Rose William Shakespeare 2000

Its blossoms embody the quintessence of what English rose should be. The flowers are large and unfold in a flat manner, with the petals gently curling at the edges to create a perfectly structured rosette. Numerous intertwining petals start in a pure, deep crimson, gradually transitioning into an array of captivating shades, including purple, violet, and mauve. The petals boast a luxurious, velvety texture that is highly appealing and a strong, Old Rose fragrance. Set against a backdrop of dark green foliage, they achieve perfect harmony.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The following is a detailed description of the variety ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ with color descriptions using terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society (London) Colour Chart, except where ordinary dictionary significance of colour is indicated.

FLOWER
The blooming habit is recurrent. Blooms in flushes from early summer until the frosts.

Flower bud:
The bud size is medium, about 2.5cm (1 inch) long when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, bud colour is dark purple (Group 59C) on the upper surface and medium purple (Group 64B) on the lower surface. When half opened, the upper sides of the petals are dark purple (Group 71A) and the lower sides of the petals are dark purple (Group 72A).

The sepals have light green colour (Group 144B) with dark brown green (Group 47A) blush. Their average length is about 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) and the width is about 1.3 – 1.9 cm (0.5-0.75 inches). The overall shape of the sepals is lanceolate with acuminate apex. The surface texture is smooth with slightly serrated edges on appendaged sepals. There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals and 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

Receptacle is medium sized, has smooth surface and light green colour (Group 144B), funnel shaped; the length is about 0.8-1 cm (0.3-0.4 inches) and the width is about 0.8-1 cm (0.3-0.4 inches wide).

The peduncle is short, stiff and bending. The average length is about 5 cm (2 inches), with slightly prickly surface. The colour of the peduncle is dark brown green (Group 146A) with dark brown purple (Group 184A) blush.

Bloom:
The flowers of ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ are medium to large, the average open size of the flowers is about 9cm (3.5 inches). They are borne singly and in flat clusters of up to four blooms. The flowering stems are strong, having an average length of about 51 - 63 cm (20-25 inches).

When the flower first opens, it has a cupped flower form, which becomes more flat as flower fully opens, having quartered rosette form, the outer petals curl back. The upper sides of the petals are of the same dark purple colour (Group 71A), and the reverse sides of the petals are of the same dark purple colour (Group 71A). The base of each petal is yellow (Group 2C).

The general tonality of the flower at the end of the first day is dark purple (Group 71A). At the end of the third day is slightly lighter dark purple (Group 70A). As the flower ages further color lightens.

Petals:
The number of petals under normal conditions is 120. They have smooth texture, there is a rounded tip on the center of the petals. The average length of the petals is about 4 cm (1.6 inches) and the width is about 5 cm (2 inches). The margin of the petals is frilled, the apex and the base of the petals have rounded shape. Tips of outer petals very slightly recurved and the center petals are heavily quilled. The petals arrangement is quartered, imbricated. The very inner petals curled tightly in the center, forming so called a button-eye.

The average number of petaloids on a flower is about 21. They are 4 mm (0.16 inches) wide and of a 8 mm (0.31 inches) in height, have elliptical shape and dark red (Group 45B).

Petals hang on and dry on a plant, therefore timely deadheading is required to keep the plant neat. They last on a plant fairly long, up to 14 days under normal growing conditions, as a cut flower - up to 7 days.

Fragrance:
The variety has a strong fragrance with Old Rose character.

Reproductive parts:
The number of stamens is about 50 per flower.

The anthers are about 2 mm (fraction 3/32 inch) and have medium yellow orange colour (Group 13B). The anthers are mixed with petaloids.

Filaments are of medium yellow colour (Group 5C).

Pollen is medium yellow orange (Group 13C).

The number of pistils per flower is about 100.

The styles are about 8mm (0.3 inch), have light yellow green colour (Group 1C)

Stigmas are 8 mm (fraction (1/32) inch) long, of a medium red colour (Group 47B).

Hips are not observed, has no tendency to form hips.

PLANT
The variety ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ is classified as a shrub rose. Has vigorous and well branching growth habit, the growth is broad and quite short. The mature and well established plant has a height of about 110 - 120 cm (3.5 feet) and the width of about 80 – 120 cm (2.5 feet).

This variety require quite a lot of pruning in its first years - the removal of weak and old growth, together with some shortening of the longer branches will create a base for a strong and attractive bush in the future. It does better in some seasons than others, but is always very worthwhile.
Foliage:
The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is 5. There is abundant quantity of foliage on a plant. The leaves are medium sized, the length is about 15 cm (6 inches) and the width is about 6.5 cm (2.5 inches).

New foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 137A) and the lower side is dark brown green (Group 137D) with tint of medium brown (Group 176B). The old foliage: on the upper side is dark green (Group 139A) and dark brown green (Group 146A) on the lower side.

Leaflets:
The leaflets are about 6 cm (2.5 inches) long and about 4 cm (1.5 inches) wide. Their shape is pointed oval with pointed tip and obtuse base. The texture is lathery, matt, the edges are serrated, the type of serration – small.

Petiole has medium brown green colour (Group 146C).

Petiole rachis has dark brown green colour (Group 144B) and prickles on the underside.

Auricle shape goes to a point on both sides.

Stipules are serrated, have an average length of about 1.5 – 2 cm (0.6 to 0.8 inches).

Wood:
The new wood is dark brown green (Group 146B) with dark brown purple (Group 183B) blush, the bark is smooth. The old wood is medium green (Group 144A) and has smooth bark.

Prickles:
The quantity of prickles on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes is ordinary. They have hooked downward form, their length is about 10 mm and width is about 7 mm at the base. Young prickles have greyed-purple colour (group 185B), and the mature prickles are dark purple red (Group 59A).

Small prickles:
There is many small prickles on the main stalks and on the laterals, they have greyed-red colour (Group 182A).

Disease resistance:
‘William Shakespeare 2000’ is resistant to mildew, blackspot, botrytis and rust under normal growing conditions. Pest resistance is strong.

The variety proved to be hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9.

Named after the playwright who was voted ‘British Man of the Millennium’ by listeners to BBC Radio 4’s Today program.

English Shrub Rose

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
‘William Shakespeare 2000’ originated by David Austin by crossing an unnamed seedling, unpatented, with the variety ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’.

Parentage:

Seed parent - unnamed seedling, unpatented.

Pollen parent - ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY
The primary objective of the breeding was to produce a new rose variety having a very free-flowering and healthy variety with flowers of the classic English rose shape with a good fragrance.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as this rose has a unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding and that distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties, such as:

• Blooms of velvety crimson which gradually change to a rich purple;

• Deeply cupped blooms which open out to a shallow, quartered and very full cupped rosette;

• Strong, branching growth; and

• Strong old rose fragrance.

Asexual reproduction of this new variety by budding on Rosa dumetorum laxa rootstock, as performed at Albrighton, The UK, proved that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ differs from its seed parent in that ‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ has dark, reddish purple flowers while the seed parent has crimson red flowers.

‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ and differs from its pollen parent in that ‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ has 120 petals count on its flowers and they are flat at top whereas the flowers of ‘Ausbloom’ / ‘The Dark Lady’ has 140 petals and they are slightly recurved when mature.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR
The most similar variety, ‘Ausverse’ / ‘Falstaff’ is bushy, taller and upright growth with dark mat green foliage, whereas ‘Ausromeo’ / ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ is strong, branching and has medium mat green foliage.

USDA zone 4 and warmer