I was greatly saddened to hear the news that David J.C. Austin, the chairman of David Austin Roses, which was founded by his father David C.H. Austin, had passed away this week.
David Austin was the first horticultural name I had ever registered as a young girl. My grandparents had the most sensational rose beds in their cottage garden (always fragrant roses were deemed the best roses to grow; that was something my grandmother insisted on). Whenever a birthday or an anniversary cantered around, it would often be marked by a rose, which would arrive in that distinctive deep green pot with the gold foil crest emblazoned on the front: ‘Well, they’re the best,’ my grandfather always said, and it passed into our family folklore, rightly so, and will continue to do so for generations.
David J.C. Austin started working for his family business in 1990 and was at the helm of the beloved brand for over three decades. The horticultural community mourns his passing and the extraordinary legacy he has left with us. I’ve reminisced over some of the David Austin roses that have graced my favourite gardens over the years, and the fragrant and wondrous summer memories that accompany them.
Photo credit: David Austin
I had the treat of seeing the English shrub rose ‘Sir David Beckham’ unveiled at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. It’s a truly exquisite rose, statuesque and with a balanced habit that brings structure and grace to the garden.
Its medium-sized blooms are deeply cupped and exquisitely formed, with gently reflexed outer petals that create a refined, classic silhouette. Opening from a soft ivory white with the faintest hint of yellow, the flowers gradually mature into a clear, luminous white.
Photo credit: David Austin
The fragrance is a true highlight, evolving as the flowers open. Initially revealing delicate notes reminiscent of green banana, the scent develops into a richer honeyed musk, with intriguing layers of nougat and clove emerging over time. It will grow to 120cm and is repeat-flowering.
Photo credit: David Austin
Named after the iconic potter, this startling pink rose is a gorgeous homage to a painter’s palette and inspired Emma Bridgewater’s rose collection. The interplay of shades that look almost as though they have been painted by hand changes gracefully as the flowers mature and the summer season progresses until they reach mauve and lilac. It really is a cottage garden must-have, and will look sublime amongst the best varieties of lavender.
Photo credit: David Austin
Thriving in all soil types, plant Rosa ‘Emma Bridgewater’ in a north, east, south, or west-facing aspect, in full sunlight, although it will tolerate partial shade. This repeat-flowering rose will reach 125cm and deliver a generous show throughout the season.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
Boasting a remarkably fruity and sensationally sweet fragrance, Rosa ‘The Poet’s Wife’ has shiny green foliage and stunning rippled-effect petals that are fantastic for cut flower arrangements. Ideally, plant this distinctive butter-yellow rose near pathways or al fresco dining areas to enjoy its heady fragrance. I would pair it with pale blues and silver foliage in my border planting schemes, along with sunny salvias and catmint.
Photo credit: Burford Garden Co.
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This shrub rose will reach just over 1m in height and width and has quite a neat and tidy habit so it won’t dominate your borders.
Photo credit: David Austin
The soft shade of apricot that makes ‘The Lark Ascending’ so dazzling is a welcome treat in a rose garden. Each carries generous clusters of up to fifteen beautifully spaced flowers, creating a display that is both airy and abundant. The open-cup blooms are delicately formed with gently arranged petals encircling a luminous cluster of golden stamens. The open flowers are rich in pollen and nectar, making them especially brilliant for attracting bees and butterflies to your garden, along with other beneficial pollinating insects.
Photo credit: David Austin
Forming an exceptionally healthy shrub with tall, graceful growth, this rose provides outstanding structure as well as a wonderfully long-lasting display. The rose will grow to 150cm and thrives in all soil types, planted in any aspect, especially in a sunny or partially shaded position.
Photo credit: David Austin
One of the most graceful roses ever grown in my humble opinion. Rosa ‘The Generous Gardener’ produces the most exquisite blooms with softly cupped flowers that unfurl from the buds in the summer season. It’s an almost water-lily-like effect as the rose fully opens, drawing the attention of pollinators who adore the pollen-rich golden stamens.
You can train ‘The Generous Gardener’ over an arch, or even over a doorway as an eye-catching mature shrub to bring a romantic touch to your entrance. The fragrance has a distinctive sweetness of myrrh, a dreamy perfume that invokes all the senses and ensures it’s one of the most luxurious garden additions.
Photo credit: David Austin
This pale pink repeat-flowering rose should be grown in full sunlight, in either a north, east, south, or west-facing aspect. It will grow to a brilliant 4.5m, making it a medium-sized shrub rose, and therefore perfect for pergolas and doorways alike. This rose was named to mark the 75th anniversary of the National Gardens Scheme.
In 2017, David Austin revisited and revised the much-beloved edition of David Austin’s The English Roses, an equally practical and exquisite collection of David Austin’s most treasured roses. It’s bursting with sumptuous imagery, and a coffee-table must-have for all gardeners who are fond of this romantic and enduring flower.
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