Rose Cottage Rose

Compact, bushy English shrub rose prized for its abundant, old-rose charm blooms and exceptional repeat flowering. From a mass of slender, twiggy canes emerge clusters of medium‑sized, rosette‑shaped flowers. The silky pink petals form a shallow cup around a subtle button eye, sometimes tinged with a hint of yellow, evoking the swirl of a strawberry‑raspberry parfait in cooler weather. Has a delicate Old Rose fragrance complimented by notes of almond and lilac, becoming surprisingly diffusive when blooms are cut and warmed in a room.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Cottage Rose' is provided with color descriptions using terminology of the "Methuen Handbook of Colour" published by Eyre Methuen Ltd. (1963), 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 'Cottage Rose' rose variety are medium sized, about 3.2 cm (1 1/4") long and 3 cm (1 1/4") in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed ovoid, and globular. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is old rose / greyish red (Group 10C5) and brownish red (Group 10C7). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are grayish rose / mallow (Group 12B5) and the base is reddish yellow / buttercup yellow (Group 4A7) and the lower sides of the petals are pale red / pastel red (Group 10A4) and the base is reddish yellow / buttercup yellow (Group 4A7). Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back.

The sepals have a length of about 3.5 cm (1 1/4") and a width of 1 cm (3/8"). The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is leathery. The colour of the sepals is greyish green (Group 29D7) with violet brown (Group 10E6). There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is greyish green (Group 1D6) with violet brown blush (Group 10E7), jug-shaped and has a glandular surface. The size of the receptacle is small, about 0.64 – 0.95 cm (1/4" - 3/8") long and about 0.64 cm (1/4") in diameter.

The peduncle is medium, averaging to about 5.1 - 6.5 cm (2 - 21/2") in length, erect and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium green.

Bloom:

The flowers are medium sized, the average diameter of the open flower is about 6.5 cm (2 ½ inches). When first open, the flower form is cupped rosette, it later flattens as flowers fully open, becoming almost flat rosette with a button-eye in centre, the outer petals curl back. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions varies from 70 to 95. They are born in small clusters having irregular shape, of 3-5 blooms together. The flowering stem has normal strength, is medium long, and has an average length of about 60 - 76 cm (24 to 30").

When first open the colour of the upper sides of the petals is rose pink (Group 12A3) yellowing to the base and the reverse sides of the petals are pinkish white (Group 11A2) yellowing to the base. The base of the petals are yellow / genet (Group 3A7). The major color on the upper side and the general appearance of the flowers is rose pink (Group 12A3). Under normal growing conditions no variegation is observed on the flowers of rose variety.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is rose pink (Group 12A3) but slightly greyer, at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, reddish grey (Group 12B2) yellowing to yellowish white at the base (Group 3A2).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is thin, soft and silky and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is heart-shaped with trilobed apex, deltoid. and the tips slightly recurved, edges slightly quilled. The arrangement of the petals is quartered, the inner petals curved inward and caught into the space between the perigynous zone and the style.

The petals of this rose variety have good self-cleaning quality, they normally drop off cleanly before drying. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly long, on the plant they last for about 7 to 10 days, as a cut flower their lastingness varies from 5 to 7 days.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Cottage Rose' is moderate, Old rose with notes of almond and lilac.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens varies from 25 to 40, they are medium sized, and are tucked in calyx or partly so.

The anthers have yellow colour.

The colour of the filaments is yellow as well.

The pollen is gold yellow.

The colour of the styles is milk white (Group 1A2).

Stigma also milk white in colour (Group 1A2).

The hips of this rose variety have not been observed.

PLANT

The rose variety 'Cottage Rose' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth character is moderate, branching, bushy and upright. Mature and well-established plants have a height of about 90 to 130 cm (36 to 50") and the width of about 90 to 110 cm (36 to 42") cm.

The shrub has upright, arching canes that may on rare occasions send up a long, climbing shoot—best removed to preserve its neat, bushy habit. To get the best performance, plant in groups of two or three for mutual support, prune lightly after each flush to encourage new flowering shoots, and deadhead regularly to prevent spent petals from lingering. This versatile rose excels as a low hedge, a border specimen, bringing timeless, cottage‑garden beauty to beds large and small.

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 is usually 5, including the terminal leaflet. The foliage is medium sized.

The colour of the juvenile foliage is greyish green / bracken green (Group 29E7) with violet brown / maroon margins (Group 11F8). The mature foliage has dark green colour (Group 29F7).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is medium about 5.1 - 7.0 cm (2 - 2 3/4") cm long and are about 3.2 - 3.8 cm (1 1/4 - 1 1/2") cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acute and the base shape is round. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, matt. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is double and medium.

The petiole has green colour with violet brown blush (Group 10E6), and has prickles on the underside, about 2 to 3 per internode, and glandular surface. The petiole rachis is green with violet brown blush (Group 10E6).

The stipules are about 2.5 cm (1") cm long.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has greyish green colour (Group 29D7) with brownish red / raspberry blush (Group 10D7), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is greyish green (Group 29D7), the bark is smooth with rough patches.

Prickles:

There are many prickles present on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes of this rose variety. The shape of the prickles is hooked downward, they are medium sized. The colour of the prickles is brown, they are evenly distributed on the stems.

Small prickles:

There are many small prickles on the main canes of this rosean on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, they have the same colour as the large prickles.

Disease resistance:

Although occasionally susceptible to mildew and black spot, ‘Cottage Rose’ remains reliably healthy when planted in a sunny spot with good air circulation and all‑round cultivation. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 5 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

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

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausglisten’ / 'Cottage Rose' originated by David Austin by crossing female parent (seed parent) - English shrub rose ‘Ausbath’ /‘Wife of Bath’ with the male parent (pollen parent) - English shrub rose ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety with pink, quartered, scented flowers on a bushy plant which flowers repeatedly.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

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

 medium to small sized old-fashioned flowers;

 repeat flowers very well;

 very bushy growth.

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.

USDA 5