Rose The Mill on the Floss
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Characteristics
Main color: Pink
Color: Medium pink
Flowering: Repeat flowering
Flower size: Medium
Flower: Very full, button eye, cupped, rosette, in small clusters
Foliage: Dark green, large, semi-glossy, leathery
Aroma: Medium, Fruity
Class: Shrub rose
Sub-class: English rose, Shrub rose
Type: Large shrub
Growth type: Arching, bushy, upright
Height: 140 - 180 cm / 4' 7" - 5' 11"
Width: 120 cm / 3' 11"
Description
Graced with large clusters of elegantly cupped blooms, each adorned with a delicate central button-eye, this rose unfolds an unusual colour palette as for English rose. From a mid pink tinged with lilac, the petals soften to a paler shade as they open, their beauty highlighted by finely traced carmine edges. Poised above glossy foliage, the flowers sway gracefully on arching stems, exuding a sweet, fruity fragrance. Robust and vigorous, this variety forms a shapely, bushy shrub, its glossy leaves providing the perfect backdrop to the floral display.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
Throughout this description of the rose variety 'The Mill on the Floss' 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 'The Mill on the Floss' rose variety are medium sized, about 2.5 cm long and 1.8 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed ovoid and broad-based. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is light red pink (Group 36C) with medium purple red (Group 58C). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are light red pink (Group 36C) and the lower sides of the petals are light red pink (Group 36C) with medium purple red (Group 58C).
Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 3 cm and the diameter is 1.3 cm.
The sepals have a length of about 3 cm and a width of 1 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is downy on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is medium brown green (Group 191B) and on the lower surface is dark brown green (Group 146A) with some medium brown purple (Group 184B). There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges and medium extensions.
The receptacle is dark brown green (Group 146B) with medium brown purple (Group 184B), apple shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 1.2 cm long and about 0.9 cm in diameter.
The peduncle is medium averaging to about 12 cm in length, of a normal strength and has a smooth surface. The colour of the peduncle is dark brown green (Group 146B) with medium brown purple (Group 184B).
Bloom:
The flowers are medium-sized, the average diameter of the open flower is about 7 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, the flower form persists until the end, only revealing a rosette center with a button-eye. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 100. They are born in small clusters having rounded shape, of 10-15 blooms. The flowering stem has normal strength, long, and has length of about 80 cm and a diameter of about 6 mm.
The colour of the upper sides and the reverse sides of the petals are light blue pink (Group 69C) with a darker pink edge of dark blue pink (Group 68A); the base of the petals has a spot of light yellow colour(Group 4C). Under normal growing conditions there is no variegation observed on the flowers of this rose variety.
The general tonality at the end of the first day is dark blue pink (Group 68A), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, light blue pink (Group 69C).
Petals:
The texture of the petals and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is obovate, the margins are entire with medium undulations and reflexing. The apex is rounded and the base of the petals is acute, the petals form is incurved. Average length of the petals is about 3.4 cm and the width is about 2.5 cm. The arrangement of the petals is regular, with a button eye.
Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, 15 - 20 on average, Petaloids have light blue pink colour (Group 69C), are about 2 mm long and 0.6 mm wide. Petaloids have the same shape as petal shape but deformed to varying degrees with the entire 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 5 days, as a cut flower their lastingness had not been tested.
Fragrance:
The fragrance of the rose 'The Mill on the Floss' is moderate, Fruity.
Reproductive parts:
The number of stamens is 6 - 10 on average per flower, the length is about 6 mm, they are mixed with petaloids.
The anthers have a length of about 2 mm and medium yellow orange colour (Group 13B).
The colour of the filaments is medium yellow orange (Group 17A), their length is 4 mm on average.
The pollen is medium yellow orange (Group 17A), the amount of pollen is scarce.
The number of pistils is 40 on average, they are about 8 mm long.
The colour of the styles is light red pink (Group 38B) and they are about 7 mm long.
Stigma are about 7 mm long and are dark yellow orange (Group 22A).
The hips of this rose variety have not been observed yet.
PLANT
The rose variety 'The Mill on the Floss' is classified as a Shrub rose of the market class ‘English Rose’. The growth character is Vigorous and semi-upright, powerful and vigorous growth. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 140 - 180 cm and the width of about 120 cm.
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 is usually 5, including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 10 leaves. The foliage is large, about 18.5 cm long and about 14 cm wide.
The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146A) while the lower side is dark brown green (Group 146B) with medium brown purple (Group 184B). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 137A) and on the lower side is dark brown green (Group 146B).
Leaflets:
The size of the leaflets is large, they are about 8 cm long and about 4.8 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate and the base shape is rounded. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and medium.
The petiole is dark brown green in colour (Group 148A), is about 5 cm long and 2 mm in diameter, and has a slightly glandular surface texture.
The petiole rachis is dark brown green (Group 148A) and has prickles on the underside.
The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 1 cm and about 1-2 mm in diameter. The colour of the auricle is dark brown green (Group 146A).
The stipules are 3.3 cm long, have a glandular surface and dark brown green colour (Group 146A).
The veins have dark green (Group 137A), the venation pattern is reticulate.
Wood:
The new wood of this rose variety has medium brown purple colour (Group 184B) and smooth bark. The mature wood is dark brown green (Group 146A) and the bark remains smooth.
Stems:
The number of lateral branches is 5 on average, they have a length of about 90 cm and the diameter is 8 mm on average. The mature stem has an average length of about 90 cm and the diameter of 8 mm, the internode distance is 9 cm on average. 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 few prickles present on the main canes from base, about 12 per 20 cm of the stem length, located mainly in bottom third of stem. On the laterals from main canes there are also few prickles present, about 10 per 20 cm of the stem length, located mainly in the bottom third of the stem. The shape of the prickles is deep concave, the length is about 4 mm. The colour of the young prickles is medium brown purple (Group 184B) while the mature prickles have medium brown colour (Group 177B).
Small prickles:
The small prickles are not observed on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety under normal growing conditions.
Disease resistance:
The rose variety 'The Mill on the Floss' 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.
Name origin
Named after the novel by George Eliot, first published in 1860. The story centres around the fiercely intelligent Maggie Tulliver, and her beloved brother, Tom. As Maggie matures, she increasingly struggles to reconcile Tom’s bourgeois standards, and the provincial attitudes of the community in which she lives, with her own desires.
Rose Series
English Shrub Roses
Awards
Parentage
ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
Rose variety ‘Austulliver’ / 'The Mill on the Floss' originated by David Austin by crossing two unnamed and unpatented seedlings of class Rosa hybrida.
BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY
The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety having a slightly arching growth with large clusters of neat, deeply-cupped blooms held above glossy foliage that are initially mid-pink and that pale as they open with individual petals having a darker pink edge revealing a small boss of stamens, and having a sweet fruity 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:
a bushy, arching growth that has glossy foliage;
is highly disease resistant;
neat, deeply-cupped blooms held in large clusters;
a sweet fruity fragrance;
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 ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:
the maternal parent has flatter, rosette-shaped flowers and a stiffer growth that is less disease resistant than ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’.
The ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:
The pollen parent has single flowers and is much taller than ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’.
COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR
The most similar rose cultivars to the ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’ are the ‘Ausrumba’ / ‘Gentle Hermione’ and rose variety ‘Ausbreeze’ / ‘Wisley 2008’. They may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:
The bloom form of ‘Ausrumba’ / ‘Gentle Hermione’ is a shallow cup with a broader bloom, whereas ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’ has a deeper cup with smaller breadth;
The petal color of ‘Ausrumba’ / ‘Gentle Hermione’ is blush pink, whereas ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’ is a pale pink with deeper pink on the edges;
The foliage of ‘Ausrumba’ / ‘Gentle Hermione’ is matt, whereas ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’ is more glossy;
while the pink color of both is similar, ‘Ausbreeze’ / ‘Wisley 2008’ does not have the dark pink edge to the petals displayed in ‘Austulliver’ / ‘The Mill on the Floss’.
Climate zones
USDA 5
Gardening design tips
Growing tips
Health
Black spots:
Mildew:
Botrytis:
Rust:
Rain resistance:
Cold hardy:
Heat resistance:
Published Jan. 17, 2025, 8:40 p.m. by Yuri Osadchyi