Rose Beatrice

‘Beatrice’ is a radiant English rose that captures the essence of spring and summer with her joyful presence. Her large, rosette-shaped blooms unfold gradually over several days, revealing a rich swirl of golden yellow and buttery cream petals with cooler blonde highlights. Frilly and refined, each flower is delightfully scented with a strong, warm myrrh fragrance layered with notes of honey, almond, and a touch of lilac.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Beatrice' is provided with color descriptions using terminology of the The Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society (2001), except where common terms of color definition are employed. Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climatic conditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWERING

This rose variety has a continuous flowering habit. Blooms in flushes with short breaks from summer until frosts. The number of blooms per plant during the growing season is profuse, but there are too many to count.

Flower bud:

The flower buds of 'Beatrice' rose variety are medium sized, about 2 cm long and 1.9 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed ovoid and broad based. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is medium yellow green (Group 151C). When half open, the upper sides and the lower sides of the petals are medium yellow (Group 12A).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 7 cm and the diameter is 7 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 3 cm and a width of 1.2 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is downy on the upper surface and slightly downy on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is medium brown green (Group 147C) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 144A). There are 2 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 3 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 143C), funnel shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 1 cm long and about 0.8 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is medium sized, averaging to about 8 cm in length, of a normal strength and has a smooth surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium green (Group 143C).

Bloom:

The flowers of the rose variety ‘Beatrice’ are large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 10 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped. When the flower fully opens the shape becomes flatter, rosette quartered shaped, outer petals curl back. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 83. They are born singly or in small clusters when the shrub is growing naturally, it may hold between 1 and 6 blooms, and then has a rounded shape. The flowering stem has normal strength, long, the average length is about 40 cm and the diameter is about 4 mm.

When first open, the colour of the upper sides of the petals is medium yellow (Group 9C) with the outer edge of the petal being a paler, light orange pink (Group 27D). The reverse sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 10B), with the outer edge being a very pale light red pink (Group 36B). The base of the outer petals has no yellow spot, as the major yellow color of the petal reaches down to the base. Under normal growing conditions the variegation is not observed on the flowers of this rose variety.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is medium yellow (Group 9B), and at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, light yellow (Group 10B). With further aging the color then further changes to light yellow orange (Group 158C).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is leathery and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is obovate, the margins are strong undulation of margin, with weak reflexing. The apex is heavily frilled, some that are notched and the base of the petals is obtuse, and the petals form is incurved with frilled edges. Average length of the petals is about 5 cm and the width is about 5 cm. The arrangement of the petals is quartered.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, 3 on average. Petaloids have medium yellow orange colour (Group 20A), they are about 7 mm long and 4 mm in width. Petaloids have elliptic shape and irregular margins.

The petals of this rose variety normally hang on and dry, therefore the deadheading of the faded flowers is required for this rose variety. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly long, on the plant they last for about 10 days, as a cut flower their lastingness is about 10 days as well.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Beatrice' is strong, fruity with hints of honey, lilac and almond.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 140 on average per flower, the length is about 5 - 9 mm, they are regularly arranged around styles.

The anthers have a length of about 3 mm and medium yellow orange colour (Group 21C).

The colour of the filaments is medium yellow orange (Group 21C), their length is 3 - 6 mm on average.

The pollen is medium yellow orange (Group 21A), the amount of pollen is scarce.

The number of pistils is 70 on average, they are about 15 mm long.

The colour of the styles is light green (Group 145D) and are about 13 mm long.

Stigma are about 2 mm long and they have a medium yellow colour (Group 7A).

The hips of this rose variety have not been observed yet.

PLANT

The rose variety 'Beatrice' is classified as a Shrub rose and is a part of David Austin’s Wedding and Event Roses collection. The growth character is medium, moderately vigorous and upright. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 75 - 100 cm and the width of about 75 cm.

Graceful and generous, 'Beatrice' lends herself beautifully to both garden displays and floral arrangements. Whether used in relaxed country weddings or seasonal bouquets, her elegance and charm effortlessly elevate every setting.

Foliage:

There is an abundant quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves varies is 5, including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 10 leaves. The foliage is medium sized, about 15 cm long and about 13 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146B) tinged with medium brown purple (Group 181A) while the lower side is medium brown green (Group 146C) overlaid with some medium brown purple (Group 181A). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 137A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 137C).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is medium sized, about 8 cm long and are about 5 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate and the base shape is obtuse. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and large.

The petiole has medium green colour (Group 143A) with medium brown purple (Group 181A), is about 3 cm long and 1.8 mm in diameter, and has a rough, glandular surface.

The petiole rachis is medium green (Group 143A) with medium brown purple (Group 181A), the surface with occasional prickles and slightly glandular.

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 0.7 cm and about 2 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is medium green (Group 143C).

The stipules are 2.5 cm long, have glandular surface and medium green colour (Group 143C).

The veins have the same colour as the leaf, the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has medium green colour (Group 143C) with medium brown purple (Group 181A), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is medium green (Group 143C) with medium brown purple (Group 181A), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The mature stem has an average length of about 63 cm and the diameter of 6 mm, the internode distance is 4 cm. The stem pubescence is not observed on the stems of this rose variety. The above measurements are all variable, depending on growing conditions in a season.

Prickles:

There are few prickles present on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes there is a quantity of prickles, 10 per 10 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is deep concave, the length is about 5 mm. The colour of the young prickles is brown red (Group 181B) and the mature prickles have grey brown colour (Group 199D).

Small prickles:

There are no small prickles observed on the main canes as well as on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety.

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Beatrice' is disease resistant, particularly to mildew, blackspot and rust in greenhouse conditions, with on average day temperature maintained at 17.5 degrees C. In the garden conditions it is somewhat susceptible to black spot and mildew. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 7 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

Unfortunately we do not have information about the origin of the name of this rose.

Wedding and Event Roses collection

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Auslevity’ / 'Beatrice' originated by David Austin by crossing an unnamed, unpatented seedling with an unnamed, unpatented seedling of class Rosa hybrida.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new English Rose variety suitable for cut-flower production with large blooms containing frilly petals of rich buttery yellow paling to cream towards the edge, and demonstrating a strong fragrance with hints of honey, lilac and almond.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The objective was achieved, along with other important improvements, and this rose variety incorporated the following unique combination of characteristics:

 large blooms containing heavy frilled petals the color of a rich, buttery yellow that pales to cream toward the edge of the blooms;

 a strong fragrance with hints of honey, lilac and almond;

Asexual reproduction of this variety by budding showed that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions came true to form, established and transmitted through the succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The ‘Auslevity’ / ‘Beatrice’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 the seed parent has a yellow hybrid tea bloom compared with the old-fashioned double bloom with frilly petals of ‘Auslevity’ / ‘Beatrice’.

The ‘Auslevity’ / ‘Beatrice’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent has a pink flowers compared with the yellow blooms of ‘Auslevity’ / ‘Beatrice’.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivar to the ‘Auslevity’ / ‘Beatrice’ is the English rose ‘Ausjameson’ / ‘Juliet’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 the ‘Ausjameson’ / ‘Juliet’ has petals that are rounder with edges that are mostly entire, whereas the petals of ‘Auslevity’ / ‘Beatrice’ are obovate with frilly edges;

 In addition, in ‘Ausjameson’ / ‘Juliet’ the color of the quarter-blown buds are light orange (Group 28C), whereas in ‘Auslevity’ / ‘Beatrice’ the buds are medium yellow (Group 12A), and when the blooms are fully open ‘Ausjameson’ / ‘Juliet’ is more apricot, whereas ‘Auslevity’ / ‘Beatrice’ is more yellow and fades to cream toward its outer edges.

USDA 7