Rose Janet

After dedicating 50 years to developing roses featuring the classic Old Rose form, in 2003 David Austin introduced 'Janet' which became the first variety with classical Hybrid Tea flower shape among English shrub roses. This rose combines vigorous, graceful, arching growth, and abundance of flowers with classically shaped, pointed buds which opens into pleasing rosette shape flowers, offering a delightful blend of both English and Hybrid Tea roses. The flowers are positioned on elongated stems that gracefully lean forward. Their color is a delightful blend of pink with hints of yellow, the outer petals starting as light yellow and gradually fading to almost white over time. There is also medium strong, captivating and classic Tea Rose fragrance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The detailed description of rose variety ‘Janet’ is provided with color descriptions using terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society (London) Colour Chart (2001), except where ordinary dictionary significance of color is indicated.

FLOWER
This rose variety has recurrent blooming habit. Flowers in flushes from summer until frosts.

Flower bud:
The flower bud is large, about 2.9 cm long and 2 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud has pointed ovoid form. When the sepals first divide, bud color is light green (Group 144B). When half blown, the upper sides of the petals are light red pink (Group 37D) and the lower sides of the petals are light orange pink (Group 27B).

The sepals on the upper surface and the lower surface have medium green colour (Group 144A). The length of the sepals is about 2.4 cm and the width is about 0.8 cm. The shape is awl-shaped, the surface texture on the upper surface is pubescent and the lower surface is smooth. There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with smooth edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 144A), has campanulate shape and smooth surface. The size is medium, the length is about 1.1 cm the width is about 1.2 cm.

The peduncle is medium long and moderately strong, averaging 6 cm in length, the surface texture is smooth. The colour of the peduncle is light green (Group 144B). The peduncle in hot and dry climate tends to bend under the weight of its large flowers.

Bloom:
The flowers are large, the diameter of the open flower is 8 – 9 cm on average. They are borne singly or in small flat clusters, of up to 4 blooms. Th enflowering stems have normal strength, with an average length of about 62 cm with a diameter of 0.8 cm; the internode distance about 6 cm.

When first open the flower form is high centered. As the flower fully opens the flower form changes to a quartered rosette shape with outer petals curl back. The number of petals under normal conditions is 76 on average.

The colour of the upper sides of the petals is medium blue pink (Group 62B) at the outer part and light yellow (Group 10D) towards the base. The reverse sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 11C) at the outer part and light yellow (Group 10C) towards the base. The base of each petal is light yellow (Group 10D). The major color on the upper side is medium blue pink (Group 62B). The variegations on the petals of this variety is not observed.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is medium blue pink (Group 62B). Later the colours are fading, and the general tonality changes to at the end of the third day to light blue pink (Group 75D).

The flowers last on a plant for about 5 days under normal growing conditions, as a cut flower about 3 days.

Petals:
The petals of this variety have a satiny texture and smooth texture. The petals are large, incurved and round, the length of the petals is about 5 cm and the width is about 5 cm. The margins of the petals heavily reflexing and undulating, the apex has orbicular, slightly notched shape; the base is pointed. The petals arrangement is quartered.

There are normally about 7 petaloids on a flower, they have medium blue pink colour (Group 61D).

The petals hang on and dry on a flower.

Fragrance:
The fragrance of ‘Janet’ is medium-strong, of a pure Tea rose character.

Reproductive parts:
There are about 70 stamens on a flower, the length of the stamens is about 13 mm.

The anthers are about 3 mm long, medium yellow orange (Group 17A), they are mixed with petaloids.

The filaments have medium yellow orange colour (Group 17A), the length is about 10 mm.

Pollen has medium yellow orange colour (Group 17B).

The number of pistils on a flower is about 50, they have a length of about 5 mm.

The styles are 4 mm long and have light red pink colour (Group 49D).

Stigmas are 1 mm long and medium yellow (Group 10A).

Hips were not observed.

PLANT
The rose variety ‘Janet’ is classified as a shrub rose and is part of the English Shrub roses collection by David Austin. It has vigorous, branching and slightly arching growth habit. A mature and well-established plant can reach the height of about 120 to 240 cm and the width of about 90 – 120 cm. Age at maturity is about 2 years.

Due to its vigorous and gracefully arching growth habit this variety is especially suitable for growing on arches, pergolas and pillars, where its nodding flowers will look their best and will add nostalgic twist to your garden.

Foliage:
The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is 5. The leaves are medium sized, about 13.5 cm long and 10 cm wide. The average number of leaves per flowering stem is 7.

The new foliage on the upper side has dark brown green colour (Group 146A) and the lower side is medium brown (Group 176B). The old foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 147A) while the lower side has medium brown green colour (Group 147B).

Leaflets:
The leaflets are large, about 5.7 cm long and 4.4 cm wide. They have pointed oval shape with obtuse base and rotundate apex. The surface texture is lathery and semi-glossy, the edges are serrated, the type of serration is small and single.

Petiole has medium brown green colour (Group 137D).

Petiole rachis is medium green (Group 143C) with prickles on the underside.

The auricle is awl-shaped.

The stipules is about 3.4 cm long and their edges are serrated.

The vein colour is dark brown green (Group 146B), the venation pattern is net-veined.

Wood:
The new wood is dark brown (Group 166A), the bark is smooth. The old wood is dark brown green (Group 146A) and the bark is smooth.

Prickles:
The quantity of prickles on the main canes from base is about 11 per 15 cm of the stem’s length. On laterals from main canes there are about 7 prickles per 30 cm of the stem’s length. The prickles are large, have hooked downward form; their length is about 1.2 cm. The colour of the young prickles is medium green (Group 143C); the mature prickles are brown red (Group 178B).

Small prickles:
The quantity of small prickles on the main stalks is 1 per 10 cm length of stem. On the laterals - none observed. The colour of the young small prickles is dark brown purple (Group 183A); when mature they have medium brown colour (Group 172B).

Disease resistance:
The health of the ‘Janet’ is good. The variety is resistant to both powdery and downy mildew, blackspot and rust under normal growing conditions. Pest resistance has not been tested.

The variety is recommended for climate zones similar to USDA 6 or warmer.

Named in memory of Janet, who had a life-long love of roses.

English Shrub Rose

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The rose variety ‘Auspishus’ / ‘Janet’ was originated by David Austin by crossing the variety ‘Ausgold’ / ‘Golden Celebration’ with an unnamed, unpatented seedling. Therefore the parentage of this rose can be expressed as following:

Seed parent (female parent) - ‘Ausgold’ / ‘Golden Celebration’;

Pollen parent (male parent) – unnamed, unpatented seedling.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY
The primary objective of the mentioned above breeding was to produce a rose variety having long arching growth, bearing long elegant buds which open into rosette shaped blooms of deep pink, paling at the edges.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding in rose variety ‘Auspishus’ / ‘Janet’ and that distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties:

1. Deep pink blooms of the hybrid tea type.

2. Long, arching growth.

3. Strong, Tea Rose fragrance.

4. Vigorous, branching growth.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
‘Ausgold’ / ‘Golden Celebration’ has large cupped golden-yellow flowers compared with the rosette shaped deep pink flowers of ‘Auspishus’ / ‘Janet’.

The unnamed pollen parent has a cupped bloom compared to the rosette bloom of ‘Auspishus’ / ‘Janet’.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR
‘Aussaucer’ / ‘Evelyn’ has apricot blooms with an Old Rose fragrance and greater petals count than the pink blooms of ‘Auspishus’ / ‘Janet’ whose fragrance is of Tea Rose character.

USDA zone 6 and warmer