Rose Leander

‘Leander’ is a bold and vigorous English rose of impressive stature and lasting reliability, renowned not only for its vibrant color and elegant form but also for its exceptional hardiness and resilience. As one of the earliest roses in David Austin’s program, Leander lent its name to the Leander Group, a class of robust English Roses notable for their modern health and strong garden performance.

FLOWERING

This rose variety has a recurrent flowering habit. ‘Leander’ puts on a magnificent first flush in early summer, its repeat flowering can be sporadic, typically limited to a few tall basal shoots in autumn. In hot climates, however, flowering may be more continuous. The number of blooms per plant during the growing season is profuse, but there are too many to count. With proper pruning and maintenance, gardeners can encourage more regular blooming.

The flowers of ‘Leander’ are small to medium in size, approximately 6 cm ( 2.4 inches) in diameter, yet they possess a striking visual impact thanks to their very full rosette shape and intense colours. Buds appear in rounded clusters of 3 to 15 on the end of the arching canes, opening to deep apricot blooms that mature through shades of salmon pink, peach, and pale mother-of-pearl, eventually fading to soft pastel pink and white.

Each bloom is densely packed with petals arranged in faultless spiral symmetry, creating a richly textured, almost sculptural appearance. Though smaller than those of its parent ‘Charles Austin’, the blooms are more refined in form, with a smooth finish and less of the old-fashioned softness typical of early English Roses.

One of the most celebrated features of the rose variety ‘Leander’ is its strong and complex scent - a rich, fruity aroma with hints of raspberry and tea rose, which intensifies in warm weather. The fragrance lingers beautifully, making this rose a rewarding choice near walkways or seating areas.

PLANT

‘Leander’ is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. Forms a large, arching shrub or compact climber, depending on climate and training: in cooler zones, it maintains a rounded, shrub-like form at around 150 cm (6 ft) tall and in the warmer regions, it can be grown as a short climber, reaching up to 250 cm (8 ft) with ease. A mature and well-established plant has a height of about 150 - 250 cm (6 - 8 feet) in height and about 150 - 180 cm (5 - 6 feet) in width.

Ideal for the back of borders, training along low fences, or growing as a free-standing flowering shrub, ‘Leander’ thrives in a wide range of conditions. The plant naturally produces long, sinuous canes from the base, often flowering at their tips. Self-pegging - ooping these canes and securing them to encourage more lateral shoots which can dramatically increase the quantity of the flowers and the overall plant appearance.

The foliage is shiny, deep green, with a modern look that sets it apart from Old roses. New growth often emerges in bronze tones. The canes are lined with dark red or vermilion prickles, and though the leaves are largely disease-resistant, ‘Leander’ can be susceptible to mildew in damp or late-season conditions.

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

Named after Leander, the mythic Greek youth who swam the Hellespont nightly to visit his beloved, Hero.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Auslea’ / 'Leander' originated by David Austin by crossing female parent - English shrub rose ’Ausfather’ / ‘Charles Austin’ with the unnamed and unpatented rose seedling.

USDA 5