Rose Gabriel Oak

Very handsome and noble rose variety with large rosette shaped flowers that appear in clusters all season long. The colour is bright, bold and distinctive, displaying a very rich deep pink colour that slightly fades as flowering progresses, creating the most charming two toned effect. The fragrance is strong and intricating, of a Fruity character. Mulberry purple stems and dark green glossy foliage adds to its charm and Old rose-like character.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Gabriel Oak' 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 'Gabriel Oak' rose variety are medium sized, about 2 cm long and 1.7 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is broad based. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is medium purple (Group 67A). When half open, the upper sides and the lower sides of the petals are red pink (Group 53C).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 6 cm and the diameter is 6 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 2.5 cm and a width of 1 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is downy on the upper surface and slightly glandular on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is medium brown green (Group 194B) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 143B) with some medium brown purple (Group 184D). There are 2 medium long appendaged sepals and there are 3 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 143B) with some medium brown purple (Group 184D), funnel shaped and has a smooth surface. The receptacle is broad, about 1.2 cm long and about 1.4 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is medium averaging to about 8.5 cm in length, of a strong strength and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium green (Group 143B).

Bloom:

The flowers are large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 9.5 cm. When first open the flower form is cupped; as the flower fully opens the shape slightly flattens displaying a perfect rosette in the center, outer petals curl back. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 125. They are born in small clusters having a rounded shape of 4-14 blooms together. The flowering stem is strong, medium, and has an average length of about 40 cm with a diameter of about 6 mm.

When flowers just open the colour of the upper sides of the petals is dark blue pink (Group 67B) and the reverse sides of the petals are dark blue pink (Group 72D); the base of the petals has a basal spot of medium yellow orange (Group 13B). Under normal growing conditions there is no variegation observed on the flowers of 'Gabriel Oak'.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is medium purple red (Group N66A), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, dark blue pink (Group 67B).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is satiny and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is obovate, the margins are entire. The apex is rounded and the base of the petals is acute, and the tips are slightly incurved. Average length of the petals is about 3.8 cm and the width is about 2.5 cm. The arrangement of the petals is regular.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers. Petaloids have dark blue pink colour (Group 67B), they are about 0.6 - 1.8 cm long and 0.6-1.8 cm width. Petaloids have the shape of the deformed petal with entire margins.

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 5 days, as a cut flower their lastingness is 4 days on average.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Gabriel Oak' is strong, charming and rich, with a Fruity character.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 195 on average per flower, the length is about 8 mm, they are regularly arranged around the styles.

The anthers have a length of about 3 mm and dark yellow colour (Group 14A).

The colour of the filaments is medium yellow (Group 12A), their length is 4 - 5 mm on average.

The pollen is dark yellow (Group 14A) and its amount is moderate.

The number of pistils is 100 on average, and they are about 6 mm long.

The colour of the styles is red pink (Group 45D) and they are about 5 mm long.

Stigma are about 1 mm long and are medium green brown (Group 153C).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Gabriel Oak' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth character is vigorous and powerful. Forms very attractive, compact, rounded and bushy plants. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 125 cm and the width of about 125 cm.

Neat growth and form makes this variety a perfect choice for growing in pots, containers or in a rustic barrel. Its bold and bright colour is distinctive and goes well for any type of planting. It mixes really well in mixed borders with any type of grasses, annuals or perennials. Its striking colour will create both charming contrast in rose borders or when planted as solitaire.

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 normally 5, including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 10 leaves. The foliage is large, about 18 cm long and about 13.5 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is medium green (Group 144A) with dark brown purple (Group 183B) while the lower side is medium green (Group 143B). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 147A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 147B).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is large, they are about 7 cm long and are about 4.5 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate and 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 large.

The petiole has brown red colour (Group 181D), is about 3 cm long and 1.5 mm in diameter, and has a glandular surface texture.

The petiole rachis is brown red (Group 181D), has medium green (Group 143B) and prickles on the underside.

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 1 cm and about 1.5 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is medium green (Group 143B).

The stipules are 2 cm long, have smooth surface and dark brown green colour (Group 147A).

The veins have dark brown green (Group 147A), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has medium green colour (Group 143C), the bark is smooth but with prickles. The mature wood is medium green (Group 143B) and the bark remains smooth but with prickles.

Stems:

The number of lateral branches is 9 on average, they have a length of about 80 cm and the diameter is 10 mm on average. The mature stem has an average length of about 100 cm and the diameter of 10 mm, the internode distance is 10 cm. The stem pubescence is not observed on the stems of this rose variety under normal growing conditions. The above measurements are all variable, depending on growing conditions in a season.

Prickles:

There are many prickles present on the main canes from base, about 12 per 20 cm of the stem length. On the laterals from main canes there is an ordinary quantity of prickles, 10 per 10 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is deep concave, the length is about 5 - 7 mm. The colour of the young prickles is dark brown purple (Group 183B) and the mature prickles have dark brown purple colour (Group 183B).

Small prickles:

There are many small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, about 100 per 10 cm of the stem length. The small prickles have dark brown purple colour (Group 183B).

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Gabriel Oak' 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 after the beloved character in Thomas Hardy’s novel, Far from the Madding Crowd.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Auscrowd’ / 'Gabriel Oak' originated by David Austin by crossing two unnamed and unpatented rose seedlings of class Rosa hybrida.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety that bears large, many-petalled rosette blooms of a deep pink and outer petals of each bloom that pale slightly over time and have a strong fruity 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:

 large, many petalled blooms of deep pink, outer petals that pale over time;

 strong fruity fragrance;

 shapely, broad and rounded shrub having dark green foliage.

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 ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 The seed parent has smaller, pale pink open-cupped blooms compared to the large, deep-pink, many petalled rosettes of ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’.

The ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent has smaller, yellow open-cupped blooms, compared to the large, deep-pink, many petalled rosettes of ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivars to the ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’ are the rose variety ‘Auspike’ / ‘James L. Austin’ and variety ‘Ausvibrant’ / ‘Young Lycidas’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 Both ‘Auspike’ / ‘James L. Austin’ and ‘Ausvibrant’ / ‘Young Lycidas’ have a petallage of around 90, whereas the petallage of ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’ is approximately 125.

 Also, when viewed from above, the shape of the bloom of both ‘Auspike’ / ‘James L. Austin’ and ‘Ausvibrant’ / ‘Young Lycidas’ is irregularly rounded, whereas the blooms of ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’ are round.

 ‘Auspike’ / ‘James L. Austin’ has a depth of bloom of 3.5 cm compared with 6 cm for ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’;

 The petals of ‘Ausvibrant’ / ‘Young Lycidas’ have a reverse which is paler than the inner side, whereas the petal reverse on ‘Auscrowd’ / ‘Gabriel Oak’ is the same shade as the inner side.

USDA 5 and warmer