Rose Noble Antony

Сompact rose with beautifully domed, full-petalled blooms in a rich shade of magenta-crimson. As the outer petals gently reflex, they create a sculptural, deeply cupped form that stands out against the dark green foliage, producing a dramatic and elegant effect. It has a strong, classic Old Rose fragrance - so remarkable that it earned a prize for scent at the Glasgow Trials. Ideal for cutting, ‘Noble Antony’ retains its shape and perfume well in arrangements. Its bushy, upright habit makes it perfect for bedding or planting at the front of borders, where its vibrant color and scent can be fully enjoyed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Noble Antony' is provided with color descriptions using terminology of the The Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, 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 'Noble Antony' rose variety are medium sized, about 3.3 cm (1.3 inches) long when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is short, blunt topped, broad based. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is dark purple red (Group 60A). When half open the upper sides of the outer petals are medium purple (Group 67A) and of the inner petals are red-purple (Group 66A) and the lower sides of the petals are medium purple (Group 67C).

The sepals have a length of about 3.5 cm (1.3 inches) and a width of 1 cm (0.5 inches). The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is smooth. The colour on the upper surface is medium green (Group 144A) with an overlying blush of medium brown purple (Group 184B). There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is light green (Group 144B) with an overlying blush of light green (Group 144C), funnel shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, broad, about 0.7 cm (0.3 inches) long and about 1.4 cm (0.6 inches) in diameter.

The peduncle is short, averaging to about 3.3 cm (1.3 inches) in length, stiff, erect, heavy and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle is light green, bronzy.

Bloom:

The flowers are large to medium, the average diameter of the open flower is about 9 cm. When first open, the flower form is high-centered. As the flower ages the flower flattens slightly, all petals curl, the outer petals roll back on fully open bloom. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions varies from 85 to 90. They are born in small clusters having irregular shape, of 1-5 blooms. The flowering stem is strong, medium sized.

When first open the colour of the upper sides of the petals is magenta-red (Group 66A) and the reverse sides of the petals are dark blue pink (Group 67B/C), the middle of the under side of the outer petals paling to light blue pink (RHS 65C) at the lightest part to medium blue pink (RHS 65A). The base of each petal has a small yellow tip of medium yellow (RHS 5A). The major color on the upper sides is medium purple red / magenta-red (RHS 66A). 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 dark blue pink (Group 67C), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, medium blue pink (Group 67D).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is thin and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is deltoid, the inner petals are narrow with notched apex; while the outer petals are much broader; the tips are slightly recurved and the outer petal edges roll back on fully open bloom. The arrangement of the petals is imbricated, 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 4 - 5 days, as a cut flower their lastingness is not tested.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Noble Antony' is moderate to strong, very sweet, of an Old Rose character.

Reproductive parts:

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

The anthers have yellow colour.

The colour of the filaments is yellow as well.

The pollen is golden yellow.

The colour of the styles is greenish white, foliate.

Stigmas are greenish white.

The hips of this rose variety have not been observed.

PLANT

The rose variety 'Noble Antony' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. Plants have vigorous, upright, branching, fairly compact growth character. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 90 - 110 cm (3' 7") and the width of about 110 cm (3' 7").

Foliage:

The quantity of foliage varies from abundant to normal, the number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is typically 5, including the terminal leaflet. The foliage is medium to small sized, about 14 cm long and about 9 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 147A) with dark brown purple blush on margins (Group 183B) while the lower side is medium brown green (Group 147B) with dark brown purple blush on margins (Group 183C). 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 medium to small, the shape of the leaflets is broadly oval, elliptic and has pointed apex. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is doubled and small.

The petiole has green, reddish colour (Group Green, reddish), its underside has prickles, about 1 - 2 per internode.

The petiole rachis is green with a reddish tint. The stipules are 2.1 cm (0.8 inches) long, serrated. The venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has reddish, medium green colour and the bark is smooth between prickles. The mature wood is green with reddish brown blotches, streaky, and the bark is fairly rough.

Stems:

The stem pubescence is not observed on the stems of this rose variety.

Prickles:

The quantity of prickles varies from many to ordinary on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes, they are evenly distributed around stems. The shape of the prickles is straight, t-shaped, i.e., wide base to narrow spike, they are medium sized. The colour of the young prickles is red, transparent.

Small prickles:

There are many small prickles present on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, when they are young the colour is transparent red and on the old stems the colour is brown.

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Noble Antony' has good resistance to most common rose diseases, in particular it is resistant to mildew, 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 5 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

Named after Mark Antony in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausway’ / 'Noble Antony' 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 variety breeding was to create a new rose variety with repeat flowering and with old fashioned flowers of a crimson color.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The objective was achieved, along with other important improvements, and this rose variety incorporated the following unique combination of characteristics:

 beautifully full flowers;

 petals arranged in perfect formation;

 flowers of a beautiful, deep magenta crimson colour;

 short, upright growth;

 strong fragrance;

 disease resistance;

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 zone 5 and warmer