Starting a Rose Collection with David Austin

My Top 12 David Austin Roses for a stunning cottage garden display

There is something undeniably romantic about a garden filled with English roses. Their beautifully formed blooms, exquisite fragrance and long flowering season make them one of the most rewarding plants you can grow.

When we first began adding roses to our garden, it quickly became apparent just how many wonderful varieties there are to choose from. From soft blush pinks to rich apricots and creamy whites, each rose brings its own character and charm.

If you're just starting a rose collection, these are ten of my favourite David Austin roses for creating a timeless cottage garden look. Together they offer months of colour, beautiful scent and an effortlessly romantic feel. Be warned, this will quickly become an obsession!!

Pretty Pinks

Harlow Carr

If you’re looking for a generous and prolific flowerer, Harlow Carr is perfect. The medium sized blooms repeat flower more months and give a wonderful, welcoming scent.

Olivia Rose Austin

One of the healthiest and most reliable David Austin roses. With perfectly formed and fragrant blooms, this is always a crowd pleaser. It can also form a lovely hedge when planted in close rows.

James L Austin

If deeper pinks are more your style, the James L Austin has beautiful pink rosettes and a fruity fragrance. It’s a neat and upright shrub growing up to 4ft tall.

Soft Peaches and Yellows

The Lark Ascending

A beautiful open flowered rose with golden sunset hues in the centre. This rose glows in any border and has a tall, airy structure, growing to up to 5ft.

Vanessa Bell

A wonderfully healthy and pest resistant rose in a soft, pale yellow. It has a subtle lemony scent and looks beautiful with blue and purple perennials.

Emily Brontë

The Emily Brontë boasts large, flat blooms with soft apricot centres. It’s a reliably healthy variety with strong stems and has a strong ‘old rose’ scent which is unmissable.

Classic Cream

Desdemona

An absolute beauty, Desdemona is a beautiful pairing for any perennial. It’s perfectly formed, compact flowers form a neat bushy plant which blooms prolifically. Pictured here with Astrantia.

Kew Gardens

A simple beauty, Kew Gardens single flowers provide a spectacular display all the way from early summer into Autumn. Another fantastic hedging option, it also has the unusual trait of being thornless.

Climbers and Ramblers

Strawberry Hill

The perfect climber for an obelisk or trellis, Strawberry Hill has the most enchanting fragrance. I have one by my back door and I love to observe the changing pink and peachy hues.

Gertrude Jekyll

A true DA classic, this rose has beautiful large blooms. It grows up to 8ft tall and has that quintessential old rose scent.

Generous Gardener

Undoubtedly my favourite rose, the subtle pink blooms are gorgeous ams the scent is addictive. Recently planted by my front door to give guests the ultimate first impression!

Kew Rambler

A strongly fragrant and prolific rambler, this Ross will stretch to 20ft and is the perfect option if you want to cover an entire wall or front of the house. The classic single flowers hold such delicate beauty.

Top Tips for Perfect Roses

1. Caring for Roses Through the Season

Water deeply during dry spells, especially in year 1 ~ Feed with a good rose food in spring and again after the first flush of flowers ~ Mulch in Spring.

2. Pruning for Shape and Flower

Deadhead regularly to encourage repeat flowering throughout the summer ~ Prune shrub roses in late winter or early spring to maintain shape and encourage healthy new growth.

3. Training Roses for Maximum Impact

Train roses horizontally or spread into a fan to encourage more flowers ~ Tie in new growth early ~ Give them enough space for good air circulation.