Rose Bring Me Sunshine

'Bring Me Sunshine' is a vibrant and uplifting English Shrub Rose that lives up to its cheerful name. This rose produces richly filled, cupped rosettes in bold yellow-orange hues that gradually soften to warm apricot tones, exuding a sunny disposition. Each bloom is intricately layered, held within a golden chalice-shaped form, creating an inviting and friendly appearance. The upright and bushy growth habit, complemented by large, mid-green foliage, makes this rose both striking and versatile.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Bring Me Sunshine' 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 recurrent 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 'Bring Me Sunshine' rose variety are medium sized, about 2.9 cm long and 2.2 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is long pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is dark yellow (Group 13A) with flashes of orange red (Group 34C). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are medium yellow orange (Group 13B).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 6.6 cm and the diameter is 6.6 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 2.9 cm and a width of 1.15 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is hairy on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface, they are regularly arranged. The colour on the upper surface is light green (Group 144B) in the center with dark brown green (Group 146B) on the perimeter; 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 144A) with a ring of dark purple red at apex (Group 60B), apple shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 1 cm long and about 1 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is medium sized, averaging to about 5.4 cm in length, of a normal strength and has a smooth surface. The colour of the peduncle is light green (Group 144C).

Bloom:

The flowers are large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 10.1 cm and average depth is about 4 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, globular, the flower form bloom flattens when fully open, the outer petals curl back. When viewed from the side the upper profile of the flowers is flat and the lower profile has flattened convex shape. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 95. They are born in small clusters, of 2-6 blooms, having rounded shape.

The colour of the upper sides of the petals is medium yellow orange (Group 13C) and the reverse sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 6D); the basal spot is not ascertainable on its flowers. Under normal growing conditions there is no variegation observed on the flowers of ‘Bring Me Sunshine’.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is dark yellow (Group 15A). At the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, medium yellow orange (Group 13C).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is smooth, satiny and thin on both sides and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is obovate, the margins are outer petals sometimes emarginate, notch at tip. The apex is rounded, sometimes emarginate, and the base of the petals is obtuse, and the petals form is generally incurved, some tips slightly recurved. Average length of the petals is about 4.6 cm and the width is about 2.8 cm. The arrangement of the petals is informal.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, 6 - 10 on average. Petaloids have light yellow colour (Group 10B), they are about 1.4 mm long and 0.7 mm width. Petaloids have an obovate shape with uniform margins.

The petals of this rose variety normally hang on and dry. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly long, on the plant they last for about 7 days, as a cut flower their lastingness has not been tested yet.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Bring Me Sunshine' is moderate to strong, Myrrh.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 65-70 on average per flower, their length is about 10 mm, they are regularly arranged around styles.

The anthers have a length of about 2.5 mm and have medium yellow orange colour (Group 11A).

The colour of the filaments is medium yellow orange (Group 11A), their length is 8 mm on average.

The pollen is medium yellow (Group 6C), the amount of pollen is moderate.

The number of pistils is 45 on average, they are about 11 mm long.

The colour of the styles is white (Group 157D), and they are about 9 mm long.

Stigma are about 2 mm long and are medium yellow orange (Group 11A) with a tinge of brown red (Group 179A).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Bring Me Sunshine' is classified as a Shrub rose. The growth character is moderately vigorous, upright, and powerful. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 125 - 150 cm and the width of about 110 cm.

It performs beautifully in borders, pots, or as a standalone feature. Its adaptability extends to partial shade, where it continues to brighten garden spaces with its vibrant flowers. Perfect for mass planting in borders or combining with other sunny-hued flowers to create a cheerful and bright garden display. It also thrives in containers, making it an ideal choice for patios, doorways, or smaller spaces where its joyful presence can be fully appreciated.

Foliage:

There is a normal quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves varies from 5 to 7, including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 5 -7 leaves. The foliage is large to medium sized, about 14.5 cm long and about 10.3 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark green brown (Group 152B) while the lower side is dark purple (Group 59C). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146A) and on the lower side is dark brown green (Group 146B).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is medium about 5 cm long and are about 4 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate and the base shape is rounded. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and small.

The petiole has medium purple colour (Group 61B) on the upper surface and reverse side is medium green (Group 144A), is about 4.5 cm long and 2 mm in diameter, and has a glandular surface texture.

The petiole rachis is medium purple (Group 61B) on the upper surface and reverse side is medium green (Group 144A), has smooth with prickles lower surface and is smooth on the upper side.

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 0.9 cm and about 0.3 mm wide.

The colour of the auricle is light green (Group 144B).

The stipules are 3 cm long, have lateral shape with acute apex, have a glandular surface and light green colour (Group 144B).

The veins have dark brown green (Group 146A), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has dark purple red colour (Group 59A), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is medium green (Group 144A), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The number of lateral branches is 2-3 on average, they have a length of about 100 cm and the diameter is 9 mm on average. The mature stem has an average length of about 60 - 80 cm and the diameter of 7 mm, the internode distance is 7.2 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, about 3-6 per 20 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is concave curved inward, the length is about 6 to 7 mm. The colour of the young prickles is dark purple (Group 61A); the mature prickles have grey brown colour (Group 199D).

Small prickles:

There are few small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, about 1-2 per 20 cm of the stem length. When they are young the colour is dark purple (Group 61A), slightly transparent and the colour of the mature small prickles grey brown (Group 199D).

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Bring Me Sunshine' has good resistance to most common rose diseases, in particular it is resistant to powderly mildew (podosphaera pannosa), downy mildew (peronospora species), blackspot (diplocarpon rosae) and rust (phragmidium tuberculatum) under normal growing conditions. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 6 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

Named after the Morecambe and Wise song ‘Bring me Sunshine’ is famously associated with them. The song, first recorded by The Mills Brothers in 1968 and later popularized by Morecambe and Wise, symbolizes joy and positivity.

David Austin, an admirer of the duo, had ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ played in his honor at his funeral in 2018.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausernie’ / 'Bring Me Sunshine' originated by Carl Bennett and David Austin by crossing two unnamed and unpatented seedlings of Rosa hybrida.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose with deeply filled, cupped rosettes of sunset yellow-orange, paling to apricot, and a healthy and upright, bushy shrub with a medium-strong Myrrh fragrance.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

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

 yellow-orange blooms paling to apricot ;

 cupped rosette shaped blooms;

 medium strong Myrrh fragrance.

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 ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 The seed parent has fewer petals and these are held in a much looser manner when compared to ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’.

The ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent is more apricot/orange in color when compared to ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ which has fewer petals and, as a plant, is larger overall.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivar to the ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ is the rose variety ‘Auswinter’ / ‘Crown Princess Margareta’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 Both blooms are similar in color however ‘Auswinter’ / ‘Crown Princess Margareta’ has more petals, approximately 120, when compared to ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ with approximately 95 petals.

  ‘Auswinter’ / ‘Crown Princess Margareta’ also has a different growth habit, as more of a climbing rose, when compared to ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ which is more a shrub rose;

 There is also a difference in the number of prickles, with ‘Auswinter’ / ‘Crown Princess Margareta’ having considerably more prickles than ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’;

 Finally, the leaf glossiness of the upper side is weaker on ‘Auswinter’ / ‘Crown Princess Margareta’ when compared to ‘Ausernie’ / ‘Bring Me Sunshine’.

USDA 6