I arrived home late from work yesterday to find the most wonderful site in my living room. My order from David Austin Roses has finally arrived! I have 12 roses in this lovely box and I cant wait to share them with you. I couldn’t get them up and running yet because of work and I didn’t want to leave them soaking for more than 24 hours so I simply took a peek inside and wrapped them back up again. They looked moist and very healthy. Tonight I will be soaking them over night in a solution of water, hydrogen peroxide and Super Thrive and they will be potted up on Saturday morning. I cant wait until they bloom. Click on the individual photo for a better view.

 

From the top left:

Belle Story: This is actually a replacement for the one I ordered last year. I ended up trying to plant it in the ground, but after dismal results, I moved it into a pot and it didn’t survive the move. I did however get a couple of small flushes from it and completely fell in love with this rose. Its not as disease resistant as I would like, but I think with better care it will do well in the garden with occasional spraying. I plan on putting it in a very large pot in a prime location because I adore this rose.

Huntington Rose (syn Alan Titchmarsh): This will actually be the 3rd Huntington Rose to grow in my garden. I had great luck with it a few years back while it grew in a large pot on my patio. I put it in the ground thinking it would be happier there, but it has been struggling ever since.  I have since added one on Fortuniana to the side garden, but it doesn’t get as much sun as I’d like and it has yet to perform as well as my potted one had a few years ago, so I decided to get a new healthy one and grow it again in a pot so that I could enjoy it like I once did on the patio.This is one of the Austin roses recommended for Florida, and I can see why as I did have great luck with it in the past. Moral of the story: If it aint’ broke…

Lady Emma Hamilton: I saw this rose in person at the Golden Gate Park rose garden in San Francisco a few years ago when I went up for my sister-in-law’s wedding and it was love at first sight. I can’t remember ever being so smitten by a rose. I have wanted it ever since, but have hesitated, since its listed as being recommended only to zone 9. I have however had luck with other roses for ‘zone 9’ and am willing to give it a little extra care if only it will bloom for me. Here’s to the tenacious gardener!

Second Row:

Lady Of Shalott – Own Root: I was told by a few other Florida rose growers that this particular rose does well in South Florida, even though it is not listed as one of the roses recommended for the state. I will however be growing it in a large pot as opposed to the ground and will be hoping for the best.

Molineux: This one is also a replacement rose as my poor Molineux never quite took off last year for some odd reason. It did leaf out, however never quite grew good feeder roots which is what I think may have lead to its demise. We had a particularly warm winter last year and I think that may have contributed to some of them not getting off to a good start.

Olivia Rose Austin: This one has gotten a lot of media attention for its bloom power, vigor and, most importantly, its disease resistance. David Austin actually claims that this may be the best rose he has ever put out. With a statement like that, I had to try it. If its anything like Boscobel, I’m sure I will be pleased.

Third Row:

Sharifa Asma: I added this rose to my order at the last minute after having been on the fence for a while about it. I am very fond of pink roses, but admittedly already own many. After I was told by some other Florida growers of her amazing scent however, I decided to give it a try. I look forward to those first blooms.

St. Swithun: This is another attempt at finding that perfect pale pink rose. I was St. Swithun might be the one that works for what I am looking for, so I decided to give it a try.This one, along with The Wedgewood Rose are both going to be planted on either side of a gazebo arbor that I recently set up and will be grown as climbers.

The Alnwick Rose – Own Root: I once had this rose many years ago and it died due to neglect during my first pregnancy. I had terrible morning sickenss throughout most of my pregnancy and had very little energy left to care for my roses. I lost many good ones due to neglect. And when I say neglect, I mean I didn’t even water them. Alnwick seems like it would have done well with better care so I’m giving it a second chance, this time on its own roots. Its mentioned on the list of Austins recommended for Florida. I’m very fond of the cup shape and the hue of this rose and hope it does well this time around.

Fourth Row:

The Endeavour: I am extremely excited about this rose. Its touted as being very compact in growth and is said to do well in warmer climates. Its not on the list of recommendations for Florida, but I’m willing to give it a try regardless as there are other Austins I have grown that do wonderfully for me and are not on the list.

The Wedgwood Rose – Own Root: I have been looking for a good, pale pink rose from David Austin ever since I discovered him back in 2010. I have tried many pinks, but somehow have not been able to find the full, quartered pale pink rose I’ve dreamed of. Of the ones that I have grown, many either faded to cream, or were deeper in color then what I have been looking for. I am hoping The Wedgwood Rose will be the one I have been searching for.

Windermere – Own Root: I am attempting to try out some of the Austins as own roots seeing as Dr. Huey is short lived and has not fared too well in my garden. I currently grow Claire Austin on her own roots and she’s done wonderfully, so I grabbed a few on their own roots this year (including Darcey Bussell, Golden Celebration, Strawberry Hill and Carding Mill which I got from Chamblee’s Nursery a few weeks ago). I ordered Windermere because I’m looking for a nice old fashioned white rose as my Claire Austin’s blooms are butter yellow in the South Florida heat. Windermere is one of the roses recommended for Florida by David Austin.

As you can see, I am extremely excited for my roses that have finally arrived and I will be keeping you updated with how they, and all my other roses, continue to perform in my South Florida garden.

-Happy Growing!