Rose William Shakespeare

Charming rosette shaped, Gallica-style flowers open in a deep crimson colours that transforms swiftly into shades of purple, violet, and mauve. While the blooms may occasionally lack vibrancy, they rival the exquisite blossoms of the finest Gallica Roses. Through the years it remained an exceptional rose in all other aspects, which are also include luxurious "Old Rose" fragrance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

FLOWER
‘William Shakespeare’ has recurrent, almost continuous blooming habit. Blooms from summer until frosts. In colder climates tends to produce larger flowers, while in more hotter climates the flowers become smaller.

Flower bud:
The flower buds are medium sized, have almost black red colour when the sepals start to divide.

Bloom:
The flowers of the ‘William Shakespeare” are medium sized, the diameter of the open flower is about 9 – 10 cm (3.5 – 4 inches). They are very full, and when just open are slightly domed, pompon shaped. As the flowers fully open they become almost flat, forming a perfect rosette with central petals curl inwards to form a button-eye.

Occasionally this variety tends to produce a flower which looks like the notch was cut out of it, making the flower a chape of a ‘kidney’. This is caused by split of the calix because there are simply too many petals being tightly packed in the blower bud. This is not considered as an issue; it is just that this effect is noticeable of the opened flowers.

The colour of the just opened flowers is crimson-red, but it quickly changes to a rich shades of purple, violet, and mauve. The inner petals have more cerise to red tones, and the more outer petals have purple, almost black purple highlights.

The flowers las on a plant about 3 to 5 days, as a cut flower – not tested. Petals drop off cleanly before drying.

Fragrance:
This rose has strong, sweet “Old Rose” character, most of all reminiscent of the Damask roses.

PLANT
The variety has vigorous and strong growth habit. Note that this variety usually needs a few years to fully establish in a garden and after it will be able to demonstrate the best growth and flowers. Forms upright and very bushy plant. The size of the mature plant is very dependent on the climate, as in warmer zones it will produce the larger bush. The height of the mature and well-established plant is about 90 – 180 cm (3 – 6 feet) and the width is about 90 – 120 cm (3 – 4 foot).

It is very suitable for growing at the rear of the border, or mixed in with other paler and smaller roses, in rose and mixed borders or also in warmer climates can be easily grown in hedges.

Foliage:
The foliage is abundant, the number of leaflets on a normal mid stem leaf varies from 5 to 7. The colour of the young leaves is bronze-green, the old foliage has dark jade green colour. The leaflets are oval-shaped, very textured and veiny.

Wood:
The new stems have bronze-green colour and smooth bark. The old stems have brown green stems with rough patches and stripes on the bark.

Prickles:
There are large number of prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main stems, evenly distributed around the stems. The young prickles have dark purple red colour, the mature prickles have brown gray colour. The prickles are large, slightly hooked downward.

Small prickles:
The quantity of small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes is large. When young they have dark purple red colour, when mature the colour is brown gray.

Disease resistance:
Unfortunately, this variety in colder and dumpier climates has susceptibility to rust and blackspot, which cost this variety a retirement from the assortment of David Austin roses. The resistance to mildew is good, the resistance to botrytis is very good. Pest resistance - not tested.

Named after William Shakespeare, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest playwrights and poets in the English language, known for his timeless works such as "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet".

English Shrub Rose

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The shrub rose variety named ‘Ausroyal’ / ‘William Shakespeare’ originated from the cross-pollination of the two roses bred by David Austin: ‘Aussquire’ / ‘The Squire’ and ‘Ausmary’ / ‘Mary Rose’.

USDA zone 6 and warmer