Rose Darcey Bussell

Considered to be one of the best and healthiest red English shrub roses. When young, the outer petals form a perfect ring around the inner petals, which gradually opens to form a perfect cupped rosette.It is notable for its deep, rich crimson colour that takes on a hint of mauve as it ages. The aroma is pleasing and fruity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Darcey Bussell' 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 ‘Darcey Bussell’ rose variety are medium sized, about 4 cm long and 2.8 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is dark purple red (Group 59A). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are medium purple (Group 64B) and the lower sides of the petals are medium purple (Group 64B) with flecks of dark purple (Group 71A).

The sepals have a length of about 3.4 cm and a width of 0.8 cm. The shape of the sepals is subulate, the surface texture is smooth on the upper surface and on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is medium green (Group 143A) with medium green (Group 143C) at base. On the lower surface the colour is medium green (Group 144A) with some light green (Group 144C) at base and a touch of red pink (Group N34C) along the central ridge. There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with glandular edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 144A), campanulate 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, averaging to about 5 cm in length, strong and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle is light green (Group 144B).

Bloom:

The flowers are medium-sized, the average diameter of the open flower is about 10.2 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped. As the flower opens the form becomes more flat, rosette shapes, the petals curl. Flowers are full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 65-70. They are born in small clusters of three to five blooms together, having irregular compound corymb shape. The flowering stem is strong, of a normal length, of about 30 cm with a diameter of about 0.5 cm.

The colour of the flower on the upper sides of the petals is dark purple (Group 61A). The reverse sides of the petals are medium purple (Group 61B). The base of each petal is medium yellow (Group 8B) on the upper side and medium yellow (Group 10A) from the reverse side. On the flowers no variegation is observed.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is dark purple (Group 61A), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes slightly lighter, dark purple (Group 71A).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is smooth and slightly velvety, the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is obovate, the margins are flat and entire with slight undulation. The apex is obtuse and the base of the petals is cuneate, and the form of inner petals is incurved, of the outer petals is incurved with a reflexing margin. Average length of the petals is about 4.9 cm and the width is about 4.0 cm. The arrangement of the petals is imbricated.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, 6 on average. Petaloids have medium purple colour (Group 61B), they are about 6 mm long and have irregular shape. The anthers that are mixed with petaloids have medium yellow orange colour (Group 11A) and 3 mm long; the filaments are red pink (Group 48A) and about 5 mm long.

The petals of this rose variety have good self-cleaning quality, usually petals drop off cleanly before drying. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly long, on the plant they last for about 4 days, as a cut flower they last for about 5 days.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Darcey Bussell' is moderate, fruity.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 15 on average per flower, the length is about 8 mm, they are regular around styles, mixed with petaloids.

The anthers have a length of about 3 mm and medium yellow orange colour (Group 17A).

The colour of the filaments is red pink (Group 48A), their length is 5 mm on average.

The pollen is medium yellow orange (Group 17A).

The number of pistils is 33 on average, they are about 9 mm long.

The colour of the styles is light yellow green (Group 1C) and the average length is 8 mm.

Stigmas are about 1 mm long and have medium yellow orange colour (Group 11A).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Darcey Bussell' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth character is moderately vigorous. Forms rounded, compact and bushy plants. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 100 - 110 cm and a width of about 60 - 110 cm.

Its plant form, health and size makes this rose an ideal choice for flower beds, rose borders, containers, landscaping and hedging.

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 8 leaves. The foliage is medium sized, about 16.3 cm long and about 12.6 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146A) with dark brown purple (Group 183A) concentrated around the margin while the lower side is dark brown green (Group 146A) overlaid with medium brown purple (Group 183D). 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 leaflets are medium sized, about 6.9 cm long and are about 4.4 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate on some leaflets and acute on the others, 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 light green colour (Group 144B) with a red tint caused by glands on the upper surface, not concentrated enough to determine RHS color code, about 4-5 cm long and 2 mm in diameter, and has a smooth, with glands on upper side surface texture.

The petiole rachis is light green (Group 144B) and has prickles on the underside.

The auricle is subulate, has a length of about 8-10 cm and is about 1 mm at base, tapering to a fine point. The colour of the auricle is medium brown green (Group 137C).

The stipules are 3 cm long, have serrated surface and light green colour (Group 144B) with medium brown green (Group 137C) along the margin.

The veins have light green (Group N144D), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has medium green colour (Group 144A) with dark brown purple (Group 184A), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is medium brown green (Group 138A), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The mature stem has an average length of about 30 cm and the diameter of 5 mm, the internode distance is 4 cm. The stem pubescence is not present on the stems of this rose variety. The above measurements are all variable, depending on growing conditions in a season.

Prickles:

There are ordinary prickles present on the main canes from base, about 7 per 5 cm of the stem length. On the laterals from main canes there is an ordinary quantity of prickles, 4 per 5 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is concave curved inward, the length is about 5-6 mm. The colour of the young prickles is brown red (Group 178C); the mature prickles have medium brown colour (Group 176A) with an occasional touch of light yellow brown (Group 161A).

Small prickles:

The small prickles are not observed on the main canes of this rose. On the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety there are few prickles, about 20-30 in the bottom third of the stem. When they are young the colour is brown red (Group 178C) and the colour of the mature small prickles is medium brown (Group 176A).

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Darcey Bussell' has good resistance to most common rose diseases, in particular it is resistant to powdery and downy mildew, blackspot and rust under normal growing conditions. 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.

Darcey Bussell is the highly acclaimed ballerina. She was appointed principal at the Royal Ballet at the age of 20 and has danced in the title role of many ballets around the world. She has been honoured with many awards, including the OBE in 1995.

English Shrub Roses

Award of Garden Merit (RHS/RNRS), Award of Garden Merit (RHS/RNRS), 2006;

Gifu Bronze Medal, Gifu Rose Trials, 2010;

Biltmore - Best Shrub, Biltmore International Rose Trials, 2013;

Modern Shrub Bloom, Greater Atlanta Rose Society Show, 2020;

Modern Shrub Queen of Show, Greater Atlanta Rose Society Show, 2023;

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausdecorum’ / 'Darcey Bussell' originated by David Austin by crossing an unnamed, unpatented seedling with an unnamed, unpatented seedling.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a very healthy new rose variety with good repeat flowering having deep red blooms and a strong 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:

 Deep, rich crimson, medium cupped rosette shaped blossoms;

 A pleasing fruity fragrance;

 Short, bushy upright 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.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The ‘Ausdecorum’ / ‘Darcey Bussell’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 The seed parent has smaller blooms of a lesser petalage than those of ‘Ausdecorum’ / ‘Darcey Bussell’ and has broader, less upright growth.

The ‘Ausdecorum’ / ‘Darcey Bussell’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent has larger blooms with a slighter perfume.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose variety to the ‘Ausdecorum’ / ‘Darcey Bussell’ is English shrub rose ‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 ‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ has more petals per bloom than ‘Ausdecorum’ / ‘Darcey Bussell’ and makes a taller, less compact shrub;

  ‘Ausdecorum’ / ‘Darcey Bussell’ has cupped rosette-shaped blooms with a fruity fragrance compared with the quartered blooms and Old Rose fragrance of ‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’.

USDA 5