Rose question...English, Floribundas and Tea's Oh my!

[MouseEars4us]

Hi All!

I'm hoping for some advice from the DIS garden experts!

We moved last fall to a new home. In our old place I grew HybridTea's and Floribundas with alot of success. I'd love to try some English or David Austin Roses. Would anyone like to give some comparisons, tips or advice? Do they need more space? Do they grow much taller than Tea Roses? Also, are there some you really like? I love very fragrant roses. I usualy order from Jackson and Perkins...

We get the morning and early afternoon sun, good soil with some sand for drainage... what do you think?

Thanks,
Jenn

 

[shrubber]

David Austin roses are a nice group of plants. They offer the look of an old english rose with some ( not all ) of the disease problems bred out. There are about 35 varieties readily available in commerce. They do range in size from smaller 3 x 3 plants like Glamis Castle to Graham Thomas which can reach 8' around pretty easily. Be sure to check the tags. Also, Austin has a few climbers in the mix although they are not the best preformers in my opinion. Some of the best in the group are Abraham Darby ( apricot )
Graham Thomas ( yellow )
Mary Rose ( deep pink )
Othello ( red )
All Austin roses were really bred with the priority placed on the flower and fragrance while sacrificing the plant underneath somewhat. Expect a higher maintanance factor in trying to keep off the black spot and pruning out dead wood to get those blooms.

 

[MouseEars4us]

Hmmm... now I'm thinking...I was hoping the English or Austin were a bit more hearty. Black spot can be a huge problem here. Not so much aphids or Japaneese Beetles, and I can handle the pruning but the darn black spot took 2-3 of my tea roses a few summers ago. Granted, I had a 2 year old and not much time to devote to them back then...
I love the blooms on the Austin roses! I think I'll give them a try. My youngest is 4 this summer and entertains himself outdoors now. So I hope to devote more time to establishing nice beds this summer...I'm looking at the Abraham Darby right now in the catalogue and it is lovely...I'm talking myself into it. can you tell?

Another question, what do you plant with your roses? I've used Lambs Ear and Lavender and both get a little big. I even wondered if they didn't contribute to the black spot problem by not letting air circulate so much. I've also used pansy's but the heat gets them mid-summer (I'm zone 5 BTW). Just like to know what everyone else uses...
Thanks much!

 

[DebºoºS]

David Austin English roses are my favorites I find they are very hardy and not as susceptible to black spot as say teas which I have no luck with. They do need room to spread.
Lavendar smothered my last Disneyland rose so I have to keep it cut back and under control. I ripped out the Lambs ear because it spreads too quickly.
Babies breath is always very pretty with roses.
Here's a pic of sage under Princess of Wales. It keeps the bugs away.

Graham Thomas my favorite yellow

 

[MouseEars4us]

Your Graham Thomas is lovely!
I thought the same thing about the Lambs Ear and Lavendar...but I had never thought of Sage! Herbs grow really well here. I had a wonderful garden at our old house, maybe some thyme? The Disneyland Rose is so colorful in the catalogue...very tempting. The Name has nothing to do with it of course...

 

[DebºoºS]

Rosemary might be a nice addtion to the roses. Just be careful not to plant anything too close to the bush. I did it with the sage and I have to keep cutting it back.
I'm going to try an underplanting of short pale yellow marigold this year. They 're supposed to help keep some bugs away and any help with bugs is a good thing. Also might cover up the bare legs of the bushes that drop leaves mid season.
I love the Disneyland rose.

This first one I had died a slow death. You can see the black spot in the pic. It just caught everything from fungus to bugs. My new one is planted in the vegetable garden area where I can keep an eye on it. I have my fingers crossed.