Rose Brother Cadfael

Bears very large, globular, clear pink flowers, reminiscent of peonies. Despite their size, they are never clumsy and are held nicely upright on the plant. There is a particularly strong and rich Old Rose fragrance. It forms a bushy shrub; the flowers, leaves and growth all in proportion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The following is a detailed description of my new rose cultivar with color descriptions using terminology in accordance with the Methuen Handbook of Colour, except where ordinary dictionary significance of color is indicated.

Observations made from specimens grown in a garden environment at in Albrighton, Wolverhampton, England in August, 1991.

FLOWER
‘Brother Cadfael’ has recurrent blooming habit, blooms in flushes until frosts.

Flower bud:
‘Brother Cadfael’ has medium sized flower buds, about 2cm (3/4") long when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is globular with cuspidate apex.

When the sepals start to divide, the bud color is violet brown (11E-F8). When half open, the upper and lower sides of the petals are pale red (8A3) at top and salmon/peach (6A4/7A4) in center.

The sepals themselves have deep green colour (29E8) with violet brown (11E8) pigmentation; the surface texture is leathery. There are three lightly appendaged sepals and two unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

Receptacles have deep green colour (29D8), their shape is goblet, and the surface is smooth; they are relatively small with an average length of about 9.5 mm (3/8") and the width of about 6 mm (1/4") on average.

Peduncle is bending, has average length of about 7 – 13 cm (11/4 - 21/2"), the surface is smooth, glandular (sparse). They have medium green colour (29D8) with violet brown (10E6) blush.

Bloom:
The flowers are large, with an average diameter of the open flower of about 12.5 cm (5"). Flowers are globular when the flower just starts to open, slowly turning to cupped form, and flattens as the flower fully opens, the outer petals curl back. Flowers are born together is small clusters of 1 to 5 together, clusters have irregular shape.

The stems on which flowers are born are medium sized, with an average length of about 60 – 76 cm (24 to 30 inches).

Petals:
The petals of ‘Brother Cadfael’ have thin, silky texture and are heart-shaped to round, with notched apex and rounded base. General appearance of the petals is cupped, with slightly curved edges. The arrangement of the petals is informal, with many petaloids in the center.

The number of petals under normal conditions is 45 on average.

The upper side of the petals is pale red (12A3) closer to the edge of the petal and lighter (9A3) starting from the center. The reverse side of the petals is the same. The base of petals has yellow (3A7). The major color on the upper side is pale red (12A3). Variegations is not observed on the flowers.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is slightly paler. At the end of the third day, the color of the majority of the petals is pinkish white (13A2) to reddish white (9A2).

Petals drop off cleanly before drying.

The flowers have good lastingness on the plant – from 7 to 10 days; as a cut flower also good from 5 to 7 days.

Fragrance:
The variety has quite strong, tea rose fragrance with citrus notes.

Reproductive parts:
The anthers are medium sized, many, are yellow in colour. They are partly tucked in calyx, mixed with petaloids.

Filaments are orange (6A7) and the pollen has golden-yellow colour.

Styles starts from pale green colour (30A2) at the base turning into cerise (12C8) at the top.

Stigmas are light yellow (4A4).

PLANT
Forms quite large, upright, bushy shrub. Has medium, branching growth habit. The mature plant of 3 and more years has average height of about 125 – 180 cm and the average width of about 90 – 125 cm.

Foliage:
There is a normal quantity of foliage on the plant, the number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is 5. They are medium sized, the length varies from 8 cm to 14.5 cm (13/4"-23/4") and the average width is about 7.5 cm (3") wide.

The new foliage has dark green colour (28F8). The old foliage is dark green (29F6) with extensive violet brown blush (10F6).

Petiole rachis has dark green colour (29F8), with violet brown blush (10F8). The petiole underside with prickles, up to 2 per internode.

Stipules are medium sized, 1.9 – 2.5 cm long.

Leaflets:
The leaflets have rounded base shape and the pointed oval, cuspidate apex. The texture on the upper side is leathery, edges are serrated, the type of serration is doubles, small.

Wood:
The new wood has reddish, dark brown colour (9F6) and smooth bark. The old wood has dark green colour (29F6) and smooth bark with some rough patches.

Prickles:
There ais few prickles on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes. They are medium sized, straight, evenly distributed. The colour when young is red violet brown (10E8).

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

Disease resistance:
Resistant to mildew and blackspot under normal growing conditions at Albrighton, Wolverhampton, England.

This variety in total showed very good resistance to mildew, blackspot, botrytis and rust. Pest resistance - not tested.

The variety shows good resistance in zones USDA 6 and higher, require winter protection in more colder climates.

This rose was named after the hero of the Ellis Peters detective stories of the same name. The events of the novel are set in Shropshire where also is located the David Austin Roses nursery.

English Shrub Rose

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
‘Brother Cadfael’ relates to the Rosa hybrida class, was bred by David Austin by crossing the variety ‘Ausfather’ / ‘Charles Austin’, with an unnamed seedling.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY
The primary objective of this breeding was to produce a new rose variety having pink, quartered, scented flowers on a bushy plant which repeatedly flowers.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The objective was substantially achieved along with other desirable improvements as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics which are outstanding in this variety and which distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties:

1. Very large, soft pink flowers;

2. Branching habit; and

3. Strong fragrance.

Asexual reproduction of this new variety by budding, as performed at Albrighton, Wolverhampton, England, shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
‘Ausglobe’ / ‘Brother Cadfael’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

• whereas the seed parent has apricot flowers, larger plant and has lighter foliage, ‘Ausglobe’ / ‘Brother Cadfael’ bears cupped flowers of soft pink colour, has darker foliage colour and forms slightly lower plant.

USDA zone 5 and warmer