Rose Claire Rose

Graceful yet robust, ‘Claire Rose’ offers the classic quartered beauty of Old roses with the generous repeat flowering, and will become a rewarding choice for gardeners who favour soft, romantic colours and heady scent.

FLOWERING

The flowering habit is repeated and continual. Clusters of 3 - 5 blooms are produced in flushes from early summer until frost. In cool, wet weather the light petals may spot, so prompt dead-heading keeps the display immaculate.

From a plump, blush-pink buds open large flowers of about 10 cm (~ 3.9 in) in diameter of superb form. Each flower begins as a neatly cupped chalice, then expands slowly to a flat, many-petalled quartered rosette, the outer petals curl slightly. The very outer guard petals fade to near-white colour while the central quarters retain a deeper shell-pink, giving a luminous two-tone effect. Petal structure is excellent, thick and soft, so blooms last well on the plant or in a vase. The fragrance is strong, sweet and distinct, with a prominent Tea character.

PLANT

The rose variety 'Claire Rose' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth is vigorous and upright with sturdy, but sometimes ungainly, canes that bow gracefully under the weight of blossom. In moderate climates it forms a medium sized shrub of about 150 cm (4.9 ft) tall and about 125 cm (4.1 ft) in diameter; in warm climates it can exceed 250 cm (8 ft) in height and benefits from light pegging or training against a fence.

There is a normal quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is typically 5, but sometimes 7, including the terminal leaflet. The leaves are large, healthy, medium to dark-green.

Plant ‘Claire Rose’ at the back of a mixed border or combine three shrubs for a billowing focal point. It is amenable to partial shade, works well as a short climber, and makes an exceptional cutting rose thanks to its lasting blooms and fragrance.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 6 and requires winter protection in more colder climates. Choose a sunny, well-drained site with good air circulation; feed moderately and prune lightly in spring, as very hard cuts can delay the first rebloom.

The disease resistance of this rose variety is rather moderate by the current scale, in colder and wet seasons it is prone to black spot and mildew. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Where summer rainfall is heavy, thin the centre of the plant to improve airflow and remove any rain-spotted blossoms promptly.

David Austin named this rose for his daughter.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Auslight’ / 'Claire Rose' originated by David Austin by crossing female parent (seed parent) English shrub rose ‘Charles Austin’ with the pollen parent - Floribunda rose ‘Schneewittchen’ (‘Iceberg’).

USDA 6