Love like a rose

WHEN it comes to discussing roses I don’t believe in saving the best til last, I go straight to the David Austin Roses.

Many people will be aware of the term David Austin Roses without really knowing what it means. Well, David Austin is a nurseryman in the UK with a passion for collecting and breeding roses. He introduced his first rose, Rosa ‘Constance Spry’ in 1961 and since establishing David Austin Roses in 1969 he has gone on to develop hundreds of new varieties with his son working alongside him for the last 15 years.

But what is a David Austin Rose, what makes it special? Quite simply, these roses combine the form and fragrance of old-fashioned English roses with the repeat flowering and disease resistance of modern roses. But that sentence doesn’t say enough. It doesn’t describe to you the magnificent heady aroma that will literally stop you in your tracks when you pause to get a nose full. Neither does it describe to you the fantastic rich colours, some of which are hard to even name, nor the masses of petals that go into making up each perfectly formed flower. No, a David Austin Rose has to be seen, touched, smelled and just admired to be appreciated. If you have never grown roses before, and are maybe scared because of the bad press that they have received in terms of being high maintenance, then let me urge you, no, let me insist that you invest this year in one of these beauties. Grow it in a pot or in one of your garden beds, feed it, water it, talk to it if you wish, but then just sit back and enjoy it. And enjoy it you will, these plants are just breathtaking — and a must for every self-respecting garden. I defy anyone to walk past one of these beauties without pausing, admiring and sticking your nose into one of the many blooms.