Rose Miranda

’Miranda’ has stunning flowers that display a two-tone candy-pink color palette, with a vibrant cherry blossom hues at the wavy petal center, gradually softening to a lighter pink at the edges. Although her fragrance is subtle, her visual appeal is bold and captivating. Upon opening the flowers are cupped, but over 3 to 4 days, as the petals unfurl, revealing a striking, large rosette with a button-eye in the center. Makes a perfect wedding and celebration bouquets.

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

FLOWER

The flowering habit is continuous, as this rose variety is suitable for cut flower production under greenhouse conditions. In greenhouse conditions, it is able to bloom all year round.

Flower bud:

The bud is rather long, and has a pointed ovoid shape. The length of the flower bud is about 3 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. When sepals first divide, the bud color is medium blue pink (Group 65A). When it is half opened, the upper sides of the petals are medium blue pink (Group 65A); and the lower sides of the petals are medium blue pink (Group 58D) fading to light blue pink (Group 65B) on the upper third of the petal.

The sepals have a subulate shape, their surface texture on the upper surface is rough, with glands along the central strip while the lower surface is pubescent. The length of the sepals is 3 cm and the width is about 0.9 cm. The colour of the sepals in the upper surface is medium green (Group 144A) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 141C). There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with canescent edges.

The receptacle is medium sized, about 1.5 cm long and about 1 cm wide, has campanulate shape and smooth surface. The colour of the receptacle is light green (Group 144B).

The peduncle is strong, medium sized, averaging to about 4.7 cm in length. The surface of the peduncle is smooth and has medium green colour (Group 144A).

Bloom:

The flowers of ‘Miranda’ are large and gorgeous. when fully open the average open flower diameter is about 12 cm. When first open the flowers are cupped. When they fully open they display a perfectly formed rosette with a tightly packed button eye. As the flowers age the outer petal edges curl slightly. The flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 120 on average.

The flowers are borne several together, of 2 to 5 flower buds together in corymb shaped clusters of two to three blooms. For cut flower production buds may be nipped out to leave a single bloom. The flowering stems are strong, the average length is about 47 cm with a diameter of 7 mm. Single plant is able to produce about 14-16 flowering stems per season.

The colour of the upper sides of the petals are medium blue pink (Group 73C). The reverse sides of the petals are medium blue pink (Group 65A). The bases of the petals are light yellow (Group 12C). The major color on the upper side is medium blue pink (Group 73C). under normal growing conditions the variegation is not observed on the flowers of this rose variety.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is medium blue pink (Group 73C). The colour persistence is very good. At the end of the third day there is no change of color observed on the flowers of this variety. Only closer to the end the colour becomes much lighter.

Petals:

The surface texture of the petals is satiny and thick, the surface is smooth. The average width of the petals is about 5.3 cm and the length is about 5 cm. The petals shape is rounded, their margin is entire, reflexing and slightly undulating. The apex of the petals has a rounded and slightly cuspidate shape, and the base shape is pointed. The general form is incurved with tips recurved. The flowers have a rosette and irregular arrangement, with very inner petals forming a button eye.

The number of petaloids per flower is 14 on average and they have red pink colour (Group 48A).

The petals usually hang on and dry on a plant. It is highly recommended to ensure timely deadheading to keep the plant tidy and healthy.

The petals last on the plant for a long period, about 6-8 days on a plant and about the same period of time when used as a cut flower.

Fragrance:

‘Miranda’ rose has a rather moderate fragrance with a Fruity character.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens are about 80 per flower with their average length of about 7 mm.

The anthers are dark yellow orange (Group 22A), have a length of about 3 mm, and they are mixed with petaloids.

The filaments have medium yellow orange colour (Group 17A) and are about 4 mm long.

The pollen is dark yellow orange in colour (Group 22A).

The number of pistils is 55 on average and they have a length of about 7 mm.

The styles are light yellow green (Group 1C) on the lower half with red pink (Group 53D) on the top half. The length of the styles is 5 mm on average.

The stigmas are about 2 mm long and have medium yellow (Group 12B).

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

PLANT

As all other rose varieties from David Austin’s Wedding and Event Roses collection this rose variety looks more like Hybrid Tea or Florists rose, however ‘Miranda’ is classified as a Modern Shrub rose. The growth habit is vigorous, upright and bushy. The rose variety is energetic and matures rather quickly, the mature and established plant has a height of about 110 - 120 cm and the width of about 60 cm. The variety is bred for cut flower production in a greenhouse environment therefore in garden conditions is susceptible to common rose diseases.

Foliage:
There is a normal quantity of foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves varies from 5 to 7, including terminal leaflet. The average number of leaves per flowering stem is 9. The leaves are large, about 16.7 cm long and are about 12.4 cm wide. The new foliage on the upper side is medium brown green (Group 137D) in the central area of a leaf and brown red (Group 180A) along the margin while the lower side is brown red (Group 180A). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 139A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 137C).

Leaflets:

The leaflets are large, about 7 cm long and 4.4 cm wide. The leaflets have pointed oval shape with obtuse base shape and acuminate apex. The surface texture is leathery, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and medium.

The colour of the petiole is medium green (Group 143B). The petiole rachis has medium green colour (Group 143B) and the underside surface is covered with prickles.

The stipules are about 1.2 cm long and bearded. The auricle if present has a linear shape.

The veins have light green colour (Group 145B), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood has light green colour (Group 144B) with tint of medium brown (Group 173A) and smooth bark. The mature wood is dark green (Group 137A) and has rough bark. The internode dispense on the stems is about 5 cm.

Prickles:

There is an ordinary quantity of prickles on the main canes from the base of the rose variety ‘Miranda’, about 23 per 15 cm of the stem length. On laterals from main canes there are many prickles, about 32 per 15 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is straight and pyramidal, they have a length of 9 mm on average. When young the prickles have medium yellow green colour (Group 151D) with dark red (Group 46B) at base. When mature the colour changes to light green (Group N144A) and dark red (Group 46B) on the lower half.

Small prickles:

The quantity of the small prickles on the main canes from the base is ordinary, about 18 per 5 cm of the stem length. On laterals from the main canes there are many prickles, about 39 per 5 cm of the stem length. The colour of the young prickles is medium yellow green (Group 151D). When mature the small prickles have medium yellow green colour (Group 151D).

Disease resistance:

The rose variety ‘Miranda’ is disease resistant, particularly to mildew, blackspot and rust in greenhouse conditions, with on average day temperature maintained at 17.5 degrees C. In open air and garden conditions it is susceptible to mildew. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

The cold hardiness is rather weak, it is not well suited for cold winters, however it is recorded that it can withstand winter in the garden in climates similar to USDA 7 and warmer.

Unfortunately we do not have information about the origin of the name of this rose.

Wedding and Event Roses collection

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The rose variety named ‘Ausimmon’ / ‘Miranda’ originated by David Austin by crossing an unnamed, unpatented seedling with an unnamed, unpatented seedling.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose breeding was to produce a new florists rose suitable for year round cut flower production under standard greenhouse conditions having medium pink, fragrant blooms with a long vase life, produced on strong, upright stems.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as this rose has following unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding in this rose variety:

 Medium pink, shallow cupped rosette blooms with a button-eye, having a long vase life.

 Upright and narrow growth.

 Moderate fruity fragrance.

 Suitable for cut flower production under greenhouse conditions.

Asexual reproduction of this new variety by budding, as performed at Albrighton, England, showed that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions came true to form, established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

‘Ausimmon’ / ‘Miranda’ has large, medium pink blooms which differ from the smaller, cerise pink blooms of the seed parent and the bright crimson blooms and weaker fragrance of the pollen parent.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

‘Auswith’ / ‘St. Swithun’ has more petals and is pink with a tint of apricot, while ‘Ausimmon’ / ‘Miranda’ is medium pink in color and has substantially smaller plants.

USDA 7