David Austin to launch three new roses at Chelsea

One of my RHS Chelsea highlights is always to visit the David Austin® display to see their new introductions for the season. At the 2017 Show, three new roses will be launched – Dame Judi Dench, Vanessa Bell and James L Austin.

Dame Judi Dench‘ (Ausquaker) (pictured banner above) is an English Musk Hybrid with rich apricot blooms with a lovely fresh tea fragrance. The company is delighted to name the rose after one of Britain’s most beloved stars of stage and screen. This is a beautiful rose, with blooms a rich shade of apricot, paling prettily towards the edges, lending a certain radiance. They begin as striking, red-tipped buds and gradually open to reveal large informal rosettes, each with ruffled petals and a button eye.

Dame Judi Dench’ is a particularly tough, reliable and healthy variety and David Austin point out that it is a vigorous grower, producing strong arching stems, which over time, form an attractive mound of blooms.

Vanessa Bell’ (Auseasel), (pictured above) an English Musk Hybrid, is named for the artist, designer and founder member of the Bloomsbury Group. Sister of the writer, Virginia Woolf, this rose has a delicate beauty with an alluring freshness and grace. Rounded pink-tinged buds open to reveal deep, medium-sized cups held in large, open clusters. Soft lemon-yellow paling to white at the edges, the delicate texture of the outer petals is such that the light runs through them creating a pleasing, almost luminous effect.

The rose forms a short, bushy and upright shrub, which complements both formal and informal plantings. 10% from the sale of each rose will be donated to The Charleston Trust. Charleston is the home of Vanessa Bell and is managed and conserved by the charity for the benefit of the public.

James L Austin‘ (Auspike) (pictured left) is an English Old Rose Hybrid with large blooms of deepest cerise pink with a delicious fruity scent. The blooms are deepest cerise pink, with numerous petals forming perfect large rosettes, each with a central button eye. It flowers prolifically from early summer until the first frosts and the blooms are not affected by bad weather.

The fragrance resembles a mixture of dark fruits: blackcurrant, blackberry, raspberry and cherry with hints of lemon zest and almond. With a neat and tidy bushy habit, ‘James L Austin‘ is a versatile shrub and worthy of a place in a formal rose border. It is also equally at home in a large pot, with other flowers in a cottage garden style planting or grown as a fragrant hedge.

The rose has been named for the son of David Austin Senior and brother of David Austin Junior. 10% from the sale of each rose will be donated to two Parkinson’s charities, 5% to Parkinson’s UK and 5% to Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

The new varieties will be available after their launch at the Chelsea Flower Show (22nd May 2017) online at: www.davidaustinroses.co.uk

David Austin will have a new look brochure for 2017, highlighting different uses and themes, so people will feel inspired to try something new in their own gardens.

Picture credits: All photographs ©David Austin®