A Shropshire Lad® (Ausled) Roses for sale

A Shropshire Lad

There is nothing laddish about this rose; it is one of David Austin's most popular roses and deservedly so. A Shropshire Lad has dark pink buds that open to reveal about 90 peachy pink petals contained in a round cup. The complexity of the arrangement of petals is mind boggling and very beautiful. As the rose matures the petals form a flatter rosette and the colour fades somewhat. Meantime the lovely perfume persists except on the hottest day. But even as the flowers go over they retain an extraordinary charm. And there are lots of them: A Shropshire Lad is well known for its rude health and astonishing vigour which promote a constant stream of roses from early June right through to November. To top it off the leaves are numerous, large and a good dark green and the bush is virtually thornless.

Ludlow and beyond

A Shropshire Lad will delight all wending their way through your garden, from the serious rose connoisseur to the complete garden innocent. Its winning combination of stunning flowers and good health have earned it an RHS AGM and mean it would work well in any part of the country and in any style of garden from clean lined contemporary to the most romantic and old fashioned. Bear in mind that it grows to a reasonable size if it is happy, and you will enjoy trouble free roses all summer. It looks particularly good set against a dark clematis like Etoile Violette or the redoubtable Polish Spirit. Team it up with Hidcote lavender or another shrub rose such as Captain John Ingram, an enormously special rose that only flowers once in the season. Being practically thorn free recommends Shropshire Lad to florists too so include it as the go-to pale pink rose in a cutting garden. It is a little large and vigorous to be grown in a pot.

Features

• Height: up to 1.7 m
• Width: up to 1.5 m
• Colour: peachy pink, fading to pale pink. Dark pink buds
• Shape of flower: cupped, rosette
• Size of flower: large, many petalled
• Scent: strong and fruity
• Flowering: repeat through summer and into winter
• Group: English Shrub rose
• RHS AGM

In addition

While this rose was named after A E Housman's cycle of poems A Shropshire Lad, David Austin himself is also a Shropshire lad and his nursery and gardens are all in Shropshire. A E Housman meanwhile was actually born in Worcestershire and knew Shropshire only slightly.