I've been quite new to growing roses the last few years and the new roses bought in the last three years have been David Austin roses - but NOT bought directly from David Austin.
Obelixx - I have Grace and it has done really well in my garden through all weathers out in a mixed bed. It's the strongest rose I've experienced so far. Starts of apricot-ish as you say, and the second flush in autumn had some slightly paler blooms. Two photos below show the original and then the autumn.
My Claire Austin and Lady of Shallot have also been stars - in tubs for two seasons and just planted into the garden this Spring - so will see how that goes. But, I'm not having luck with Munstead Wood. Here is the first Munstead Wood purchased three years ago, again not direct from David Austin. It produces lovely large subtly fragranced blooms, but the stems are too spindly to hold them and I had to keep supporting them with canes. All very well - but, the plant had a couple of dead stalks on it when I bought it - which ought to have given alarm bells - but, the old naivety thing, I wanted to have a Munstead Wood and it was the only one I could find locally. But - it's a disaster otherwise. I doubt you will have seen such a sorry looking rose - this was taken a couple of days ago.
Sorry Mustead Wood
Still wanting to have a good Munstead Wood, three weeks ago I ordered two direct from David Austin in pots. I followed the instructions to the letter adding, as advised, the David Austin feed pellets into the holes. I just want small bush roses and Munstead Wood fitted the bill. Today however, both roses look as if they have rose rust on some of the leaves and the beginnings of blackspot - so I've been cutting off and destroying leaves. They arrived very leafy. Also, I checked the crowns of both and gently scraped away the soil surrounding them. One of them looks as if it has a growmore type fertiliser mixed with white powder all around the crown - not sure, maybe from the photograph someone can tell me if that is what it is? The 2nd rose does not have this - but also has rust on the leaves. I'm suspecting it is more likely to be my garden soil or just perhaps my garden being a bit lacking in air in some places - the garden is surrounded by high flats so we have an odd microclimate. But I'm not sure. The other roses are fine. They sometimes get a bit of blackspot in high summer, but not enough to complain about.
I suspect it has to be my garden conditions with the two new Munstead Woods, although I didn't expect to find this fertiliser or whatever it is - Lord I hope it's not eggs - around the crown. Both roses arrived from David Austin with the pouch of pink DA pellets which instructions said to put a specific amount in the planting hole, which I did. There was nothing mentioned about any other fertiliser already sustaining these roses.
Samantha - thanks for that. You mean the scraggy looking one in the big tub? You may be right. I give it three to four bucketfuls in that big half barrel at a time, but maybe I should give it more. Will work on that. Thanks for the response.
Yarrow - Grace died on me in Belgium. 3 of them planted in a group and all gone in a normal winter (-20C). Others did fine in worse. I want the apricot colour here and have gone for Fighting Temeraire and Lark Ascending to see if they do well - both sold by a French nursery so I hope so.
I have brought a Munstead Wood wth me from my Belgian garden. Like Geoff H, William Shakespeare and Jacqueline Du Pré, it didn't do well in the borders so I lifted it and planted it in a big pot with very good compost and regular feeding and watering plus shelter over winter. She's been much happier here outside and sheltered by a south facing wall this winter and will be planted out soon. She's bushed out very well and already has flowers but I find the heads droopy so she'll get a framework of some sort to see if that helps.
If not I'll have to rely on William Shakespeare for that deep, rich colour. Bit of a wuss in Belgium but looking better here too.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
all my DA roses look very healthy so far.. my only rose that isn't looking good is one of my 2 blush noisette.. the shoots of one are all distorted and can't see any buds at all, there have been quite a lot of greenfly but I've been vigilant at picking /squirting them off, I even bought ladybirds ( though they were an absolute waste of money) all others look good, have fed with groiwmore early in season, then been spraying with seaweed solution, just fed everything in garden with buds bit of granular tom feed then watered in yesterday
Nothing wrong with the roses, and not personally levelled at David Austin as others are similar of such crimes too.
No point in buying a potted plant when you turn the plant up-side-down to see the soil simply crumble and fall away completely. If you are prepared to buy the potted varieties, then be sure you are paying though the nose for a bare root shrub simply dunked into soil the very last minute.
I agree with Tomcranham about Claire Austin. Stems are weak, flowers are heavy and hang down and the petals all fall off very quickly or with the slightest nudge. However, I'm very happy with Ena Harkness and Gertrude jeykll.
I have DA Summer Song about 6 years, very disappointed considering the price, beautiful flowers but too heavy for stems, love the colour and scent though.
Posts
I've been quite new to growing roses the last few years and the new roses bought in the last three years have been David Austin roses - but NOT bought directly from David Austin.
Obelixx - I have Grace and it has done really well in my garden through all weathers out in a mixed bed. It's the strongest rose I've experienced so far. Starts of apricot-ish as you say, and the second flush in autumn had some slightly paler blooms. Two photos below show the original and then the autumn.
My Claire Austin and Lady of Shallot have also been stars - in tubs for two seasons and just planted into the garden this Spring - so will see how that goes. But, I'm not having luck with Munstead Wood. Here is the first Munstead Wood purchased three years ago, again not direct from David Austin. It produces lovely large subtly fragranced blooms, but the stems are too spindly to hold them and I had to keep supporting them with canes. All very well - but, the plant had a couple of dead stalks on it when I bought it - which ought to have given alarm bells - but, the old naivety thing, I wanted to have a Munstead Wood and it was the only one I could find locally. But - it's a disaster otherwise. I doubt you will have seen such a sorry looking rose - this was taken a couple of days ago.
Sorry Mustead Wood
Still wanting to have a good Munstead Wood, three weeks ago I ordered two direct from David Austin in pots. I followed the instructions to the letter adding, as advised, the David Austin feed pellets into the holes. I just want small bush roses and Munstead Wood fitted the bill. Today however, both roses look as if they have rose rust on some of the leaves and the beginnings of blackspot - so I've been cutting off and destroying leaves. They arrived very leafy. Also, I checked the crowns of both and gently scraped away the soil surrounding them. One of them looks as if it has a growmore type fertiliser mixed with white powder all around the crown - not sure, maybe from the photograph someone can tell me if that is what it is? The 2nd rose does not have this - but also has rust on the leaves. I'm suspecting it is more likely to be my garden soil or just perhaps my garden being a bit lacking in air in some places - the garden is surrounded by high flats so we have an odd microclimate. But I'm not sure. The other roses are fine. They sometimes get a bit of blackspot in high summer, but not enough to complain about.
I suspect it has to be my garden conditions with the two new Munstead Woods, although I didn't expect to find this fertiliser or whatever it is - Lord I hope it's not eggs - around the crown. Both roses arrived from David Austin with the pouch of pink DA pellets which instructions said to put a specific amount in the planting hole, which I did. There was nothing mentioned about any other fertiliser already sustaining these roses.
Last edited: 01 May 2017 22:58:10
Looks like it good do with a good drink!
Samantha - thanks for that. You mean the scraggy looking one in the big tub? You may be right. I give it three to four bucketfuls in that big half barrel at a time, but maybe I should give it more. Will work on that. Thanks for the response.
Yarrow - Grace died on me in Belgium. 3 of them planted in a group and all gone in a normal winter (-20C). Others did fine in worse. I want the apricot colour here and have gone for Fighting Temeraire and Lark Ascending to see if they do well - both sold by a French nursery so I hope so.
I have brought a Munstead Wood wth me from my Belgian garden. Like Geoff H, William Shakespeare and Jacqueline Du Pré, it didn't do well in the borders so I lifted it and planted it in a big pot with very good compost and regular feeding and watering plus shelter over winter. She's been much happier here outside and sheltered by a south facing wall this winter and will be planted out soon. She's bushed out very well and already has flowers but I find the heads droopy so she'll get a framework of some sort to see if that helps.
If not I'll have to rely on William Shakespeare for that deep, rich colour. Bit of a wuss in Belgium but looking better here too.
all my DA roses look very healthy so far.. my only rose that isn't looking good is one of my 2 blush noisette.. the shoots of one are all distorted and can't see any buds at all, there have been quite a lot of greenfly but I've been vigilant at picking /squirting them off, I even bought ladybirds ( though they were an absolute waste of money) all others look good, have fed with groiwmore early in season, then been spraying with seaweed solution, just fed everything in garden with buds bit of granular tom feed then watered in yesterday
Only problem with my Claire Austin is the flowers are so big they droop
not sure if it's ruined it for me...
Nothing wrong with the roses, and not personally levelled at David Austin as others are similar of such crimes too.
No point in buying a potted plant when you turn the plant up-side-down to see the soil simply crumble and fall away completely. If you are prepared to buy the potted varieties, then be sure you are paying though the nose for a bare root shrub simply dunked into soil the very last minute.
I agree with Tomcranham about Claire Austin. Stems are weak, flowers are heavy and hang down and the petals all fall off very quickly or with the slightest nudge. However, I'm very happy with Ena Harkness and Gertrude jeykll.
My DA roses are doing well, all bought early last year .
The first time I have grown roses. Gentle Hermione, Graham Thomas and The Pilgrim. I am still very much a rose novice. They seem to be doing well.
My generic "Rambling Rector" and two patio roses were from Fryers .
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
I have DA Summer Song about 6 years, very disappointed considering the price, beautiful flowers but too heavy for stems, love the colour and scent though.