Rose Tottering-by-Gently
Aroma:
Health:
Characteristics
Main color: Yellow
Color: Yellow
Flowering: Repeat flowering
Flower size: Medium to large
Flower: Single, flat, in small clusters
Foliage: Dark green, large, glossy, leathery
Aroma: Light-medium, Musk and Old rose
Class: Shrub rose
Sub-class: English rose, Shrub rose
Type: Medium shrub
Growth type: Bushy, rounded, upright
Height: 125 - 140 cm / 4' 1" - 4' 7"
Width: 125 - 140 cm / 4' 1" - 4' 7"
Description
A delightful rose variety celebrated for its charming simplicity and vibrant personality. This healthy, branching shrub produces an abundance of single yellow blooms held in open sprays, reminiscent of primroses or buttercups, creating a spectacular display that is both cheerful and uplifting. The flowers are free-flowering and exude a medium-strong Myrrh and Old Rose fragrance with delightful accents of fresh lemon, green banana, and apricot, making them a joy to behold throughout the blooming season.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Tottering-by-Gently' 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 'Tottering-by-Gently' rose variety are medium sized, about 2.8 cm long and 1.3 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is long, pointed. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is medium yellow orange (Group 13B). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are medium yellow (Group 12A) and the lower sides of the petals are medium yellow orange (Group 13B).
Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 2.9 cm and the diameter is 1.2 cm.
The sepals have a length of about 2.9 cm and a width of about 0.7 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 194B) and on the lower surface is light green (Group 145A). There are 3 normally appendaged sepals with strong extensions and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with glandular edges.
The receptacle is dark brown green (Group 146A), apple shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is small, about 1 cm long and about 0.6 cm in diameter.
The peduncle is short, averaging to about 5.5 cm in length, of a normal strength and has a smooth surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium brown green (Group 146C).
Bloom:
The flowers are from medium to large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 9 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, the flower form flattens as the flower opens. Flowers are single, the number of petals under normal conditions is 5. They are born in small clusters, of 8 - 10 blooms, having rounded shape. The flowering stem has normal strength, medium sized, of about 40 cm.
The colour of the upper sides of the petals is light yellow (Group 10C) and the reverse sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 10D). The base of the petals has medium yellow (Group 9A), although no discernible yellow spot is present due to the yellow color of the petal. Under normal growing conditions there is no variegation observed on the flowers of 'Tottering-by-Gently'.
The general tonality at the end of the first day is light yellow (Group 10C), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes slightly lighter, light yellow (Group 10D).
Petals:
The texture of the petals is satiny and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is obovate, the margins are notched with weak reflexing and weak undulation. The apex is rounded and the base of the petals is obtuse, and the petals form is very slightly incurved. Average length of the petals is about 4.5 cm and the width is about 3.8 cm. The arrangement of the petals is regular.
Normally there are no petaloids present in the center of the flowers, sometimes there can be observed some petaloids, 1 on average. Petaloids have medium yellow colour (Group 10A), they are about 2 mm long and 2 mm width, they have a shape of a deformed petal with irregular 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 short, on the plant they last for about 3 - 4 days, and they last form about the same period as cut flowers.
Fragrance:
The fragrance of the rose 'Tottering-by-Gently' is medium-strong, Musk and Old Rose with delightful accents of fresh lemon, green banana, and apricot is light.
Reproductive parts:
The number of stamens is 80 on average per flower, the length is about 3 - 4 mm, they are regularly arranged around the styles.
The anthers have a length of about 1.5 mm and have medium yellow orange colour (Group 17A).
The colour of the filaments is medium yellow orange (Group 17A), their length varies from 5.5 - 6 mm to 11 - 13 mm.
The pollen is dark yellow orange (Group 22A).
The number of pistils is 15 on average, they are about 4 mm long.
The colour of the styles is dark purple red (Group 60B) with medium yellow brown (Group 163B) 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 'Tottering-by-Gently' is classified as a Shrub rose. The growth character is vigorous, upright and strong. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 125 - 140 cm and a width of about 125 - 140 cm.
Plant this rose in a sunny, well-drained spot to fully enjoy her carefree blooms and bee-friendly benefits. Whether planted as a standalone feature or in clusters for a joyous display, ‘Tottering-by-Gently’ brings fun, beauty, and a touch of whimsy to any garden. It is an excellent choice for gardeners looking for low-maintenance roses that still provide a spectacular floral display.
Her simple blooms attract beneficial pollinators like bees, supporting garden biodiversity. The open sprays and single blooms blend harmoniously with other flowers, adding a natural charm to mixed borders. ‘Tottering-by-Gently’ works beautifully alongside fuller-bloomed yellow roses, offering a delightful variance of style while maintaining a cohesive color scheme.
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 (to 7 on and 3 some), including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 10 leaves. The foliage is large, about 18 cm long and about 13 cm wide.
The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146B) while the lower side is medium brown green (Group 146C). 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 medium, they are about 6.3 cm long and are about 3.4 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, rather glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and medium.
The petiole has medium brown green colour (Group 138A) on the upper side and dark brown green (Group 146A) on the underside, is about 4.2 cm long and 1.5 mm in diameter, and has a glandular surface texture.
The petiole rachis is medium brown green (Group 138A) and has prickles on the underside.
The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 0.6 cm and about 1 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is medium brown green (Group 146C).
The stipules are 2.7 cm long, have glandular surface and medium brown green colour (Group 146C).
The veins have dark green colour (Group 137A), the venation pattern is reticulate.
Wood:
The new wood of this rose variety has brown red colour (Group 178B) and smooth bark. The mature wood is dark brown green (Group 146B), the bark remains smooth.
Stems:
The number of lateral branches is 14 on average, they have a length of about 60 cm and the diameter is 10 mm on average. The mature stem has an average length of about 80 cm and the diameter of 10 mm, the internode distance is 11 cm. 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 is an ordinary quantity of prickles present on the main canes from base, about 12 per 20 cm of the stem length. On the laterals from main canes there is also an ordinary quantity of prickles, 12 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 6 mm. The colour of the young prickles is grey brown (Group 199B); the mature prickles also have grey brown colour (Group 199B).
Small prickles:
The small prickles normally are not observed on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety.
Disease resistance:
The rose variety 'Tottering-by-Gently' has good resistance to most common rose diseases, in particular it is resistant to powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa), downy mildew (Peronospora species), blackspot (Diplocarpon rosae) and rust (Phragmidium tuberculatum) 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 warmer. Requires winter protection in more colder climates.
Name origin
Named to celebrate the 25th anniversary year of Annie Tempest’s classic weekly cartoon. First published in Country Life magazine in January 1994, Tottering-by-Gently depicts the everyday capers of Dicky and Daffy Tottering, and their family, at Tottering Hall. The tongue-in-cheek humour cleverly addresses differing social perspectives of our time.
Rose Series
English Shrub Roses
Awards
Gifu Bronze Medal, Gifu Rose Trials, 2021;
Best Large-Flowered Single-Petaled Bloom, Greater Atlanta Rose Society Show, 2023;
Parentage
ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
Rose variety ‘Auscartoon’ / 'Tottering-by-Gently' originated by David Austin by crossing an unnamed, unpatented seedling with an unnamed, unpatented seedling of Rosa hybrida.
BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY
The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to produce a healthy rose shrub having a branching growth with many large single yellow blooms held in open sprays that are free flowering with a light musk scent.
SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The objective was achieved, along with other important improvements, and this rose variety incorporated the following unique combination of characteristics:
open sprays of large, single yellow blooms;
light musk scent;
good disease resistance;
rounded and branching growth.
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 ‘Auscartoon’ / ‘Tottering-by-Gently’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:
The seed parent has an apricot colored bloom with more petals, a semi-double bloom, and larger growth than ‘Auscartoon’ / ‘Tottering-by-Gently’.
The ‘Auscartoon’ / ‘Tottering-by-Gently’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:
The pollen parent has white, single blooms and a more upright growth than ‘Auscartoon’ / ‘Tottering-by-Gently’.
COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR
The most similar rose cultivars to the ‘Auscartoon’ / ‘Tottering-by-Gently’ is the unpatented R. Xanthina Var. Spontanea ‘Canary Bird’ and may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:
R. Xanthina Var. Spontanea ‘Canary Bird’ also has a yellow single bloom, although the flower is smaller. Specifically, the flowers of ‘Canary Bird’ are 5 cm across, whereas the flowers of ‘Auscartoon’ / ‘Tottering-by-Gently’ are 9 cm in diameter.
In addition, the foliage of ‘Canary Bird” is matt, gray-green, and fern-like, whereas the foliage of ‘Auscartoon’ / ‘Tottering-by-Gently’ is glossy, dark green and large.
Climate zones
USDA 5
Gardening design tips
Growing tips
Health
Black spots:
Mildew:
Botrytis:
Rust:
Rain resistance:
Cold hardy:
Heat resistance:
Published Jan. 15, 2025, 4:23 p.m. by Yuri Osadchyi