Rose Elizabeth

The ‘Elizabeth’ rose exudes an air of true elegance and grandeur, with generous clusters of large, flat rosettes that resemble delicate apple or peach blossoms. The blooms transition beautifully from a crisp apple-blossom pink to a soft, blush white, while the center is adorned with a charming button eye touched with golden apricot. Her fragrance is both strong and sweet, yet refreshingly light, carrying delightful hints of lemon sherbet, perfectly balanced with the classic depth of Old Rose.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Elizabeth' 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 'Elizabeth' rose variety are medium sized, about 3.2 cm long and 1.8 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 medium purple (Group 67A) with dark blue pink (Group 68A). When half open, the upper sides and the lower sides of the petals are light blue pink (Group 65D).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 7 cm and the diameter is 7 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 2.8 cm and a width of 0.9 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is hairy on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is light green (Group N144B) with occasional spots or streaks of medium purple red (Group 63A) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 143C) with a central vertical stripe of medium purple red (Group 63A). There are 2-3 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 2-3 unappendaged sepals with glandular edges.

The receptacle colour is predominately medium brown green (Group 146C) with flashes of medium purple (Group 71B), pear shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is small, about 0.6 cm long and about 0.6 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is short, averaging to about 3.6 cm in length, of a normal strength and has a smooth surface. The colour of the peduncle is an irregular mix of light green (Group 145A) with dark purple red (Group 60A).

Bloom:

The flowers are medium sized, the average diameter of the open flower is about 8 cm and average depth is about 2.8 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, as the flower fully opens the shape becomes more flat rosette shaped, the outer petals curl slightly. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 85 - 90. They are born in small clusters having irregular shape, of 5 - 10 blooms together. The peduncle is short, of a normal strength, of about 3.6 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter.

When first open the colour of the upper sides and of the reverse sides of the petals is light blue pink (Group 65C) and there is a basal petal spot of light yellow colour (Group 11B). Under normal growing conditions no variegation is observed on the flowers of this rose variety.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is light blue pink (Group 62C), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, light blue pink (Group 65D). As the flower ages further the colour becomes even lighter, light blue pink (Group 69B).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is smooth, satiny and thin and the surface is smooth; the shape of the inner petals is oval of and of the outer petals is obcordate, the margins are entire. The apex is orbicular/rounded and the base of the petals is accuminate, the tips slightly recurved. Average length of the petals is about 4 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, 5 on average. Petaloids have light blue pink colour (Group 65C), are about 1.2 cm long and 6 mm in width. Petaloids have obovate shape and uniform margins.

The petals of this rose variety have good self-cleaning quality, they 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 had not been tested.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Elizabeth' is strong, of the Old Rose character, sweet, fresh, with hints of lemon sherbet.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 10 - 15 on average per flower, the length is about 9 mm, they are regularly arranged around styles.

The anthers have a length of about 2.5 mm and medium yellow orange colour (Group 13B).

The colour of the filaments is dark purple (Group 59C), their length is 7 mm on average.

The pollen is medium yellow (Group 10A).

The number of pistils is 20 on average, they are about 7.5 mm long.

The colour of the styles is light yellow (Group 2D) and they are about 6 mm long.

Stigmas are about 1 mm long and have medium yellow orange colour (Group 13B).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Elizabeth' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth character is vigorous and branching, powerful and upright. Has large plants, the mature and well-established plant has a height of about 140 - 150 cm and the width of about 140 - 150 cm.

Her abundance of blooms is set against a backdrop of rich, dark green, textured foliage, creating a regal presence in any garden. This rose variety thrives equally well in mixed beds, borders, and hedges, forming a beautifully shaped shrub with proper pruning. Whether grown in a pot, container, or a slightly shaded spot, her plentiful flowers attract bees and pollinators in search of easy-access pollen. Exceptionally healthy and versatile, ‘Elizabeth’ is a resilient and dependable rose.

Foliage:

There is an abundant 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 10 leaves. The foliage is medium sized, about 17.5 cm long and about 10.5 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is medium green (Group 144A) while the lower side is medium brown green (Group 146C). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 137A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 147B).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is medium, they are about 5.5 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 cordate. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is small and single.

The petiole has medium brown purple colour (Group 184C) on the ventral upper side and the outer upper and reverse sides are light green (Group 144C). Their length is about 4.4 cm long, 2 mm in diameter, and has a glandular surface texture.

The petiole rachis is medium brown purple colour (Group 184C) on the ventral upper side and the outer upper and reverse sides are light green (Group 144C). The underside is smooth with prickles.

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 1 cm and about 4 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is light green (Group N144D).

The stipules are 3 cm long, have serrated to slightly glandular surface and Lateral shape.

The veins have dark green (Group 137A), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has dark purple red colour (Group 59A) with flashes of light green (Group 144B), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is medium green (Group 143C), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The number of lateral branches is 4-5 on average, they have a length of about 80 - 100 cm and the diameter is 7 - 8 mm on average. The mature stem has an average length of about 120 - 150 cm cm and the diameter of 12 mm, the internode distance is 7 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 many to normal quantities of prickles present on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes of this rose variety, about 10 - 15 per 20 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is straight to slightly concave, the length is about 8 mm. The colour of the young prickles is slightly transparent dark purple red (Group 60A); the mature prickles have grey brown colour (Group 199C).

Small prickles:

There are few small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, about 5 per 10 cm of the stem length. When they are young the colour is slightly transparent dark purple red (Group 60A) and the colour of the mature small prickles is grey brown (Group 199C).

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Elizabeth' has good resistance to most common rose diseases, in particular it is resistant to powdery mildew (podosphaera pannosa), downey 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 5 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

Named in honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and with the approval of the Royal Household, ‘Elizabeth’ joined a distinguished collection of royalty-inspired roses. This remarkable variety reflects the generosity, continuity, and enduring presence of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

A symbol of unwavering dedication and service, ‘Elizabeth’ pays tribute to Her Majesty’s 70 years of leadership as the sovereign of Britain and Head of the 15 Commonwealth realms. Over the years, David Austin Roses has had the honor of supplying roses for royal gardens and estates, including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Highgrove. The ‘Elizabeth’ rose stands as a fitting tribute to a life of steadfast devotion and grace.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausmajesty’ / 'Elizabeth' originated in the nursery of David Austin Roses Limited (UK) by Carl Bennett by crossing the two ‘unnamed’ and unpatented seedlings of class Rosa hybrida.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety with apple pink rosettes blossom which pale to a very soft pink, almost white color with a strong fragrance with hints of lemon sherbet and Old Rose, forming an exceptionally healthy shrub, which maintains a well-rounded shape.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

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

 soft pink rosette shaped blooms, paling to a blush pink;

 strong fragrance of lemon sherbet and Old Rose;

 large shrub that repeatedly flowers and has central bracts present.

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 ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 The seed parent is mauve in color compared to the pink flowers and larger and more informal blooms, and more upright growth of ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’ when compared to seed parent.

The ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent has a larger, more cupped bloom and has a growth of habit of a climbing rose as opposed to ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’, and is also less disease resistant.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivars to the ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’ is the variety ‘Ausearnshaw’ / ‘Emily Brontë’ and the may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 Both blooms are predominantly soft pink in color, however ‘Ausearnshaw’ / ‘Emily Brontë’ has more petals per bloom (approx. 105) than ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’ (approx. 85-90).

 ‘‘Ausearnshaw’ / ‘Emily Brontë’ also has considerably fewer number of blooms per lateral when compared to ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’.

 The flower shape is also different, with ‘Ausearnshaw’ / ‘Emily Brontë’ having a rounded bloom, whereas ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’ has a more irregularly rounded bloom.

 Finally, another notable difference relates to the quantity of prickles, with ‘Ausearnshaw’ / ‘Emily Brontë’ having considerably fewer prickles present than ‘Ausmajesty’ / ‘Elizabeth’, which has a medium to high quantity.

USDA 5