Rose The Generous Gardener

‘The Generous Gardener’ has garnered international acclaim for its refined beauty, robust performance, and horticultural significance. This rose produces large, cupped soft pink blooms with a strong Old Rose fragrance enriched by musk and myrrh notes. Nearly thornless, glossy-leaved canes can be grown as a graceful shrub or trained as a climber, making it versatile in garden design. Renowned for exceptional disease resistance and winter hardiness it has won prestigious awards, including the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit and a Gold Medal at the Hague Trial in 2010.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

FLOWERING

‘The Generous Gardener’ produces medium sized to large, full cup-shaped flowers of a delicate glowing pink hue, often described as pale blush pink. The blooms open wide and reveal a central boss of golden stamens, creating an almost water lily-like effect. In freshly opened blooms, the petals are soft pink with a slightly deeper rose blush at the center, fading toward almost white at the outer petals. Each flower averages to about 6 - 8 cm in diameter (about 2.5 - 3 inches) with 40–50 petals, forming a full cupped rosette form.

The flowers are typically borne singly or in small clusters of 3 - 5 along lateral stems, nodding gracefully under their weight. The repeat-flowering habit is strong: after a heavy flush in late spring to early summer, the shrub blooms in waves through summer and into autumn. However, some growers in shorter-season climates report that later flushes may be sparse, indicating environmental influence on rebloom performance. By late summer, pollinated flowers may develop into ornamental hips (fruits) - glossy orange ovoid hips that ripen in autumn, adding seasonal interest if spent blooms are not deadheaded.

Fragrance:

The fragrance is a standout feature of this rose - it is rich and complex. David Austin Roses classifies it as “strong, Old Rose with musk and myrrh”. Many gardeners call this variety one of the most fragrant of all English Roses. The intense musk-myrrh perfume, inherited from its Damask and myrrh rose lineage (via the parent ‘Sharifa Asma’), tends to be most pronounced in warm, humid evenings. The open bloom form and strong scent also attract pollinators; bees are frequently observed visiting the exposed stamens for pollen.

PLANT

The rose variety 'The Generous Gardener' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Climbing Roses collection. At the cultivar level, it has been placed in various subcategories: the abbreviation “Cl” or “Climbing Shrub” is sometimes appended in literature to denote its climber potential (e.g., Rosa ‘The Generous Gardener’ (Cl)). Classified as a medium climber or large shrub, 'The Generous Gardener' exhibits a tall, arching growth habit with a well-branched structure. It falls into WFRS Class 19a (Large-Flowered Climber) in some rose show contexts, though David Austin’s catalog lists it among English Climbing Roses as well as English Shrub Roses, highlighting its dual utility.

As a free-standing shrub, it typically reaches about 150 - 200 cm (5’ - 6’8”) in height with a spread of about 100 - 120 cm (3’6” - 4’) in 2-3 years (under moderate pruning). Its habit is outward-arching or fountain-shaped, making it ideal for the back of borders. When trained as a climbing rose (on a wall, fence, or pergola), it can attain about 300 - 450 cm (10’ - 15’) in height with support. Lateral canes are flexible and can be tied horizontally to encourage more flowering shoots (a typical practice with English climbers). The plant fills in with foliage well, creating a lush appearance from base to top, unlike some climbers that become bare-legged. This dense habit also makes it suitable as a flowering hedge or screen; it is even recommended as a hedge rose due to its bushy form and few prickles.

The stems of this rose have notably few prickles for a climber of this size, the shape of the prickles if hooked downward and relatively soft. The stems are long, arching, and flexible, especially on mature plants, which facilitates training on supports. The young canes are reddish green and smooth, later developing a light green bark. The combination of strong, arching thornless stems and large glossy leaves gives the plant a refined appearance even when out of bloom.

This cultivar quickly gained popularity for its romantic blooms and reliable performance, contributing to the economic and horticultural impact of English Roses in the early 21st century. In trial gardens and public exhibitions, it has been consistently rated highly for ornamental quality and disease tolerance. Notably, The Generous Gardener received a Gold Medal (Climbing Rose) at the International Hague Rose Trials in 2010 and was later distinguished with the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 2012. These accolades underscore its “exceptionally good garden value,” especially for home gardeners seeking a highly fragrant, repeat-flowering rose that thrives with minimal chemical intervention.

Foliage:

The plant’s foliage is abundant and decorative. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is typically 7, including the terminal leaflet. Leaves are large, pinnate, with a dark green, highly glossy surface. This lustrous foliage provides an attractive backdrop to the pastel blooms and indicates good foliar health (a trait often correlated with disease resistance). The texture is leathery (coriaceous) and thick, suggesting resilience to sun scorch and fungal ingress.The edges are serrated, the type of serration is medium sized and single. On new growth, leaves may have a lighter bronze-green tint, maturing to deep green.

Disease resistance:

A key attribute of 'The Generous Gardener' is its above-average disease resistance. It was bred during an era when Austin was selecting for healthier foliage, and this cultivar has proven highly resistant to black spot, powdery mildew, and rust in many trials. In practice, it often thrives without fungicide sprays in climates with moderate disease pressure; in one UK trial it maintained nearly full foliage through September, whereas susceptible varieties defoliated from blackspot. Heat and drought tolerance are also commendable: this rose has a deep root system when mature and can withstand short dry spells once established, though consistent moisture results in best bloom. It is reported to handle partial shade better than many climbers still blooming with as little as 4 - 5 hours of direct sun.

Cold-hardiness is another strength: it is rated to USDA Zone 5 (approximately –20 °C) with winter protection. The RHS hardiness rating is H6 (hardy in all of the UK and northern Europe), indicating it can survive –20 °C winters. Such resilience distinguishes 'The Generous Gardener' from some earlier English Roses that were less cold-hardy or more disease-prone.

The name ‘The Generous Gardener’ carries a commemorative significance. David Austin named this rose in honor of the 75th anniversary of the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) in the United Kingdom. The NGS is a charitable initiative through which private gardens open to the public, raising funds for nursing and health charities. By naming this rose “The Generous Gardener,” Austin paid tribute to the generosity of gardeners who support the scheme. The name evokes the spirit of benevolence and sharing among gardeners, an ethos that aligns with both the charity and the abundant flowering habit of the rose itself (truly a “generous” bloomer). It is worth noting that the name is not a person’s name or a literary reference, but rather a concept, which is somewhat unusual among David Austin roses (many of which honor individuals or book characters). This has made the name easily transferable across languages; most countries use the English name. For Spanish-speaking gardeners it is sometimes translated as “El Jardinero Generoso”, and one Italian catalogue lists it as “Il Giardiniere Generoso”, but these are direct translations used in marketing rather than officially registered names.

English Climbing Roses

Award of Garden Merit (RHS/RNRS), Royal Horticultural Rose Society Show, 2002;

Gifu - Most Fragrant Rose, Gifu Rose Trials, 2005;

Gifu Bronze Medal, Gifu Rose Trials, 2005;

The Hague Fragrance Award, The Hague Rose Trials, 2006;

The Hague Gold Certificate, The Hague Rose Trials, 2010;

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausdrawn’ / ‘The Generous Gardener’ originated by David Austin by crossing the English rose variety "Sharifa Asma" with an undisclosed rose seedling.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The ‘Ausdrawn’ / ‘The Generous Gardener’ may be distinguished from its seed parent "Sharifa Asma", by the following combination of characteristics:

 ’Sharifa Asma’ is also a pink English Rose known for its superb myrrh fragrance and delicate form, traits clearly imparted to ‘Ausdrawn’ / ‘The Generous Gardener’. Also ‘Ausdrawn’ / ‘The Generous Gardener’ indeed inherited Sharifa Asma’s perfume and petal form, while gaining a stronger, much larger growth and improved disease resistance, presumably from the other parent.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

While unique in its combination of traits, ‘Ausdrawn’ / ‘The Generous Gardener’ shares some characteristics with other pale, fragrant climbers. It is occasionally mistaken for ‘New Dawn’ (a classic blush-pink climber) when not in bloom, due to a similar vigorous habit; however, the blooms of ‘Ausdrawn’ / ‘The Generous Gardener’ are fuller and more nodding, and its nearly prickless new stems differ from New Dawn’s well armed with prickles canes.

Another Austin rose, ‘St Swithun’ (1993), has larger shrubs and pink blooms but is a lighter pink and has more thorns; ‘Ausdrawn’ / ‘The Generous Gardener’ is often preferred for its climber flexibility and superior disease resistance. Thus, in the class of light pink climbing roses, ‘Ausdrawn’ / ‘The Generous Gardener’ distinguishes itself through its exceptional fragrance, fewer prickles, and reliable repeat bloom, making it a frequent choice for arches, pergolas, and focal trellises where gardeners might otherwise plant a white or blush rambler.

USDA 5