Rose The Nun

‘The Nun’ is a delicately unusual English Shrub Rose with its pure white tulip-shaped blooms, soft honey-myrrh scent, and modest, open habit, this rose departs from the bold exuberance of more flamboyant garden varieties in favor of restraint, subtlety, and ethereal charm. Though not bred for showiness, ‘The Nun’ finds devoted admirers among those who value character, subtlety, and an antique-like presence in the garden. Best placed where its delicate form and open sprays can be viewed at close range, it rewards the attentive gardener with repeating flushes of flowers that evoke quiet grace and cloistered beauty.

FLOWERING

This rose variety ‘The Nun’ 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.

The blooms of ‘The Nun’ are semi-double, deeply cupped, and distinctly tulip-like, measuring around 6 - 7 cm (2.4 - 2.7 inches) in diameter. Each flower opens from a pointed, Tea-style bud, buff-tinged at the tip, to a bowl of creamy white to blush-white petals that never fully flatten - preserving their tulip shape throughout the bloom’s life.

The inner structure is especially noteworthy: a clean, open cup often reveals a glowing boss of golden-red stamens. Occasionally, a petal may collapse inward to obscure the stamens, but at its best, this unique formation is serene and striking. The flowers are carried in small, uneven clusters of 3 - 7 blooms and open in succession, allowing for a continuous effect of bloom across the season.

The fragrance is light but pleasant, with a sweet honey and myrrh notes, that lingers gently in the air.

PLANT

Rose variety ‘The Nun’ is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. This rose forms a tall, upright shrub with an open, sparsely-leaved structure. While its architecture may appear unrefined when young, with time and careful pruning, it develops a pleasing natural poise. In warm climates, the shrub may grow up to 200 cm (6.6 feet) in height, while in cooler regions, it is generally maintained at around 100 - 150 cm (3.3 to 4.9 feet). The spread remains fairly modest, generally not exceeding 90 - 100 cm (3 - 3.3 feet).

The foliage is medium to dark green, occasionally bronzed when young, and somewhat thin and scattered, exposing the stems, which are light green with reddish prickles. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is typically 5 to sometimes to 3 in the upper part of the stems, including the terminal leaflet. The edges of the leaflets are serrated, the type of serration is double and medium. The plant’s overall impression is one of lightness and airiness - emphasizing flower over foliage.

‘The Nun’ is moderately demanding in terms of care, especially in damp or humid climates. The plant is prone to mildew and occasional rust, and should be planted in full sun with good air circulation. Its natural openness and habit of revealing its inner flower structure make it well suited to foreground positions or spots near walkways and garden benches, where its unique floral shape and subtle fragrance can be appreciated.

The rose blooms best with light seasonal pruning and benefits from grouping in odd numbers (3 or 5 plants) to create a fuller impression and balance its sparse habit. This rose is best appreciated in contemplative or romantic garden settings, including formal rose beds, mixed borders, or low, airy hedges. It is particularly evocative in historical garden designs, such as monastery - or cloister-inspired layouts, and it pairs well with other muted-toned or fine-textured perennials. Its compact width and delicate form make it a beautiful candidate for narrow garden spaces, where upright structure and gentle repeat bloom can lend vertical rhythm.

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

While not among Austin’s most famous introductions, ‘The Nun’ carries quiet significance in the evolution of the English Roses. A seedling of ‘The Prioress’, it retains and refines its parent’s architectural bloom form, leaning more into purity of color and elegance of gesture.

Named for the nun from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, where she is listed as the Second Nun. Her contribution to the travelers' entertainment is the tale of St. Cecilia.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausnun’ / 'The Nun' originated by David Austin by crossing female parent (seed parent) Bourbon rose ‘The Prioress’ with the pollen parent an unnamed and unpatented rose seedling.

USDA 6