New David Austin English Roses for 2019
May is a wonderful month, enhanced by the uplifting serene, perfect green of all the wonderful new leaves, as they open on trees and shrubs, and the expectation and hope of the arrival of rose and peony flowers. I love to see the first rose buds of the year developing on my favourite roses. I watch eagerly, as each rose bursts into life; I simply cannot wait to delight in the sweet perfume of roses once again!
At the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, I am always filled with excitement, as I meet the new rose introductions from David Austin Roses for the very first time! I particularly enjoy discovering the scent of these brand new rose cultivars, as I look out for any new favourites to add to my list!
This year, the new rose introductions from David Austin Roses have a literary theme, with both of the roses launched at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019, named after memorable characters from two of Thomas Hardy’s novels.
Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ (Ausegdon)
‘Eustacia Vye’ is a new rose, named after Eustacia Vye – a female character from Thomas Hardy’s sixth novel, The Return of the Native.
Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ flowering
Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ produces dainty soft pink buds, as these flower buds open, they display a rich, warm shade of radiant apricot-pink that really enlivens the garden. The outer petals form a soft halo of petals around the circumference of the flower, in paler tones of lilac. ‘Eustacia Vye’ rose’s petals have a rather frilled, ruffled appearance; this new rose is full of frilly, feminine charm! The overall effect that Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ bestows on the garden is quite marvellous. The flowers change hue as they age, meaning that a single rose simultaneously displays flower buds and open blooms in a number of different tones of apricot, pink, and lilac.
Depending on the season and your local climate, Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ will flower from May or early June onwards. This is a repeat flowering rose, which will continue to bloom until the icy winter frosts arrive, to curtail the plant’s flowering.
Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ fragrance
But what about this new rose’s fragrance? Well, I can tell you that Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ produces a really fresh scent, with a distinct citrus flavour. I delighted in discovering the prominent lemon and grapefruit characters of this rose’s perfume.
I first encountered Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ on a cloudy day, which may have dampened the flowers’ scent, somewhat. At this first meeting, I described this rose as having a medium strength scent; I felt that in warmer weather this rose’s fragrance might be more powerful. Having now encountered Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ on a warmer day, I can tell you that this rose’s perfume is definitely more powerful in warmer weather! I really enjoyed sampling the fragrance of Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’. This rose produces a fresh, citrus scent, with distinct lemon and grapefruit tones, and hints of guava.
Rosarian Michael Marriott, from David Austin Roses, describes Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ as being a particularly healthy rose cultivar, which is something that’s always very encouraging to hear. David Austin Roses recommend Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ for gardens that are housed on open, exposed sites, or for areas that are prone to blustery weather. This is also a good choice of rose for gardens that are sheltered and secluded.
Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ size
Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ forms an upright, naturally bushy shrub, which grows to around 1.2m (4ft) tall and about 90cm (3ft) wide, depending of course, on your soil type and the plant’s growing conditions.
Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ planting
This is a great choice of rose to grow in a container, or to plant directly in the soil, in your garden’s beds and borders. Plant Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ in moist, but well-drained soil, in a position where your rose will be able to delight in either full sunshine or partial shade.
Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ (Auscrowd)
The second rose that David Austin Roses launched at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019, was ‘Gabriel Oak’; a new rose cultivar, named after the much loved hero from Thomas Hardy’s fifth novel, Far From the Madding Crowd.
Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ flowering
Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ produces large, vibrantly coloured, cerise pink blooms. This is a rather glamorous rose, which produces quite striking flowers, with a rich, vibrant, magenta colouring, that really stands out from across the garden.
A versatile rose, Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ can be grown as a fragrant flowering hedge, perhaps to mark the boundary between your garden and your neighbours, or to line a path, or divide an area of the garden. Alternatively, plant Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ in your garden beds and borders, or in containers. This rose’s magnificent flowers are held on long stems, making Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ a great choice of plant to grow to provide cut flowers, to brighten up your home.
Depending on the season and your local climate, Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ will flower from May or early June. This is a repeat flowering rose, that will continue blooming in cycles, until the plant is finally held back, when the colder winter frosts arrive.
Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ fragrance
I expect you’re wondering whether ‘Gabriel Oak’ is a rose with a powerful fragrance? Well, yes it does! I loved the fragrance produced by Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ blooms. This is a really rosey fragrance, it’s like rose, upon rose, upon rose! Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ produces a sensual perfume, with a depth and intensity. As I encountered Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’, I enjoyed the intense scent of its flower’s perfume. This is the scent that you hope to find when you meet a rose, a traditional rose fragrance with occasional notes of raspberry and hints of Turkish Delight!
Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ planting
I am told that Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ is a vigorous rose that copes well in windy, exposed conditions. Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ is a naturally strong growing rose that will form a beautiful flowering shrub, even when planted in poor soils. Plant Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ in large planters, or plant your rose directly in your garden beds and borders, ‘Gabriel Oak’ thrives in any well drained, but moisture retentive soil. When planting your rose or siting your container, choose a spot where your rose will be able to bask in full sunshine or partial shade.
Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ size
Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ grows to form a medium sized, rounded shrub. This is a slightly broader rose than Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’. Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ will grow to around 125cm (4ft) tall, and about 125cm (4ft) wide, depending, of course, on your soil type and the growing conditions found in your garden.
RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year
Both Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ and Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ were finalists in the prestigious RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year Competition, to see all of the twenty shortlisted plants, including the finalists and the winner of the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2019, please click here.
More roses
Here’s a link to more rose cultivars, via my rose plant pages.
Tips for successful rose planting
I always advise ordering bare rooted plants and applying mycorrhizal fungi to your rose’s roots, at planting time. For best results, apply an organic mulch around your roses after planting. Both Rosa ‘Eustacia Vye’ and Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’ can be grown in containers. Choose a large, deep rooted container with a hole at the bottom for drainage. Use a good quality, peat free compost, mixed with some soil from your garden.
At least twice a year, I apply an organic mulch around my roses. This year, I’ve been mulching the soil around my roses with Dalefoot Compost’s Double Strength Wool Compost.
Other articles that may interest you…………..
To see an overview of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019, please click here.
To read about the roses that David Austin introduced for 2020, please click here.
To read about the roses that David Austin introduced for 2018, please click here.
To read about the roses that David Austin introduced for 2017, please click here.
To read about the roses that David Austin introduced for 2016, please click here.
Barb Pearson
February 12, 2020 at 3:45pmHello there, I am new to the world of roses and searching for garden roses that are the best for cutting for bouquets. Do you have any suggestions or a source where i could find out that kind of information?
Pumpkin Beth
February 12, 2020 at 4:34pmHello Barb
Lots of roses make great cut flowers, so it depends on the type of rose you’re looking for and whether you want to grow a scented rose or a thornless rose, what colour flowers and what style of roses you want, etc, etc. David Austin Roses produce roses for florists, so if you’re looking to buy cut flowers, you might want to try them. Rosa ‘Queen of Sweden’ and Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ make great cut flowers.
I hope this helps you.
Best wishes
Beth
José maria
May 9, 2020 at 8:03amMe gustaría comprar rosas gabriel oak.
Pumpkin Beth
May 9, 2020 at 9:16amHello Jose, head over to David Austin Roses website and you’ll find all the roses they sell – here’s a link.
Best wishes
Beth