I wasn't going to buy this because the name is so unromantic (yes, I'm a sucker for lovely names...and see below)...but the lady who sold it to me was right - this is an unbelievably brilliant rose. It has more blooms on it than all the others and the most wonderful scent. A gorgeous creamy white on a compact shrub.
Here is Darcey Bussell. If you follow me on Twitter you'll know that I've been raving about the fact that Darcey never has any aphids on her. She's gorgeous, a typical David Austin rose with that lovely shallow 'champagne cup' bowl-shape and the most fabulous velvety deep red with yummy scent to boot. I only have one of these...wish I had more.
Here is the delectable Mme Pierre Oger. She is a sport of Rosa Reine Victoria (a Bourbon rose), and actually more beautiful if that were possible. She has papery thin, almost translucent petals of pink, tipped with crimson. She flowers in clusters and repeats until late autumn. She is delicate in the extreme though, very prone to mildew and blackspot, - a bit like one of those unfortunate consumptive beauties in operas... so not one I am prepared to take on. This plant belongs to my mother and I have always loved and revered it since I was a child
This oh-so-gorgeous thing has an amazingly strong, sweet scent and repeats as if there were no tomorrow. I love the noisette flower form, like a very sexy person's un-made bed... and the pink within the folds....beautiful.
If this rose weren't so beautiful, the first thing you'd be asking would be 'where is Blairii No.1?' - instead, this is the second thing you ask, after 'Where can I get one'. I want this rose and I want it badly, so it's on my list for this autumn. Mr Blair was an amateur breeder who lived in 'the London suburbs' (whatever that means). He did raise a number 1, and a number 3. Apparently though, number 3 is lost and number 1, though reputedly better than Number 2, is very rare. Someone should go on a mission to find it I think. Anyway it's gorgeous isn't it, with it's slightly grey, moody tinge.
La Malmaison was the Empress Josephine's country house. Lovely, heady, fruity scent - sublime. This plant is in my mother's garden, and it has never ever opened properly. We love it anyway because the 'buds' are so beautiful, but I think actually it may have some sort of disease, especially when I look at the picture with the green stem-like bits in the centre of the bud...any ideas anyone?
I'm captivated with this lovely thing...every petal is different and the scent is out of this world.
I love the way this rose starts off looking like a Hybrid Tea and then opens up to look like a floribunda with these beautiful stamens in the middle. I've got two of these, and apparently they grow over two metres high...don't care in the least. The scent, by the way, is exquisitely sweet.
Look how yummy! - this is Eglantyne - a David Austin cracker of a rose that has just started coming out. I'm in love...seriously. Amazing scent, and I love the way it opens out in two different forms.
My first favourite rose. I had one of these around my front door at my last house. Lovely tea scent and gorgeous old fashioned looks.
And the best for last - Cecile Brunner - A polyantha rose and fondly referred to as 'The Sweetheart Rose' Masses and masses of flowers which, in bud are the sweetest things imaginable - like miniature hybrid teas, and then open up to become these beauteous little button-eye things. It's almost thornless and vigorous too. This one here, from my mother's garden, is the climbing form. It flowers continuously throughout the season. I WANT ONE....LIKE, NOW.