by any other name
LIFESTYLE
A Rose
by any other name With velvety petals, heady fragrances and beautiful colours, there’s no doubt that if roses had a gender, they’d be female. How ironic, then, that the UK’s leading rose breeder – David Austin Roses – is a family of men. talks past, present and future with founder David CH Austin and his grandson Richard Austin
LOOK OUT INTO your garden; if you have roses growing there then the chances are that they have been bred by David Austin. Since he introduced the now-famous Constance Spry rose in 1961, he has released nearly 200 English roses and is regarded as the world’s foremost rose specialist. So when did this passion begin? “My parents were farmers in Shropshire and I grew up in the countryside,” David recalls, “so I developed a passion for plants at a very young age. But it wasn’t until my sister, Barbara, gave me A. E. Bunyard’s book, Old Garden Roses, that I fell in love with roses.” The book inspired David to order some Old Roses, such as Damasks and Gallicas, and it was then that he saw first hand just how beautiful they were. “I adored their full blooms and wonderful fragrances,” he says. “I was in my early 20s and I decided to start breeding roses as a hobby. My aim was to breed varieties which combined the charm and fragrance of the Old Roses with the wide colour range and repeat-flowering of modern roses.” And so, in 1969, David Austin Roses was established. Around 15 years ago, David’s eldest son David JC Austin joined the company and the two have
worked tirelessly to continue developing new varieties of English roses. The company is now famous for exquisite varieties such as Graham Thomas, which was voted the world’s favourite rose in 2009, and one of David’s personal favourites, Munstead Wood, which is a deep crimson flower. The company is also renowned for its two-acre rose gardens open to the public, in Albrighton, Wolverhampton, considered one of the most beautiful in the world. “I was absolutely delighted when my son joined the business,” David beams. “And now, more recently, I’m thrilled that my grandson Richard has also joined the fold. David Jnr has been instrumental in developing David Austin Roses into a worldwide business and together we have created our rose gardens, which have become a major visitor attraction. We are now doing the same in Japan; we opened our gardens near Osaka last year.” Meanwhile, new recruit Richard, 28, has been tasked with launching a new lifestyle arm of the company, David Austin Garden & Home, which uses the rose emblem and scents in a range of gifts and products for the garden and home, as well as a beauty line. “Although our core business will always be breeding, this feels like a natural direction for the company,” Richard explains. “Our bath, body and home fragrance, for instance, is something with a real connection to our roses. The scent is inspired by five of our most fragrant varieties, it contains rose water harvested from our roses and the packaging features a water colour painting of one of our most popular roses, the Generous Gardener.” How does David Snr feel about handing the baton to the younger generation? “I am so proud to
low res THE KENSINGTON & CHELSEA MAGAZINE
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LIFESTYLE
have Richard as part of the business and to see the positive response his products have received from our customers,” he enthuses. “There was a lot of excitement surrounding his first stand at Chelsea last year – it was wonderful to see all his hard work paying off.” With pretty rose-embellished ceramics, apothecarystyle vases and a vintage-style beauty range, the new collection looks set to be a roaring success, especially with the many legions of loyal David Austin fans. “I certainly feel a great sense of responsibility to make it a success,” acknowledges Richard. “I know how hard my grandfather and father have both worked and I feel I owe it to them to work as hard as I possibly can.” With many awards to David Snr’s name, including the Victoria Medal of Honour by the Royal Horticultural Society, the Dean Hole Medal by the Royal National Rose Society and, most impressively, an OBE in 2007 for his services to horticulture, it’s tempting to ask if, at the age of 87, he is looking forward to retirement. “Although I’m not as active as I once was, my passion is still the same,” he answers. “I come into the office most days and I try to get out as much as possible, especially during the spring when the first seedlings are flowering in the greenhouse and in the summer to inspect the seedlings out in the trial fields. My ideal day is one immersed in roses, so I won’t be going anywhere fast,” he laughs. Richard nods in agreement. “My grandfather started the business on his own and he remains the heart of it today. At the age of 87 his attention to detail is still amazing so you have to be on your toes when presenting ideas and samples to him. His passion is limitless and
“Still the world’s most prestigious
launches its new roses, and this year’s show will see four new varieties being introduced, including the stunning Lady Gardener, a large, apricot-coloured rose with a distinctive tea fragrance. “The Chelsea Flower Show is absolutely crucial for us,” continues David emphatically. It’s clearly a subject close to his heart. “We exhibit at flower shows in many different countries but Chelsea is still the world’s most prestigious and it is the cornerstone of our yearly calendar of events.” What are the plans for the future? “I have an unwavering passion for developing English Roses and I am continually striving for beauty and trying to recapture the essence of the rose. For millennia the rose has played a key part in our culture and I want to ensure this continues,” David declares. “I’m sure with the help of my family and dedicated team there will be many more English Roses to come. My goal remains the same – to develop the healthiest roses possible without compromising their beauty, fragrance, grace and, most importantly, their charm – the quality they are most renowned for.” To visit the rose gardens, order roses online or explore the new collection, visit davidaustinroses.com
GROWING THE PERFECT ROSE 1. Choose a good, reliable variety that is healthy,
will be generously repaid.
the moisture in the ground and to help the soil to 3. Even though English Roses only require four
ground, is ideal.
5. The rest is very easy. It is merely a matter of pruning them in the winter, feeding them at the appropriate time in spring and summer, and Pruning is the part that I have found many people get nervous about but it is really very simple. The
to how well the rose is doing and how large you want it to grow. So prune harder if you want it to grow shorter or lighter if you want it to grow taller.
inspiring.” And winning that OBE? “It was a highlight of my career,” declares David. “It actually coincided with the release of my 200th English Rose at the Chelsea Flower Show, so it was a very special year all round.” In fact, the company has already won 16 gold medals for rose displays created for the Chelsea Flower Show, so what have they got in store this year? “We’re still finalising our design but, as it stands, we are planning to create a beautiful formal rose garden made up of four individual beds. The beds will be planted with a blend of fragrant English Roses and shrub roses. The arches and arbours over the paths between the borders will be covered in floriferous climbing and rambling roses.” Chelsea is also the place where the company formally
THE KENSINGTON & CHELSEA MAGAZINE
007
A Rose
by any other name With velvety petals, heady fragrances and beautiful colours, there’s no doubt that if roses had a gender, they’d be female. How ironic, then, that the UK’s leading rose breeder – David Austin Roses – is a family of men. talks past, present and future with founder David CH Austin and his grandson Richard Austin
LOOK OUT INTO your garden; if you have roses growing there then the chances are that they have been bred by David Austin. Since he introduced the now-famous Constance Spry rose in 1961, he has released nearly 200 English roses and is regarded as the world’s foremost rose specialist. So when did this passion begin? “My parents were farmers in Shropshire and I grew up in the countryside,” David recalls, “so I developed a passion for plants at a very young age. But it wasn’t until my sister, Barbara, gave me A. E. Bunyard’s book, Old Garden Roses, that I fell in love with roses.” The book inspired David to order some Old Roses, such as Damasks and Gallicas, and it was then that he saw first hand just how beautiful they were. “I adored their full blooms and wonderful fragrances,” he says. “I was in my early 20s and I decided to start breeding roses as a hobby. My aim was to breed varieties which combined the charm and fragrance of the Old Roses with the wide colour range and repeat-flowering of modern roses.” And so, in 1969, David Austin Roses was established. Around 15 years ago, David’s eldest son David JC Austin joined the company and the two have
worked tirelessly to continue developing new varieties of English roses. The company is now famous for exquisite varieties such as Graham Thomas, which was voted the world’s favourite rose in 2009, and one of David’s personal favourites, Munstead Wood, which is a deep crimson flower. The company is also renowned for its two-acre rose gardens open to the public, in Albrighton, Wolverhampton, considered one of the most beautiful in the world. “I was absolutely delighted when my son joined the business,” David beams. “And now, more recently, I’m thrilled that my grandson Richard has also joined the fold. David Jnr has been instrumental in developing David Austin Roses into a worldwide business and together we have created our rose gardens, which have become a major visitor attraction. We are now doing the same in Japan; we opened our gardens near Osaka last year.” Meanwhile, new recruit Richard, 28, has been tasked with launching a new lifestyle arm of the company, David Austin Garden & Home, which uses the rose emblem and scents in a range of gifts and products for the garden and home, as well as a beauty line. “Although our core business will always be breeding, this feels like a natural direction for the company,” Richard explains. “Our bath, body and home fragrance, for instance, is something with a real connection to our roses. The scent is inspired by five of our most fragrant varieties, it contains rose water harvested from our roses and the packaging features a water colour painting of one of our most popular roses, the Generous Gardener.” How does David Snr feel about handing the baton to the younger generation? “I am so proud to
low res THE KENSINGTON & CHELSEA MAGAZINE
005
LIFESTYLE
have Richard as part of the business and to see the positive response his products have received from our customers,” he enthuses. “There was a lot of excitement surrounding his first stand at Chelsea last year – it was wonderful to see all his hard work paying off.” With pretty rose-embellished ceramics, apothecarystyle vases and a vintage-style beauty range, the new collection looks set to be a roaring success, especially with the many legions of loyal David Austin fans. “I certainly feel a great sense of responsibility to make it a success,” acknowledges Richard. “I know how hard my grandfather and father have both worked and I feel I owe it to them to work as hard as I possibly can.” With many awards to David Snr’s name, including the Victoria Medal of Honour by the Royal Horticultural Society, the Dean Hole Medal by the Royal National Rose Society and, most impressively, an OBE in 2007 for his services to horticulture, it’s tempting to ask if, at the age of 87, he is looking forward to retirement. “Although I’m not as active as I once was, my passion is still the same,” he answers. “I come into the office most days and I try to get out as much as possible, especially during the spring when the first seedlings are flowering in the greenhouse and in the summer to inspect the seedlings out in the trial fields. My ideal day is one immersed in roses, so I won’t be going anywhere fast,” he laughs. Richard nods in agreement. “My grandfather started the business on his own and he remains the heart of it today. At the age of 87 his attention to detail is still amazing so you have to be on your toes when presenting ideas and samples to him. His passion is limitless and
“Still the world’s most prestigious
launches its new roses, and this year’s show will see four new varieties being introduced, including the stunning Lady Gardener, a large, apricot-coloured rose with a distinctive tea fragrance. “The Chelsea Flower Show is absolutely crucial for us,” continues David emphatically. It’s clearly a subject close to his heart. “We exhibit at flower shows in many different countries but Chelsea is still the world’s most prestigious and it is the cornerstone of our yearly calendar of events.” What are the plans for the future? “I have an unwavering passion for developing English Roses and I am continually striving for beauty and trying to recapture the essence of the rose. For millennia the rose has played a key part in our culture and I want to ensure this continues,” David declares. “I’m sure with the help of my family and dedicated team there will be many more English Roses to come. My goal remains the same – to develop the healthiest roses possible without compromising their beauty, fragrance, grace and, most importantly, their charm – the quality they are most renowned for.” To visit the rose gardens, order roses online or explore the new collection, visit davidaustinroses.com
GROWING THE PERFECT ROSE 1. Choose a good, reliable variety that is healthy,
will be generously repaid.
the moisture in the ground and to help the soil to 3. Even though English Roses only require four
ground, is ideal.
5. The rest is very easy. It is merely a matter of pruning them in the winter, feeding them at the appropriate time in spring and summer, and Pruning is the part that I have found many people get nervous about but it is really very simple. The
to how well the rose is doing and how large you want it to grow. So prune harder if you want it to grow shorter or lighter if you want it to grow taller.
inspiring.” And winning that OBE? “It was a highlight of my career,” declares David. “It actually coincided with the release of my 200th English Rose at the Chelsea Flower Show, so it was a very special year all round.” In fact, the company has already won 16 gold medals for rose displays created for the Chelsea Flower Show, so what have they got in store this year? “We’re still finalising our design but, as it stands, we are planning to create a beautiful formal rose garden made up of four individual beds. The beds will be planted with a blend of fragrant English Roses and shrub roses. The arches and arbours over the paths between the borders will be covered in floriferous climbing and rambling roses.” Chelsea is also the place where the company formally
THE KENSINGTON & CHELSEA MAGAZINE
007
