Rose The Dark Lady

The flowers of ‘The Dark Lady’ are very much like the flowers of the tree peonies. The colour often varies depending on the climate, where in colder climates it has more darker crimson red flowers, while in more hot climates flowers tend to have more dark pink colour. The flowers are very large, the reverse side of the petals have silver tones and central petals form a rather loose button-eye. The outer petals curl down, forming a petticoat effect.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of rose variety ‘ Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ with color descriptions using terminology in accordance with the Methuen Handbook of Colour, except where ordinary dictionary significance of color is indicated.

FLOWERING

The variety has good repeat flowering, blooms in flushes, with very short breaks, from early summer until frosts. Regular deadheading will encourage rebloom and help prevent cane dieback.

Flower bud:

The flower buds are medium sized, about 3.2 cm (11/4") long when the petals start to unfurl. The form is long and globular with pointed apex. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is ruby (Group 12D8). When half blown, the upper sides of the petals are cerise (Group 12C8) and the lower sides of the petals are grayish rose (Group 12B3).

The colour of the sepals is grass green (Group 30E7) with blush of violet brown (Group 10E8). The surface texture is dull and leathery. There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle has deep green colour (29E8) and smooth surface. The shape of the receptacle cup shaped; the size is medium, about 2.5 cm (1" ) by 1.3 cm (1/2").

The peduncle is medium sized, strong and erect, averaging about 5 to 6.4 cm (2-21/2"). The surface is smooth and glandular, the colour is bronzy (with very faint blush).

Bloom:

The flowers are large, the average open size is about 8.9 - 12 cm (3 1/2" - 4 1/2") in diameter. They are born mostly singly or several together, in clusters of irregular shape of up to 6 flowers.

The flowering stems are medium sized, the average length is about 30 to 46 cm (12 to 18 inches). Upon opening the flower have cupped form which quickly flattens, the outer petal edges curl slightly, giving to the flowers a more rounded shape. The flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 140 on average.

The colour of the just opened flowers on the upper side of the petals is deep crimson (Group 12C8) but more red, brighter. The reverse side of the petals have more grayish ruby colour (Group 12C7). The base of the petals has a white basal tip deepening to yellow (Group 3A7). The major color on the upper side is cerise or dark crimson (Group 12C8). Under normal growing conditions no variegation is observed on the flowers.

The general tonality at the end of the first day: slightly grayish. At the end of the third day, the color of most of the petals is magenta with grayish shades (Group 13D7), fading to grayish magenta (Group 13D5).

Petals:

The petals of this variety have a thin and silky texture. The shape of the petals is deltoid, heart-shaped, with retuse apex and the tips are slightly recurved. They have imbricated arrangement with few petaloids in the center. The inner petals are caught into space between perigynous zone and styles to form a rather loose button.

The petals drop off cleanly before drying. On the plant the petals last about 7 to 10 days in colder climates, but fade within a couple of days in more hotter climates. As a cut flower they last fairly long in normal climate conditions, about 5 to 7 days.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of this variety is moderate, of an Old rose character.

Reproductive parts:

The anthers are medium sized, the numbers per flower varies from 70 to 75. The colour of the anthers is reddish yellow (Group 4A7) and they are arranged around the styles , partly tucked in calyx.

The filaments have reddish yellow colour (Group 4A7) with cerise (Group 12C8) blush.

The colour of the pollen is yellow.

The styles are yellowish white (Group 1A2) while the colour of their apex is cerise (Group 12C8).

The stigmas are white or light yellow in colour (Group 4A5).

PLANT

The variety is classified as a Shrub rose from David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. Forms a medium sized, bushy plant, it grows a bit wider than tall. This variety requires a few years to settle into the garden, however after giving it a time to establish it will reward you with wonderful blooms.

The mature and well-established plant can reach the height of about 90 - 120 cm (3 - 4 feet) and the width of about 90 - 120 cm (3 - 4 feet).

Foliage:

There is a normal quantity of foliage on the plant. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is 5. The new foliage has dark green colour (Group 30F7) often with dark red edges, and the mature foliage has darker, hunter green or dark green colour (Group 30F4/5).

Leaflets:

The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, with rounded base and pointed apex. The texture of the upper surface is leathery, the edges are serrated, the type of serration is double and small.

Petiole rachis has green colour, it is about 3.8 cm (11/2") long and about 2.5 cm (1") wide. The petiole underside is with prickles, about 1 to 3 per internode.

The stipules are medium sized, about 2.5 - 3.2 cm (or 1-11/4") long.

Wood:

The new wood has light green (parrot green) colour (Group 30E8) the bark is smooth. And the old wood has green (or dark green) colour (Group 30F7), the bark is smooth.

Prickles:

The quantity of the prickles on the main canes from base is many to ordinary. On laterals from main canes the quantity of the prickles is ordinary. They are medium sized, hooked downward. The colour of the young prickles is green and red, they are evenly distributed around the stems.

Small prickles:

There are usually few small prickles on main canes and on the laterals from the main canes. The small prickles have brown colour.

Disease resistance:

Has good resistance to botrytis and rust. Resistant to mildew and blackspot under normal growing conditions, however is prone to mildew in wet climates. Pest resistance has not been tested.

The variety is recommended for growing in climate zones similar to USDA 6 and warmer and require winter protection in more colder climates.

The variety is named for the famous mystery lady of William Shakespeare’s sonnects, where she is also mentioned as ‘The Dark Lady’.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The rose variety ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ of the Rosa hybrida class originated by David Austin by crossing the variety ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’ with the variety ’Auspero’ / ‘Prospero’ .

The parentage of this rose is summarized by the following formula:

Seed parent - ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’ by David Austin, 1983;

Pollen parent - ’Auspero’ / ‘Prospero’ by David Austin, 1982.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of breeding ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ rose variety was to produce a new rose variety having quartered, red, scented flowers on a bushy plant which repeatedly flowers.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The objective was substantially achieved along with other desirable improvements as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics which are outstanding in this variety and which distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties:

1. Large open dark crimson flowers;

2. Floriferousness;

3. Old rose fragrance; and

4. Bushy plant.

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

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

whereas the seed parent ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’ has mid pink blooms with strong Old rose fragrance, ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ has deep crimson flowers and lighter fragrance. The flowers of ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’ are more cupped rosette shaped while the flower form of ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ have more petals, about 140 and the outer petals curl back. The ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ has much shorter plant and fewer prickles while ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’ forms a large shrub very well armed with prickles.

Also, ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ may be easily distinguished from its pollen parent parent ’Auspero’ / ‘Prospero’ by the following combination of characteristics:

whereas the pollen parent ’Auspero’ / ‘Prospero’ has purple red quartered rosette shaped flowers and often show prominent yellow stamens in the centers the flowers of ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ have darker, deep crimson color and rosette shaped flowers with a button-eye in the center. Also the flowers of ’Auspero’ / ‘Prospero’ have strong, Old rose fragrance whereas the flowers of ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ have light Old rose fragrance.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar variety to ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ is ‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ which has 120 petals count on its flowers and they are flat at top whereas the flowers of ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ has 140 petals and they are slightly recurved when mature.

USDA 6