David Austin Roses – the who, what, why and when…

Now that the rose season is almost upon us, I'm refreshing my memory after long rose-less months, of what is to come! These notes are culled from a series of presentations the year before last, covering all things 'David Austin Roses'. If I find the pictures which accompanied the talks, I'll attempt to add them…

Almost, nearly there: David Austin’s finest – the promise of a good year for the roses?

This time last year, nothing. Barely a bud, nothing even closely resembling a flower. The month-long Sub-Zero ºC that was March 2013 put back the roses until July. This year, after a mild winter and some early sunshine (and the possibility of a long warm summer), I think it will be a good year for…

Nice Pictures…

These pictures will have to suffice for now - snapped today, quite beautiful, with buds that will carry on the show for weeks to come.  I really do know quite a lot about them (David Austin all, save Jacques Cartier, a magpie in the nest, which is a true Old Rose) but may I refer…

Orange Orange Orange Orange! …Orange!

Plenty of oranges here, but not the flower of a rose called Piccolo, so that I can demonstrate how perfectly, classily, the bloom co-ordinates with the new mahogany-red foliage. A gallery with hybrid teas, some Austin roses (English Roses), some others, in shades of eye-popping and spacehopper, through sunset, copper and red-gold, apricots and peach.…