas
* Heritage
* Abraham Darby
* Mary Rose
* Gertrude Jekyll
'Graham Thomas' (1983, 5'x4') is the most popular English Rose. It produces
clusters of medium-size cup-shaped flowers that are a beautiful rich butter
yellow when first opening, later fading to a lighter yellow. The foliage is
light-green. The plant has a bushy, upright growth habit with rather slender
canes that may require staking. It has a nice strong tea scent. Graham
Thomas may try to be a climber in warm climates. It is reportedly
disease-resistant. It was named after one of the great experts of Old Roses.
Warning: In hot climates Graham Thomas can grow to be a huge bush (8'x6')
and may be a stingy bloomer during the heat of summer. Graham Thomas seems
to gets rave reviews from gardeners in cool climates but complaints from
those in very hot climates (Southern California and Texas) where it can be a
stingier bloomer and the color fades more quickly.
'Heritage' (1984, 4'x4') is "perhaps the most beautiful English Rose"
according to David Austin himself. Its delicate medium-size clear shell pink
blooms are of perfect form and grow on stems with few thorns. It has a
strong Old Rose scent with a hint of lemon. The individual flowers have a
very short vase life, but this is compensated for by a large number of
blooms. Heritage should perform much better in its second or third year,
after it is established.
'Abraham Darby' (1985, 5'x4') is an interesting English rose in that it is
the offspring of two Modern Roses, the Floribunda 'Yellow Cushion' and the
Modern Climber 'Aloha'. Its large heavy flowers have the Old Rose shape,
deeply-cupped, fully double, with many petals. The flowers are a lovely warm
pink-peach-apricot color, fading to light pink on the edges, with some
yellow on the back of the flower. It has glossy medium-green foliage. It is
a vigorous wide plant with an arching growth habit. Abraham Darby has a
strong "fruity" fragrance.
'Mary Rose' (1983, 4'x4') is an excellent bush that produces rose-pink
flowers. It is an excellent repeat bloomer, flowering from early to late in
the season. The flowers are only slightly fragrant. The bush is vigorous and
has many thorns. It has excellent disease resistance and is one of the
hardiest English Roses. Mary Rose has produced many sports, including the
white 'Winchester Cathedral' and the light pink 'Redoute'. Mary Rose is a
parent to many other English Roses.
'Gertrude Jekyll' (1986, 4'x4') has beautiful large spiral blooms of a rich,
glowing pink. Its Damask scent is one of the strongest scents of the English
Roses or any rose. Although the flowers are beautiful, the bush itself is
often unattractive with very thorny long stiff canes that should be cut back
after blooming to encourage repeat bloom. Many say it is stingy to repeat
bloom and not very disease resistant. It is a rose in the style of the
Portland roses, one of its parents.
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