Rose Kathryn Morley

Graceful and romantic English shrub rose, named in loving memory of an 18-year-old girl whose parents won the naming rights at a charity auction. The blooms are large, deeply cupped, with a rosette shaped center. Petals are soft rose pink, often with deeper tones at the center and paler, even white, outer edges as they age. The translucent petals have a gossamer quality that catches the light beautifully, and may occasionally form a button eye. Ruffled and reflexed guard petals add informal elegance. Fragrance is moderate and sweet, Tea rose with a blend of Old Rose and myrrh - rich and lingering in the air under most conditions. Flowers are usually borne on long, arching stems, singly or in loose clusters, and repeat bloom in regular flushes every few weeks.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Kathryn Morley' is provided with color descriptions using terminology of the "Methuen Handbook of Colour" published by Eyre Methuen Ltd. (1963), 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 'Kathryn Morley' rose variety are medium sized, about 2.5 cm (1") cm long when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is globular with cuspidate apex. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is madder red (bluish) (Group 11B8). When half open, the upper sides and the lower sides of the petals are pale red / rose pink (Group 12A3) with the top edge fading to yellow white at the center of the petal. Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back.

The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is leathery, speckled with red glandular hairs. The colour on the upper surface is greyish green (Group 29D7) with violet brown blush (Group 10E7) on margins and midline. There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is greyish green / bracken green (Group 29E7), goblet shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is small, about 0.6 cm (1/4") cm long and about 0.6 cm (1/4") cm in diameter.

The peduncle is medium-sized, very variable, averaging to about 2.5 - 3.8 cm (1 - 1 1/2") cm in length, erect and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle varies from medium green to bronzy and to greyish green (Group 29D7) with violet brown blush (Group 10E7).

Bloom:

The flowers are large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 7.6 - 10.2 cm (3 - 4") cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, and when fully open the form flattens , outer petals curl back, revealing a perfect rosette, sometimes quartered or with a button-eye in the center. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions varies from 60 to 80. They are born in singly or several together clusters having irregular shape, of up to 15 blooms together. The flowering stem has medium strength, and has an average length of about 61 - 76 cm (24 to 30 inches).

The colour of the open flowers on the upper sides and the reverse sides of the petals are pale red / rose pink (Group 11A3 or 12A3) the top edge of petal fading to milk white (Group 1A2) at the center of petal. The base of the petals has a small spot of pastel yellow (Group 1A4). The general tonality of the flowers varies from pale red / rose pink (Group 11A3) to pale red / rose pink (Group 12A3). 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 pale red / rose pink but slightly paler. At the end of the third day the general tonality becomes much lighter, reddish grey / pinkish white (Group 12A2) fading further to white / lily white (Group 1A1).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is thin, soft and silky and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is oval, the apex is slightly recurved and the base of the petals is round, and the petals form is deeply cupped, inner petal edges are slightly quilled. The arrangement of the petals is informal, inner petals are crushed and folded, with few petaloids in the center.

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 7 days, as a cut flower their lastingness varies from 5 to 7 days.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Kathryn Morley' is moderate, of a delicate Tea Rose character with a blend of Old Rose and myrrh.

Reproductive parts:

There are many stamens in the flowers of this rose variety, they are regularly arranged around the styles, mixed with petaloids.

The anthers have a length of about 0.3 cm (1/8") and are yellowish orange in colour (Group 4A8).

The colour of the filaments is pale yellow (Group 3A3).

The pollen is golden yellow.

The colour of the styles is pale yellow (Group 1A3).

Stigma has a pale yellow colour (Group 2A3).

The hips of this rose variety have not been observed.

PLANT

The rose variety 'Kathryn Morley' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth habit is upright and slightly arching, with good vigor in warmer climates where it can reach up to 250 cm (8 feet). In cooler regions, it remains a smaller, bushier plant, making it versatile for both compact and expansive garden settings. Mature and well-established plants have a height of about 110 - 120 cm (36 to 42 inches) and the width of about 110 - 120 cm (36 to 42 inches).

Self-pegging can help maintain its shape and stimulate increased flowering. Despite its minor drawbacks, the rose is admired for its emotional backstory, floral beauty, and strong fragrance.

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 usually 7, including the terminal leaflet. The foliage is medium sized.

The colour of the juvenile foliage is dark green (Group 29F7) with violet brown blush (Group 10E8). The old foliage is dark green (Group 28F7).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is medium, they are about 3.8 - 8.3 cm (1 1/2" - 3 1/4") long and are about 3.8 - 5.1 cm (1 1/2" - 2") wide. The shape of the leaflets is oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is cuspidate and the base shape is pointed oval. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and small.

The petiole has dark green colour (Group 29F7), and has prickles on the underside, up to 2 per internode.

The petiole rachis in colour also varies from green to reddish and to dark green colour (Group 29F7) with violet brown blush.

The stipules are 2.5 cm (1") long.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has greyish green / bracken green colour (Group 29E7), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is deep green (Group 29E8), the bark remains smooth, slightly ridged.

Stems:

The mature stem has an average length of about 61 - 76 cm (24 to 30 inches). 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 prickles present on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes. The shape of the prickles is straight, they are medium sized and evenly spaced. The prickles are green and red with greyish yellow.

Small prickles:

There are many small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety.

Disease resistance:

Though not the most disease-resistant of David Austin’s creations, this rose has garnered affection from gardeners for its sheer floral charm and emotional resonance. While generally healthy in warm, dry areas, 'Kathryn Morley' may be susceptible to powdery mildew in damp or cool conditions. The rose has good resistance to 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 6 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

Named in memory of Kathryn Morley through a charity auction by her parents. The name was auctioned at The Variety Club of Great Britain in aid of The Shaftesbury Homes, raising £13,000. Mr and Mrs Eric Morley of the Variety Club of Great Britain bought the right to name this rose and named it after their daughter, who died after a long illness at the age of eighteen.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausclub’ / 'Kathryn Morley' originated by David Austin by crossing female parent (seed parent) - English shrub rose ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’ with the male parent (pollen parent) - English shrub rose ‘Chaucer’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety with pale, pink, quartered, scented flowers on a bushy plant and which repeat 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:

 paler pink flowers than of ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’;

 darker flowers than of ’Chaucer’;

 glossy 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.

USDA 6