Old English Roses to Grow

Old English Rose Varieties to Grow

By: Lynn Coulter

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David Austin yellow rose 'Graham Thomas'

'Graham Thomas' is the most popular rose in rose grower David Austin's repertoire.

Photo by: Courtesy of David Austin Roses

Courtesy of David Austin Roses

'Graham Thomas' is the most popular rose in rose grower David Austin's repertoire.

Once you’ve grown a single lush, fragrant English rose, it’s hard to resist filling your entire garden with these beauties. For some fifty years, the plant breeders at England’s David Austin Roses have been combining the forms and perfumes of old roses with the repeat-blooms of modern types, and the results are irresistible. Whether you use them as shrubs or climbers, English roses are gorgeous and surprisingly easy to grow.

Recently the company, which has a U.S. presence in Tyler, Texas, was awarded 16 Gold Medals for their roses at the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show. Their roses are sold and grown around the world.

David Austin’s most popular rose, says Susan Rushton, head of marketing, is ‘Graham Thomas.’ It’s a classic rose that dates to the 1980s.

“This was the first yellow David Austin rose,” Rushton says. “It was an entirely new color break at the time of its release in 1983 (there were no yellow or apricot shades amongst the true old roses)."

‘Graham Thomas’ has cupped blooms and is beloved for its “strong, fresh tea rose fragrance with a cool violet character,” Rushton says. In 2009, members of 41 national rose societies voted it the world’s favorite rose. This beauty also belongs to the Rose Hall of Fame and holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Rushton recommends growing ‘Graham Thomas’ as a shrub or a climber for a wall, fence, trellis or other structure.

The company’s top best-selling roses, Rushton says, “pretty much have it all: they are versatile and simple to grow, with beautiful many-petaled flower forms, natural glowing colors, attractive fragrances and importantly, they repeat flower well. Our most popular varieties are always fully double.”

David Austin sells roses in 45 countries around the world, Rushton says. She likes to say, “our roses have passports!”

If you’re just beginning to grow roses, Rushton suggests starting out with ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’, ‘Darcey Bussell’ or ‘Golden Celebration.’ All are reliable and easy to grow in almost any climate.

Just resist the urge to choose a rose because it has an intriguing or romantic name. It’s better to look for one that suits your garden’s needs. Use these tips for selecting just-right roses for your yard, whether you plan to pot them in containers or add them to your landscape; grow them on a pergola or an arch; enjoy them for their fragrance, or simply cut them for vases and bouquets. There’s a rose out there for everyone!