Rose Abraham Darby

One of the largest-flowered of all the English Roses and the only one to have nothing of the Old Rose in its parentage—except of course, like all roses, many generations back. Has a complex colour and shape. The colour is a mixture of yellow and pink, with the pink dominating, the outer petals being tinged with yellow towards the edges, however the general tonality appears to be apricot. Flowers are of classic Old Rose shape, they are quartered deep cupped, but they still display something of the stamp of a Modern Rose. Has a very strong fruity fragrance with raspberry notes. Forms rounded, bushy, slightly arching shrub with plentiful of a shiny leaves, which make a perfect background for its beautiful flowers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The following is a detailed description of ‘Abraham Darby’ variety with color descriptions using terminology in accordance with "Methuen Handbook of Colour" published by Eyre Methuen Ltd. (1963), except where ordinary dictionary significance of color is indicated.

FLOWER
This variety has continuous, abundant flowering habit, blooms in flushes.

Flower bud:
The flower bud is large, flask shaped, the average length of the bud is about 3.5 cm. The colour when the sepals start to divide is deep red (Group 11 D7). When half open the underside of the petals have deep yellow colour turning to light green (Group 1 C8) at a base merging into deep red (Group 11 D7) at tip. They appear several together in a small clusters of from 1 to 4, but generally 3.

The sepals have light green colour on the upper side and moderately finely hairy. The underside has from medium to light green colour, with glabrous edges. There are occasional wings on the sepals, they are finely and glandular hairy.

Peduncle is rigid, has average length of 10 cm, the colour is thick light green, with light red glandular aciculas, and has occasional small prickles.

Bloom:
The flowers are large, have large quartered cupped shape, the diameter of the flowers is about 10 cm on average.

When just opened on the upper side the colour is yellow (Group 3 A8) at base, merging into very deep pink (Group 9 B8); while the underside is yellow (Group 3 A8) at base, merging into light red Group 10 B6.

When the flower is fully open, the upper side is yellow (Group 4 A8), merging into dull red (Group 10 A4) and the underside has reddish yellow colour (Group 4 A7) at base, merging into pale red (Group 9 A3) at very outside.

When finishing blooming the upper side of a flower has yellow colour (Group 4 A8) merging into medium red (Group 10 B4); while the underside has reddish yellow colour (Group 4 A7) turning to a pale red (Group 9 A3).

Flowers have goods lasting quality, about 7 days under normal growing conditions. As a cut flower - not tested.

Petals:
The petals of ‘Abraham Darby’ have silky and smooth surface, their shape is ovate with a truncated base. The number of petals on a normal flower is 70 on average.

The petals dry out and fall off cleanly from the plant.

Fragrance:
Has a very strong, fruit-like fragrance with a raspberry sharpness.

Reproductive parts:
The number of stamens on a flower is about 138 on average.

The anthers have butter yellow colour.

Filaments have colour from yellow to red, and variable length.

The number of pistils is 44 on average.

Stigmas are yellow.

The styles are very hairy and have greenish yellow colour.

Receptacle has a shape of a shallow cup, bright yellow colour and a raised light green rim.

‘Abraham Darby’ does not produce seed in a normal garden conditions, but only when cross-pollinated.

PLANT
Has very vigorous, bushy growth habit. Forms tall, strong, slightly arching plant. The height varies and is about 135 - 165 cm and the width is 125 - 150 cm on average.

In the early stages of this variety life in your garden it is important to establish the basic framework by removing small and weak branches, and leaving only strong stems on which the future growth can be built.

Because of its size and color, it can be used almost in any garden and for different purposes, from the mixed borders, rose borders and even hedges; this is an ideal rose for the center of a flower arrangement; can also be used as specimens in a lawn, or along a grass verge of a drive.

Foliage:
Foliage is an important part of a rose’s value in its appearance, and it has a lot of it. The foliage has a dense, glossy general effect. The number of leaflets on a flowering stem is 5, or 3 at base of flower.

Stipules have medium green colour, broad, finely dentate at edges, sometimes glandular hairy, and having 2 wings.

Petiole is flat with raised edge on the upper side with flattish, few glandular hairs; the underside has medium green colour and very occasional small prickles.

Leaflets:
The shape of the leaflets is ovate, slightly acuminate, have leathery texture. The edges serrated, the type of serration is dentate.

The colour of the young foliage on the upper side is deep green (Group 30 E8), tinged with red; the underside is medium brown (Group 10 F6), fading to green.

The adult foliage is dark green (Group 30 F8) on the upper side and medium green (Group 28 E6) on the under side.

Wood:
The new wood has deep green colour (Group 29 E8), tinged with red, the bark is smooth. The adult wood is deep green (Group 30 E8), the bark is smooth with some rough patches.

Prickles:
The stems are pretty well armed with prickles. Thea are medium sized and the colour ranges from red (Group 10D 8) when young to reddish brown (Group 9D 6) when mature.

Small prickles:
Small prickles are not observed on the main and on the laterals from the main stalks.

Disease resistance:
The variety showed good resistance to mildew, blackspot, botrytis and rust under normal growing conditions. In some climates tends to get infected slightly with rust. Pest resistance not tested.

Has quite good winter hardiness, proved to be hardy in climate zones 5 - 9.

Named after Abraham Darby (1678-1717), one of the founding figures of the Industrial Revolution which began in Shropshire, for the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

English Shrub Rose

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The rose plant was grown at Albrighton, Nr. Wolverhampton, England and was received by cross pollination of two parent plants:

Female parent (seed parent) – ‘Aloha’ a climbing rose by Boerner, 1949.

Male parent (pollen parent) – ‘Yellow Cushion’, floribunda rose by David L. Armstrong, 1966.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
Primary features of ‘Abraham Darby’ variety which connote a distinctive advance over other existing types are the vigorous abundant and continual blooming taken with the perfection of the fully double flowers of an old-fashioned type.

Variety denomination (in accordance with the UPOV Convention) is ‘Auscot’, the trade name is ‘Abraham Darby’.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
‘Auscot’ / ‘Abraham Darby’ plants have a slightly lower, bushier and arching growth as compared to the more upright growth habit of ‘Aloha’ and its flowers are very full, apricot pink colored, and have quartered cupped shape compared to the very double, rather like an old Bourbon Rose, rose-pink flowers of ‘Aloha’.

The pollen parent ‘Yellow Cushion’, is a floribunda rose with comparatively much lower plant, having lemon-yellow, double flowers.

USDA zone 5 and warmer