Rose Emily

Despite its somewhat modest vigor and growth habit, 'Emily' captivates with blooms of exceptional charm and unique formation. The flowers progress through multiple stages of transformation: starting as pale blush-pink cups, the outer petals gradually fall back, revealing a cupped center that eventually develops into a full rosette. The contrast between the glowing pink inner petals and nearly white outer petals adds depth and elegance at every stage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Emily' is provided with color descriptions using terminology of the The Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, 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 'Emily' rose variety are medium sized, about 1.5 - 2.0 cm long and 1.5 - 2.0 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is globular, broad based. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is medium brown purple (Group 185B). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are paler than light red pink (Group 49D) and the lower sides of the petals are light red pink (Group 49D).

The sepals have a length of about 2 cm and a width of 0.9 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is glandular and occasionally, sepals may profoundly be foliated. The colour on the upper surface is medium green (Group 144A) and light green (Group 144B). There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with smooth, downy edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 144A), funnel shaped and has a glandular surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 0.6 - 0.8 cm long and about 0.8 - 1 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is medium averaging to about 3 - 4.5 cm in length, bending and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium green (Group 144A).

Bloom:

The flowers are medium, the average diameter of the open flower is about 7.5 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, the outer petals then fall back flat, leaving the center of the flower cupped. Later the inner petals open to form a rosette and the outer petals fall back further, providing what is in effect a third formation. Eventually the whole flower becomes a rosette. Inner petals appear cramped and tend to be caught into the calyx to form a button. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 140, but also ranging from 130 to 150. They are born in small clusters, of 3 - 5 blooms, having irregular shape. The flowering stem has normal strength, medium sized, the average length is about 50-60 cm.

When first open the colour of the upper sides of the petals is light red pink (Group 36D) and very pale light orange pink (Group 27D), with some deeper light blue pink (Group 56B) coloring on outer petals. The reverse sides of the petals are paler than light yellow orange (Group 19D). The base of the petals has light yellow orange (Group 19D) from center to base, with darker yellow to medium yellow orange (Group 11A or 11B). The major color on the upper side is paler than light red pink (Group 36D). 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 slightly paler than light red pink (Group 36D), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes much paler, less pink and less yellow, almost white.

Petals:

The texture of the petals is leathery on medium petals and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is round, the outer petals are wide, heart shaped. The apex is notched and the base of the petals is rounded, and the edges are slightly quilled. The arrangement of the petals is slightly quartered at center, outside imbricated, with many petaloids in the center.

The outer petals of this rose variety normally drop off cleanly before drying and the inner petals hang on and dry. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly short, on the plant they last for about 3 days, and about the same tenor they last as a cut flower - about 3 days.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Emily' is moderate to strong, sweet and fruity.

Reproductive parts:

There are few stamens per flower, they are mixed with petaloids.

The anthers are yellow.

The colour of the filaments white, their length is medium.

The pollen is gold yellow.

The colour of the styles is white to very pale green, and the inner styles tend to be foliate.

Stigmas are yellow.

The flowers of this rose variety are sterile. The styles and stigmas are visible, but not the stamens. Hips do not form under normal conditions at the site of the observations.

PLANT

The rose variety 'Emily' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth character is very moderate, branching basally dominant with 6 to 8 strong canes. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 75 - 120 cm and the width of about 60 - 90 cm.

Although ‘Emily’ is not very vigorous and is difficult to grow well, it will repay your devotion with some of the most exquisite flowers. The dark green foliage complements the delicate blooms beautifully, though the plant may suffer from mildew early in the season. Slightly compact yet graceful, it is well-suited for borders, containers, or as part of grouped plantings for greater visual impact.

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 5, including the terminal leaflet. The foliage is medium to large sized, about 17 - 18 cm long and about 14 - 15 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is medium green (Group 144A) with reddish blush on margins and veins. The mature foliage is dark brown green (Group 147A).

Leaflets:

The leaflets are large, have a pointed oval shape. Their surface texture is leathery, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is double and small.

The petiole has green colour, has a glandular surface, with prickles, about 2.5 prickles per internode.

The petiole rachis is green. The stipules are about 2.5 - 3.0 cm long, the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has dark green and reddish colour, the bark is smooth. The mature wood is green and streaky, the bark remains smooth.

Prickles:

There are many prickles present on the main canes from base, about 3 to 5 per internode. On the laterals from main canes there is an ordinary quantity of prickles. The shape of the prickles is hooked downward, the length is about 4 to 5 mm. The colour of the prickles is green and red.

Small prickles:

There are many small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety. They are very small, about 1 mm long and have brown colour. Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Emily' has normal resistance to mildew and to black spot under normal growing conditions. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 6 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

This rose is named for a character in "The Knight's Tale" whom Chaucer describes as being fairer than the lily or the May.

Emily (or Emelye) in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Knight's Tale is a central figure who symbolizes beauty, grace, and virtue. She is the sister of Queen Hippolyta and lives in Theseus's court in Athens. While Emily herself plays a relatively passive role in the narrative, her beauty and demeanor become the catalyst for the central conflict between the two knights, Palamon and Arcite, who both fall deeply in love with her upon first sight.

Emily embodies the medieval conception of women as symbols of inspiration and the objects of courtly love, rather than fully realized characters with agency. Her portrayal reflects the societal values and constraints of Chaucer's time, particularly the expectation that women serve as muses or rewards for male heroism and devotion.

Despite her limited agency, Emily’s beauty, grace, and symbolic resonance leave a lasting impression on the narrative, making her an enduring figure in the exploration of love, rivalry, and fate in The Knight's Tale.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausburton’ / 'Emily' originated by David Austin by crossing the English rose variety "The Prioress" with the English shrub rose variety ’Ausmary’ / "Mary Rose".

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety with repeat flowering and pink, old-fashioned-type flowers.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

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

 Very full flowers with cupped shape which transitions to rosette, the outer petal reflex;

 Soft pink color fading almost to white;

 Strong, sweet and fruity fragrance;

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 ‘Ausburton’ / ‘Emily’ may be distinguished from its seed parent "The Prioress", by the following combination of characteristics:

 "The Prioress" has fewer petals and cupped shaped blush pink to white flowers with gold stamens and red pistils and ‘Ausburton’ / ‘Emily’ variety has very full blush pink with a button eye flowers, and fading to white on the outer reflexed petals.

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

 The pollen parent ’Ausmary’ / "Mary Rose" has bright pink informal rosette flowers on much larger plant, while ‘Ausburton’ / ‘Emily’ has blush pink flowers, and fading to white and forms much smaller plants.

USDA 6