Rose Peach Blossom

A tender evocation of spring’s most fleeting bloom, ‘Peach Blossom’ combines the charm of orchard flowers with the refinement of an English shrub rose. Ethereal, prolific, and subtly fragrant, it offers both decorative abundance and the potential for a delightful crop of hips in autumn. With its blush-toned, semi-double flowers, golden stamens, and sweetly restrained fragrance, it brings the look of wild fruit blossoms into a more cultivated, long-blooming form. Equally suited for cottage gardens, shrub borders, or vertical accents, it is a refined and underappreciated treasure in the English Rose collection.

FLOWERING

‘Peach Blossom’ bears medium-sized, semi-double flowers, each about 6 cm (2.4 inches) in diameter, borne in compact clusters of 3 to 10 blooms together. The individual flowers are cupped and ruffled, with a softly translucent texture that glows in sunlight, especially when backlit.

Blooms begin as long, pointed buds in warm tones of yellow-apricot, gradually opening into blush-pink blossoms with a creamy yellow base and darker pink petal reverses. A cluster of bright golden stamens sits exposed at the heart of each bloom, lending a cheerful, open look reminiscent of spring fruit blossoms. As the flowers age, their color fades through soft shell pink to vanilla white, enhancing their ephemeral, romantic appeal.

The individual bloom life is short, but once established, the shrub reblooms with impressive continuity, especially with regular deadheading. However, if allowed to go to seed, it produces a notable crop of decorative red hips in late summer and fall, extending its interest into the cooler months.

The scent is gentle but charming, a light, sweet musk with fruity overtones, detectable in still air or the warmth of afternoon sun. Not overpowering, but softly present and evocative of orchard mornings.

PLANT

‘Peach Blossom’ is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. It forms a graceful, free-flowering shrub that can be grown either upright or lightly trained. It reaches 180 - 250 cm (6 to 8 feet) in height when grown as a pillar or against a support, or remains a more compact 120 cm (4 feet) tall and wide in cooler climates or with harder pruning. Mature and well-established plants typically have 120 - 250 cm (4 to 8 ft) in height and about 100 - 120 cm (3 to 4 ft) in width.

The growth habit is bushy yet airy, with arching or bowing stems that present the blooms beautifully. This cultivar shines when placed in locations that receive afternoon or angled sun, where the light illuminates the semi-translucent blooms to stunning effect.

The foliage is medium green, glossy, and notably healthy. New growth emerges with a reddish-bronze tint, adding seasonal interest. Stems bear light green prickles, and the plant has a sturdy, well-balanced framework.

The disease resistance of rose variety ‘Peach Blossom’ is generally good, though mildew may occur in humid or overcrowded areas, therefore good airflow is beneficial for this rose. It tolerates partial shade, but flowers best in full sun. Light training or pegging enhances the natural grace; deadheading improves rebloom, though skipping it yields autumn hips.

‘Peach Blossom’ brings a naturalistic elegance to any setting, it is excellent in mixed borders for a soft, romantic effect as well as looks wonderful as a tall, informal shrub or trained over a tripod or pillar. When planted in groups of 2–3, forming a loose beautiful flowering mound. It is also a good choice for cutting gardens due to its long stems and refined beauty and valued for its ornamental hips in autumn if not deadheaded.

Its soft color palette makes it ideal in pastel-themed gardens, or as a transitional element between bolder hues and white flowers.

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

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

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausblossom’ / 'Peach Blossom' originated by David Austin by crossing female parent (seed parent) - English shrub rose ‘The Prioress’ with the male parent (pollen parent) - English shrub rose ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’. Its parentage places it firmly within David Austin’s early English Rose lineage, carrying forward the delicate flower form of Old Roses with modern reblooming ability.

USDA 6