Rose Strawberry Hill

Large pure rose pink, cupped rosettes of superb quality of 'Strawberry Hill' show soft colour change, paling to a lighter pink at the edges, eventually exposing a few yellow stamens at the center. The fragrance is strong and fine, with myrrh character and a hint of lemon and heather honey. The branches are slightly arching and covered with attractive glossy, dark foliage. It is equally suited to be grown both as a large shrub or as a medium sized climber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Strawberry Hill' 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 Strawberry Hill rose variety are medium sized, about 3-3.5 cm long and 1.7 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is medium red (Group 50A). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are light blue pink (Group 56C) at top half of petal with pink (Group 37C) on the basal half while the lower sides of the petals are light blue pink (Group 56C) at top half of the petals with medium orange pink (Group 31D)on the basal half.

The sepals have a length of about 2.5 cm and a width of 0.9-1.0 cm. The shape of the sepals is subulate, the surface texture is pubescent on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 144A) with light green (Group 145C) at base and overlaid with brown red (Group 181B). There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with canescent edges. Occasionally, there are only four sepals (2 appendaged and 2 unappendaged) color.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 143B), campanulate shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 1.0 cm long and about 1.0 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is long, averaging to about 8 cm in length, of a normal strength and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium green (Group 144A) overlaid with irregular patches of brown red (Group 178B).

Bloom:

The flowers are large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 9.2 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped. As the flowers open the form becomes more flat, rosette, often with a button-eye in the center. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 80-90. They are born in small clusters of 6 blooms having irregular compound corymb shape. On the flowers of rose variety 'Strawberry Hill' there is no variegation observed under normal growing conditions.

The colour of the flower from the upper sides of the petals is light red pink (Group 38D). The reverse sides of the petals are pink (Group 37C). The base of the petals has a light red pink colour (Group 38B). On the flowers no variegation is observed.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is light red pink (Group 38D), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, light blue pink (Group 56C).

Petals:

The texture and the surface is smooth; the shape of the inner petals is obovate and on the outer petals is obdeltoid, the margins are mainly notched on the outer petals and mainly entire on the inner petals. The apex has obcordate shape on the outer petals and obtuse on the inner petals. The base of the petals is cuneate, and the petals form is incurved, with tips of very outer petals slightly recurved. Average length of the petals is about 3.7 cm and the width is about 2.8 cm. The arrangement of the petals is imbricated.

There are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, 5 on average. Petaloids have light red pink colour (Group 39C), they are about 1 mm long and have irregular shape. The anthers that are mixed with petaloids have medium yellow orange colour (Group 17C) and 2 mm long; the filaments are medium green blue (Group 13C) and about 10 mm long.

The petals of this rose variety have good self-cleaning quality, normally the petals drop off cleanly before drying. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly long, on the plant they last for about 5 days, as a cut flower they also last for about 5 days.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Strawberry Hill' is strong and fine, of a myrrh character with a hint of lemon and heather honey.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 55-60 on average per flower, the length is about 8-9 mm, they are regular around styles, mixed with petaloids.

The anthers have a length of about 2 mm and medium yellow orange colour (Group 17A).

The colour of the filaments is medium yellow (Group 9A), their length is 6-7 mm on average.

The pollen is medium yellow orange (Group 17A).

The number of pistils is 30-35 on average, they are about 8 mm long.

The colour of the styles is light green (Group 145D) with medium red (Group 47B) concentrated under stigma, their length is about 7 mm.

Stigma are about 1 mm long and have medium yellow orange colour (Group 20A).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Strawberry Hill' is classified as a Shrub rose. The growth character is very vigorous, upright and bushy. The branches are slightly arching and covered with attractive glossy, dark foliage. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 120 - 300 cm and the width of about 120 cm.

It is equally suited to be grown both as a large shrub or as a medium sized climber. With slightly arching growth and healthy, glossy dark green foliage, this rose is an ideal choice for the back of a mixed border or a dedicated rose border. It also performs well as a climber, reaching heights of up to 250 - 300 cm, adding both structure and elegance to any garden setting.

Foliage:

There is a normal quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves varies from 5 or 7, including terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 10 leaves. The foliage is medium sized, about 15.9 cm long and about 11.4 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146A) while the lower side is medium brown green (Group 146C) overlaid with brown red (Group 178B). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146B) and on the lower side is dark brown green (Group 146B).

Leaflets:

The leaflets -sized, about 6.1 cm long and are about 4.6 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is ovate, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate and the base shape is rounded. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery and glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and small.

The petiole has dark brown green colour (Group 146B) on the upper surface and medium green (Group 144A) on the lower surface, is about 3 cm long and 2 mm in diameter, and has a smooth surface.

The petiole rachis is light green (Group N144D) and has prickles on the underside.

The auricle is subulate, has a length of about 5 cm and about 2 mm wide, tapering to a point. The colour of the auricle is light green (Group 144D).

The stipules are 1.5 - 1.7 cm long, are serrated and light green (Group 144D).

The colour of the veins is light green (Group N144D), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has dark green brown colour (Group 152A) overlaid with brown red (Group 178B), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is dark brown green (Group 146B), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The mature stem has an average length of about 35 cm and the diameter of 6 mm, the internode distance is 7 cm. The stem pubescence is not present 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 from base, about 6 per 5 cm of the stem length. On the laterals from main canes there are few prickles, 2 per 5 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is concave, curved inward, the length is about 9 mm. The colour of the young prickles is dark red (Group N34A); the mature prickles have light yellow brown colour (Group 161B).

Small prickles:

The small prickles are not observed on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety.

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Strawberry Hill' 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.

Strawberry Hill is a beautiful gothic revival house in Twickenham, London, which was built by Horace Walpole, son of the first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. He laid out a fine garden which, along with the house, has recently been restored.

English Climbing Rose

Award of Garden Merit (RHS/RNRS), Award of Garden Merit (RHS/RNRS), 2006;

Gold Standard Rose Trials - Gold Standard, Gold Standard Rose Trials, 2007;

Nantes Honourable Mention, Nantes Rose Trials, 2007;

Nagaoka - Best Rose Award, Nagaoka International Fragrant Rose Trials - Echigo Hillside, 2010;

Nagaoka - Most Fragrant Rose, Nagaoka International Fragrant Rose Trials - Echigo Hillside, 2010;

Nagaoka Gold Award, Nagaoka International Fragrant Rose Trials - Echigo Hillside, 2010;

Hamilton - Best Shrub Rose, New Zealand Rose Trials, 2017;

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausrimini’ / 'Strawberry Hill' 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 excellent repeat flowering with rose pink blooms having a strong 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:

 Medium sized, cupped rosettes of pure mid-pink color;

 A very strong myrrh fragrance;

 Tall, slightly arching growth with dark, glossy foliage.

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 ‘Ausrimini’ / ‘Strawberry Hill’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

  The seed parent has semi-double blooms compared to the full, very full blooms of ‘Ausrimini’ / ‘Strawberry Hill’, also ‘Ausrimini’ / ‘Strawberry Hill’ has smaller leaves.

The ‘Ausrimini’ / ‘Strawberry Hill’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent has taller growth and copper colored blooms compared with the pink blooms of ‘Ausrimini’ / ‘Strawberry Hill’.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivars to the ‘Ausrimini’ / ‘Strawberry Hill’ are the ‘Ausmak’ / ‘Eglantyne’ and may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 the ‘Ausmak’ / ‘Eglantyne’ has more petals per bloom than ‘Ausrimini’ / ‘Strawberry Hill’ and less upright growth.

  ‘Ausrimini’ / ‘Strawberry Hill’ has glossier foliage and a hint of apricot on its pale pink blooms, which ‘Ausmak’ / ‘Eglantyne’ does not have.

USDA 5