Who doesn’t love Abe? This English Rose has slightly different breeding than many of David Austin’s others, in that it’s actually the product of two modern roses, neither of which is known for the old fashioned form. Maybe Abe owes his traits to recessive genes, but whatever works… This seems to be one of the most popular in the David Austin catalog. So universally beloved is this variety that I, having no experience with it, chose it to occupy both front corners of our garage.
This was one of my favorite roses to watch emerge from own-root planting. From the thin, surprisingly small roots I was sent, each plant sent up two new canes — and then, before they reached more than a foot in height, each cane was tipped with three buds. In unison, the central bud on each cane opened into enormous, densely petaled blooms… and just as those first two blooms began to decline, the other two on each cane opened. The blooms were so large compared with the size of the plant that it called to mind a puppy taking its first steps on enormous paws.
Pros:
- Large, frequent blooms
- Great blend of colors
- Strong, pleasant scent that readily acquires citrus undertones
Cons:
- Prone to blackspot
My Source: David Austin Roses
