Rose Windflower

'Windflower' is a masterclass in the application of kinetic aesthetics in rose breeding. Combining its strong, wiry stems and an open, semi-double flower form effectively bridges the gap between woody shrubs and herbaceous perennials. Its red-purple buds transition quickly to lilac-pink open cupped blooms against its leathery, disease-resistant foliage. It offers a good health and distinctive Old Rose, apple, and cinnamon fragrance to the landscape.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

FLOWERING

Rose 'Windflower' has a recurrent flowering habit. It blooms in flushes with 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 flower buds of 'Windflower' are approximately 2 cm (0.78") in length and 1.7 cm (0.67") in diameter at the point of unfurling. The initial bud form is broad-based, showing a deep red-purple colour (RHS group 60B) when the sepals first divide.

The calyx is star-shaped when open and curls back toward the stem, with sepals measuring approximately 3.5 cm (1.38") in length. The arrangement of the sepals is regular, with three being lightly appendaged and two unappendaged with hairy (hirsute) edges. The receptacle is funnel-shaped, medium in size (1 cm high by 1.1 cm wide), and exhibits a smooth surface in a yellow-green shade (RHS group 144A).

The flowers of the rose variety 'Windflower' are medium sized, average open diameter is about 9 cm (3.5"). The flowers have a cupped shape, as the flower matures the shape becomes open cupped, almost flat, with an overall informal appearance. The flowers are semi double, the number of petals varies from 16 to 40. They appear mostly in small clusters on strong peduncles, of about 3 to 7 together.

A precise colour of the flowers reveals a complex combination of pigments and physical structures that contribute to its celebrated lilac-pink appearance. As the flower matures into its half-opened state, the petal margins exhibit a lighter red-purple shade (RHS group 60D), while the center of the petal reveals a soft yellow (RHS group 3D). This yellow base is a critical identification marker, often fading as the bloom fully opens to almost flat, slightly cupped informal shape. The cool nights and moderate humidity allow the lilac-pink pigments (RHS group 60D) to remain vibrant rather than bleaching to white.

Fragrance:
The fragrance of 'Windflower' is medium, with a prominent Old rose character, with hints of apple and cinnamon.

PLANT

The rose variety 'Windflower' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. David Austin himself positioned this rose among English Alba Rose Hybrids and mentioned that the breeding of those roses originated in crosses between Alba Roses and other English Roses.

The growth habit of 'Windflower' is vigorous, upright and bushy, the plants of this rose have wiry stems. It bears its flowers high up on its stems, giving the plant an airy appearance very similar to the herbaceous anemones. The mature and well-established plant of this rose variety typically range from 120 - 140 cm (4’ - 4' 7") in height and are about 110 cm (3' 7") under optimal growing conditions. This rose typically reaches maturity within 2 to 5 years.

'Windflower' is celebrated for its versatility across varied international climates, though its performance can be modified significantly by local environmental factors. Its height makes it an ideal middle-of-the-border specimen, blending well with the textures of late-blooming Anemone hupehensis. Its vigorous and bushy growth makes it suitable for forming rose hedges - it can be planted at 45 - 60 cm (18" - 24") intervals to create a flowering hedge. Its naturalistic form and disease resistance make it suitable for lower-maintenance "wild" areas of the garden where a "refined" shrub might look out of place.

The informal, semi-double nature of 'Windflower' provides significant ecological benefits. The open-centered blooms allow for an accessible central boss of stamens, which is highly attractive to bees and other pollinators. Unlike highly-petalled quartered roses where the reproductive organs are buried, 'Windflower' serves as a functional nectar and pollen source.

Foliage:

The foliage of 'Windflower' is abundant. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is typically 5, including the terminal leaflet. The foliage of 'Windflower' has leathery and semi glossy texture, and has pointed-oval shape, edges are serrated, the type of serration is large and single.The medium stem leaves average size of 15 cm (5.9") in length and is about 11 cm (4.3") in width. The internode distance of this rose is variable by season, and is about 3 to 5 cm (1.2" - 2.0"). The petiole has green colour ( RHS group 137A) and is about 4 cm (1.57") in length.

The new foliage of this rose on the upper side is yellow-green (RHS group 144A) but notably tinged with a deep red-purple (RHS group 60A) at the very margins. The mature foliage transitions to a dark yellow-green colour (RHS group 147A) on the upper surface and a lighter green (RHS group 138A) on the lower surface.

Wood:

The wood of 'Windflower' undergoes a distinct color transition. New wood is typically a greyed-red (RHS group 181B) with a smooth bark, whereas older, mature wood stabilizes into a yellow-green (RHS group 144A). The branching habit is robust, with mature stems reaching up to 76 cm (2' 6") in length and about 8 mm (0.31") in diameter.

Prickles:

The number of prickles on the canes of the rose variety 'Windflower' is ordinary, the prickles have deep concave form and are about 9 mm (0.35") in length. On main canes, the density is approximately 14 prickles per 30 cm (approx. 1 foot). This density is considered moderate in the context of English Shrub Roses, allowing for easier maintenance and pruning compared to more thorny cultivars like 'Mary Rose'. The colour of the young prickles is greyed-red (RHS group 181B) and matures to light green brown (RHS group 160A).

Disease resistance:

'Windflower' is a remarkably disease resistant rose, especially to black spot (Diplocarpon rosae) and rust (Phragmidium mucronatum). The variety was specifically tested and found to be resistant to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca pannosa). While formal tests for black spot and rust were not found, the subsequent field trials and breeder reports consistently rate its health as excellent. The leathery texture of the foliage acts as a physical barrier against spore penetration and the natural airy profile and wiry stems naturally facilitate better airflow through the shrub, reducing the micro-humidity that favors fungal growth.

Despite its high disease resistance, 'Windflower' remains susceptible to standard rose pests: aphids (most common pest, particularly on new succulent growth in spring); large rose sawfly may cause skeletal damage to the leaves if not monitored. Deers and rabbits find it a deciduous shrub, its tender spring shoots and flower buds are highly attractive to browsing wildlife.

This rose variety is considered is suitable for growing in climates similar to RHS H4, it is hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5), or USDA zones 6 - 11, but it may struggle in the severest European continental climates (H7, and temperatures dropping to -20°C) without protection. In such climates with harsh winters it is recommended to apply a heavy winter mulch of composted bark or manure to protect the graft union.

Continental summers are often dry so for this rose the gardeners should ensure water reaches the deep roots by filling the planting hole twice before the initial planting.

In Mediterranean Climates (e.g., Italy, Southern California, South Australia), 'Windflower' can be exceptionally vigorous, potentially exceeding its 140 cm height and acting as a semi-climber. However, high UV indices may cause its soft lilac-pink to fade more rapidly to porcelain white. Therefore in such climates it is recommended to provide this rose a partial shade (approx. 4 - 5 hours of sun per day) to preserve flower color and prevent petal scorch.

This rose was named after the common name for Anemone because it holds its flowers with something of the grace and poise of the windflower.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

David Austin introduced 'Auscross' / 'Windflower' in 1994. It was part of a generation of roses that sought to expand the color palette of the English Rose collection beyond the traditional deep pinks and apricots of early successes like 'Constance Spry' and 'Charles Austin'. That said the breeding lineage of this rose variety is not publicly exposed, and remains noted as 'unnamed rose seedling' x 'unnamed rose seedling', although David Austin explicitly placed this rose within his English Alba Rose Hybrids hinting that their origin lies within the Alba roses.

USDA 6