Rose Nye Bevan

A radiant and uplifting shrub rose, distinguished by its softly cupped blooms in a delicate shade of yellow that gradually fades to cream. The scallop-shaped, gently incurved petals are loosely yet generously arranged around a prominent cluster of golden stamens, giving the flower a light, airy, and almost feather-like appearance. This variety produces a spectacular first flush of blooms, which are displayed in well-spaced sprays against a backdrop of mid-green, semi-glossy foliage. Its healthy, medium-sized, upright growth habit makes it a robust and reliable choice for any garden setting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Nye Bevan' is provided with color descriptions using terminology of the The Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society (2001), 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 'Nye Bevan' rose variety are medium sized, about 3 cm long and 2 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is light yellow (Group 12C). When half open, the upper sides and the lower sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 2D).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 5.7 cm and the diameter is 5.7 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 2.7 cm and a width of 0.9 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is hairy on the upper surface and glandular on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is light green (Group 144C) and on the lower surface is light green (Group 144B). There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with glandular edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 143A), pear shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium to small, about 0.8 cm long and about 0.7 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is medium averaging to about 6.7 cm in length and about 2 - 3 mm in diameter, of a normal strength and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle is light green (Group 144B).

Bloom:

The size of the flowers is from medium to small, the average diameter of the open flower is about 5.75 cm. When just open the flower form is cupped, the flower form persists until the end. Flowers are full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 54. They are born in small clusters having rounded shape, of 4 - 14 blooms. The flowering stem has normal strength, short, with the average length of about 7 cm and a diameter of 3 mm.

When first open the colour of the upper sides and the reverse sides of the petals is light yellow (Group 2D); the base of the petals has a basal spot of medium yellow (Group 6A). 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 light yellow (Group 10B), and at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, light yellow (Group 10C). As the flower ages the colour becomes much lighter, almost white (Group 155D).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is satiny and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is obovate of inner petals and obcordate of outer petals, the margins are entire, with a notch on the obcordate petals. The apex is obcordate and the base of the petals is slightly acute, and the petals form is incurved. Average length of the petals is about 3.3 cm and the width is about 2.7 cm. The arrangement of the petals is informal.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, but the number of petals may vary from none to 5. Petaloids have light yellow colour (Group 10C), they are about 2 mm long and 5 mm wide. Petaloids have an obovate shape and uniform margin.

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 - 7 days, and as a cut flower they last for about 4 to 5 days.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Nye Bevan' is light to moderate, of a Myrrh character.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 85 on average per flower, the length is about 3 mm, they are regularly arranged around the styles.

The anthers have a length of about 2 mm and medium yellow colour (Group 5C).

The colour of the filaments is medium yellow orange (Group 13B), their length is 7 - 9 mm on average.

The pollen is medium yellow orange (Group 13B), the amount of the pollen is scarce.

The number of pistils is 30 on average, they are about 7 mm long.

The colour of the styles is white (Group 157D) and are about 4 - 5 mm long.

Stigma are about 1 mm long and have medium yellow colour (Group 5C).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Nye Bevan' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth character is medium and upright. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 100 - 110 cm and a width of about 75 cm.

This compact and healthy growth makes this rose variety a perfect choice for planting in pots and containers, adding a touch of positivity to a porch or patio. A good rose variety for smaller gardens, combines really well with other pastel tones or silver foliage. It will create more tone and impact when planted in larger borders or planted in mass.

Foliage:

There is an abundant to normal quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves varies from 5 to 7, including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 7 - 10 leaves. The foliage is medium sized, about 14 cm long and about 10 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146B) while the lower side is medium green (Group 144A). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 146C).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is medium, they are about 5 cm long and are about 4 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate and the base shape is cordate. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, the glossiness of the upper side of the leaflet is weak while the glossiness of the lower side of the leaflet is dull and matt. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and small.

The petiole has medium brown green colour (Group 146C) on the upper surface and is light green (Group 145A) lower surface. The petiole is about 4 - 6 cm long, 1 mm in diameter, and has a glandular surface texture.

The petiole rachis is light green (Group 145A) and has a slightly glandular surface on the underside. The petiole rachis is about 1 - 2 mm long and 1 mm in diameter

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 0.6 cm and about 2 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is medium green (Group 143A).

The stipule is lateral and auricle, the shape is lanceolate with an acute apex.They are 2.5 cm long, have serrated to glandular surface and light green colour (Group 144B).

The veins have dark brown green (Group 146B), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has medium brown green colour (Group 137D), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is light green (Group 144B), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The number of lateral branches is 2 - 3 on average, they have a length of about 40 - 60 cm and the diameter is 6 - 8 mm on average. The mature stem has an average length of about 80 - 100 cm and the diameter of 6 - 8 mm, the internode distance is 5 - 6 cm. 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 ordinary prickles present on the main canes and on the laterals from main canes from base, about 5 - 10 per 10 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is straight to deep concave, the length is about 5 mm. The colour of the young prickles is dark purple red (Group 59B) while the mature prickles have grey brown colour (Group N199D).

Small prickles:

There are many small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, about 10 per 10 cm of the stem length. When they are young the colour is dark purple red (Group 59B) and the colour of the mature small prickles grey brown (Group N199D).

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Nye Bevan' has good resistance to most common rose diseases, in particular it is resistant to powdery mildew (podosphaera pannosa), downey mildew (peronospora species), blackspot (diplocarpon rosae) and rust (phragmidium tuberculatum) 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 in honour of Aneurin (Nye) Bevan, founder of Britain’s National Health Service and in recognition of the NHS, its people and associated organisations and charities.

Aneurin "Nye" Bevan PC (15 November 1897 – 6 July 1960) was a Welsh Labour Party politician, noted for spearheading the creation of the British National Health Service during his tenure as Minister of Health in Clement Attlee's government. He is also known for his wider contribution to the founding of the British welfare state.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Auspital’ / 'Nye Bevan' originated in the nursery of David Austin Roses Limited (UK) by crossing the two ‘unnamed’ and unpatented seedlings of class Rosa hybrida.

David Austin is mentioned as the breeder of this rose according to the patent for this rose.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety with uplifting, healthy, and robust medium sized, upright rose shrub bearing unusual, open cupped flowers of soft yellow, borne in well-spaced sprays having a light Myrrh fragrance.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

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

 repeat flowering medium sized, double blooms;

 soft yellow bloom color with a light Myrrh fragrance;

 very good 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.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

  the seed parent is of an apricot color compared to the yellow of ’Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’, has larger flowers, and has larger foliage when compared to ’Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’.

The ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent is of an apricot color, has semi-double blooms as opposed to the double blooms of ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’ and is a much larger shrub when compared to ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivar to the ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’ is the rose variety ‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 While both blooms are of soft yellow in color, ‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’ has an overall light yellow color (Group 4D), and ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’ has an overall light yellow colour (Group 10B);

 The bloom diameter of ‘‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’ measuring at about 8 cm per bloom, is larger than that of ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’ measuring at about 5.75 cm. In addition, ‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’ has fewer petals of about 45 per bloom than ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’, which has about 54 petals per bloom.

  Finally, when the sepals first divide on a flowering bloom, ‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’ presents a dark purple color (Group 60C) with light green (Group 145C), while ‘Auspital’ / ‘Nye Bevan’ has a color of RHS 12C (yellow group).

USDA 5 and warmer