Rosa 'Constance Spry'

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Rosa 'Constance Spry'
ConstanceSpry1.jpg
Genus Rosa hybrid
Hybrid parentage Rosa 'Dainty Maid' × 'Rosa 'Belle Isis
Cultivar group Modern shrub / English rose
Cultivar 'Constance Spry'
Marketing names AUSfirst, AUStance
BreederDavid C.H. Austin
Origin Great Britain, 1961

Rosa'Constance Spry' is a light pink shrub rose introduced into Great Britain in 1961. It is the first rose cultivar commercially developed by British rose breeder, David C.H. Austin. 'Constance Spry' was introduced at a time when the shrub rose was out of style, the hybrid tea rose being the most popular rose with gardeners. The new cultivar renewed the popularity of the more old fashioned type of rose.

Contents

Description

'Constance Spry' is a vigorous, spreading shrub, 8 to 20 ft (243–609 cm) in height, with a 6 to 8 ft spread (182–243 cm). It has been described as a "lanky grower" it can be grown as a climber or large shrub. It blooms in clusters of medium to large, fully double flowers, which are cupped and globular in shape. The blooms are pale pink on the outside, and a deeper, darker pink within. The rose is noted for its strong, distinctive "myrrh like" scent, a characteristic inherited by many of its descendants. It blooms once a year for four weeks in late spring or early summer. The plant has abundant foliage and flexible canes that are easy to train. [1] [2]

History

'Constance Spry' was the first rose developed commercially by David C.H. Austin, an amateur rose breeder at the time, living in Shropshire, England. Austin was interested in developing new rose cultivars that would look and smell like old fashioned roses. One of his early successes was crossing the Gallica rose, Rosa ‘Belle Isis’, and the floribunda, Rosa ‘Dainty Maid’. Among the resulting seedlings was a strong, sweet smelling rose with large pink flowers. Austin showed the new cultivar to his friend and legendary horticulturalist, Graham Thomas, who showed the rose to Hillings Nursery. The nursery introduced the new cultivar in 1961. 'Constance Spry' is considered the first of the modern “English Roses.” [3]

Developed at a time when the hybrid tea rose was the most common style marketed to gardeners, the success of 'Constance Spry' renewed the popularity of a more old fashioned type of rose. [3] The rose is named after gardening educator, author, and florist Constance Spry. Spry collected old roses from the 1930s and 1940s, and traveled extensively through Britain during World War II, giving talks to women's groups on gardening and flower arranging. She was a talented flower arranger and wrote many popular books on the subject. [4] [5]

Despite its only once a year flowering, the charm of 'Constance Spry's old fashioned appearance proved popular enough to prove there was a market for "reproduction" style roses. [6] Austin continued his breeding program with 'Constance Spry' was further crossed with both modern and older roses, resulting in the fully remontant Rosa 'Wife of Bath' (1969), Rosa 'The Yeoman', 1969 and Rosa 'Chaucer' (1970), from which many of his later roses descended. [7] [8] 'Constance Spry' was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1993. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Rosa</i> Wife of Bath Rose cultivar

Rosa 'Wife of Bath', is a pink shrub rose cultivar developed by David C.H. Austin in England in 1969. It was one of his early cultivars and is named after a character from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. 'Rosarium Glücksburg' is a rose garden in the park of Schloss Glücksburg in Glücksburg, Germany.

<i>Rosa</i> Charles Austin Rose cultivar

Rosa 'Charles Austin' is an apricot shrub rose cultivar bred and introduced by David Austin in England in 1973. The rose was hybridised by crossing the English rose 'Chaucer' with the pink Hybrid Tea 'Aloha' and is named after the breeder's father. It was one of the early English roses.

<i>Rosa</i> <q style="quotes: "" "";">Graham Thomas</q> Yellow shrub rose

Graham Thomas is a deep yellow shrub rose bred by British rose breeder, David C.H. Austin, and introduced into the United Kingdom by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 1983. The cultivar was named for legendary rose horticulturalist, Graham Thomas. The rose was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1993 and inducted into the Rose Hall of Fame in 2009 as "World's Favourite Rose".

<i>Rosa</i> Lilian Austin Pink-blend shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Lilian Austin' is a pink-blend Shrub rose, developed by British rose breeder and commercial nursery owner, David Austin. The rose was named for Austin's mother, Lilian and was introduced into Britain in 1973.

<i>Rosa</i> Princess Anne Deep pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Princess Anne' is a deep pink shrub rose, bred by British rose breeder, David C. H. Austin before 2009. It was introduced into the United Kingdom by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2010. The rose is named after Anne, Princess Royal.

<i>Rosa</i> The Pilgrim Yellow shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'The Pilgrim' is a yellow shrub rose, bred by British rose breeder, David C. H. Austin before 1991. It was introduced into the United Kingdom by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 1991. The rose was named after the pilgrims in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

<i>Rosa</i> Lichfield Angel White blend shrub rose

Rosa 'Lichfield Angel is a white blend shrub rose, bred by British rose breeder, David C. H. Austin before 2005. It was introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2006. The rose is part of the David Austin English Rose Collection. It was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 2012.

<i>Rosa</i> Gertrude Jekyll Pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll' is a pink shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder, David C. H. Austin in 1986. It was named in honour of the famous British writer and garden designer, Gertrude Jekyll (1843–1932). 'Gertrude Jekyll' is one of the most popular of the David Austin's English roses. It was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1994.

<i>Rosa</i> Golden Celebration Yellow shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Golden Celebration' is a yellow shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder, David C. H. Austin. It was introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 1992. 'Golden Celebration' is part of the David Austin English Rose Collection. It was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 2001.

<i>Rosa</i> Queen of Sweden Pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Queen of Sweden' is a pink shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder, David C. H. Austin, and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2004. The rose is part of the David Austin English Rose Collection.

<i>Rosa</i> Lady Emma Hamilton Orange shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Lady Emma Hamilton' is a yellow shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder, David C. H. Austin in 2005 and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2007. 'Lady Emma Hamilton' is part of the David Austin English Rose Collection. It was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 2012.

<i>Rosa</i> Lady of Shalott Apricot-orange shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Lady of Shalott' is an apricot-orange shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder, David C. H. Austin and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2009. 'Lady of Shalott' is part of the David Austin English Rose Collection. It was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 2012 and the American Garden Rose Selections award in 2017.

<i>Rosa</i> Canterbury Medium pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Canterbury' is a medium pink shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder David C. H. Austin, and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 1969. 'Canterbury' is named for the eleventh century Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England where Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170.

<i>Rosa</i> Boscobel Pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Boscobel' is a pink shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder David C. H. Austin, and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2012. The cultivar was named after Boscobel House (1632) in Shropshire, England.

<i>Rosa</i> Munstead Wood Dark red shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Munstead Wood' is a dark red shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder David C. H. Austin, and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2007. The cultivar was named after horticulturalist and garden designer Gertrude Jekyll's home, Munstead Wood, in Surrey, England. The rose was awarded the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in 2007 and an American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) Fragrance Award, in 2017.

<i>Rosa</i> Strawberry Hill Pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Strawberry Hill' is a medium-pink shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder David C. H. Austin in 2001, and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2006. The cultivar was named after Strawberry Hill House, an 18th-century Gothic Revival house in Twickenham, London.

<i>Rosa</i> The Mayflower Pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'The Mayflower' is a medium-pink shrub rose cultivar, bred by British rose breeder David C. H. Austin in 1992 and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2001. It was named to celebrate the initial publication of the company's American catalogue of roses.

<i>Rosa</i> The Countryman Pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'The Countryman' is a pink shrub rose cultivar, created by British rose breeder David C. H. Austin. It was named for The Countryman magazine. The rose was introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 1979.

<i>Rosa</i> Jubilee Celebration Coral-pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'Jubilee Celebration' is a coral-pink shrub rose cultivar, created by British rose breeder David C. H. Austin in 1993. The rose was named in honor of the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002. The rose was introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2002.

<i>Rosa</i> The Ancient Mariner Pink shrub rose cultivar

Rosa 'The Ancient Mariner' is a pink shrub rose cultivar, developed by British rose breeder David C. H. Austin before 2011 and introduced into the UK by David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in 2015. The rose was named for Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

References

  1. ↑ "Constance Spry". www.paulbardenroses.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  2. 1 2 "Constance Spry". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  3. 1 2 Marriott, Michael. "David Austin's English Roses for the West Coast". Pacific Horticulture Society. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Rosa 'Constance Spry'". Help me find roses. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. ↑ Shephard, Sue (2010). The Surprising Life of Constance Spry. London: Pan Macmillan. p. 329.
  6. ↑ Venison, T. (2 September 1993). "Sweet smell of success". Country Life. 187: 70–71. ProQuest   1521588261.
  7. ↑ Peter Beales (1997). Classic roses. Harvill Press. p. 39. ISBN   1860463029.
  8. ↑ Perwich, Rita. "Englishman upped the charm factor". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
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