David Austin must haves

[Laurasanford789]

Hi all

I have been given a few DA gift cards for birthday

I now have enough to buy around 3, I was wondering what ones you have in your garden that are real great performers and you would recommend, I don't want any red ones or really bright yellow

I already have Nye Bevan, Emily Bronte, lark ascending, and a couple of climbers I've forgot the names

I am mainly looking for shrub roses

Thank you

Lady of Shalott.

I've got Desdemona, Boscobel, Lady of Shalott, Dame Judi Dench, Port Sunlight, Roald Dahl and if you prefer a more wildlife friendly shrub Tottering by Gently and Kew Gardens, they all perform well and the yellows are a soft primrose to buttery yellow or peach, so aren't too harsh.

I've got Kew Gardens, Eustachia Vye, Gertrude Jekyl, Princess Alexandria of Kent and Harlow Carr. Harlow Carr is a beautiful shrub rose but very very thorny if that would be an issue and doesn't perform too well but think that's because she's in a pot - I might move her during the winter. My best performer is probably tied between Gertrude Jekyl and Kew Gardens. I have 6 Kew Gardens in a border and it's lovely, gives that really cottage garden look although she is odourless but the bees love her.

If I was you, I’d wait until bare root season they’ve always established so well compared to planting from potted. (I bought a load of bare roots for £17 in the sale at the last few days of the season last year, and they are thriving, I did think maybe I’d left it a bit late)

My favourites are GJ, Wildeve. ORA, the ancient Marriner, boscobel for pinks.

Rahl Dahl is lovely, goes well with Dannhue. Lady of Shallot is great calm orange/yellow, but it’s big and wants to climb.

If you live within a reasonable distance, a trip to Albrighton to see them in person would be ideal!

I love Elizabeth. Wonderful scent.

Boscobel is also lovely.

I have Scarborough Fair shrub roses that do very well. And a lovely climber called Open Arms

+4, Lady of Shalott

Bring me Sunshine. Gorgeous yellow rose.

Lichfield Angel.

Thanks @user9064385631
I did think that, that If I wait I may be able to get more for the money, it's amazing how quick they grow from Bare root, Hyde hall was planted in spring it's covering half a picket fence now. I've heard of lady of shallot a few times and I am leaning towards that the colour is beautiful

Another vote for Lady of Shalott, which I've got in a bed with Roald Dahl (ooer, missus). Both are onto their second flush now. I also really love Summer Song, which has a gorgeous coral-tangerine bloom and a deep green leaf; there's something very glamorous and 1950s about the combination.

@BriefHug that one, summer song looks quite unusual I love it! I see where you are coming from to, it's beautiful 🤩

Have a look at Gardener Ben on Instagram or YouTube, he has loads of reviews of DA roses and a number of 'best for' lists.

I am going to be a naysayer and say that I’m not keen on Lady of Shallot. It could be that the ones I’ve seen are a bit straggly and don’t seem to have much scent.

I love The Poet’s Wife but it is probably a bit too bright a yellow.

Darcey Bussell.

Sorry, think she’s been retired.

Gabriel Oak.

Ooh yes, i love Gardener Ben. I've been following him for years and his reviews are excellent.

We planted sixty David Austins in our previous garden, but last year we sold up and bought a cottage with a just courtyard. So sadly we now only have space for a few, in addition to the (unidentified) roses that were already here, plus a couple of non David Austin climbers I couldn't resist.

We have Lady of Shalott, Dannahue, Lady of the Lake (rambling), Emily Bronte, Comte de Champagne, Fighting Temeraire and my all time favourite Morning Mist. I'm eyeing up The King's Rose too as I'm sure we can squeeze one or two more in!

I have a fair few David Austin roses. I love them all, but if I could only have one, I’d pick Olivia Rose Austin.

I have other roses that are perhaps more classically beautiful, but Olivia Rose Austin has been completely problem free in the five years or so since I planted it. It produces lots of flowers over a long period of time, has a nice fragrance and the shape of the plant is really good too. Some David Austen roses have a tendency to become a little leggy, but this one forms a nice round shrub.

I grow mine in appalling conditions (windswept, poor soil and just outside of the range of the garden hose). I can only imagine what it’d be like if someone took proper care of it 😂

Another one I can recommend is Desdemona - it looks beautiful and delicate, but is in fact a really tough rose. Lovely scent too. Boscobel is gorgeous as well, but gets a bit leggy in my garden. I love Lady of Shalott so much, I have two. It has a really long flowering season, but never has the masses of flowers that Olivia Rose Austin produces. In my garden it keeps going until the first frost.

The poets wife has the most beautiful lemony scent and is a pretty butter yellow. I have one that is doing pretty well in a big patio pot.

I’ve got Roald Dahl in a pot and now he’s in his third year, he’s a stunner.

I'm thinking of getting a couple when bare root season rolls around. I love one called Nostalgia and one called Hot Chocolate that I saw at Fryer's, I'm not even sure if DA sell it.

I'll check out Gardener Ben.