Our Austins
We grow and sell an extensive selection of early Austin roses.. Many of these varieties are not available from commercial growers. We grow them on their own roots, and some of the older varieties that don’t endure on grafted stock, thrive on their own roots. Unfortunately many of them have recently been trademarked, so despite being out of their PVR status, we cannot sell them by name. If there are any old Austins you are looking for, inquire and we may be able to help.
Some of these roses tend to be a bit more fussy than many true old-fashioned roses. However, well cared for they will give glorious results. If you are a beginner you may be interested in our Growing David Austins guide.
For lower maintenance roses, see our True Old-fashioned range and the Ramblers and Climbers for larger gardens.
In our heritage garden we have a significant specialist collection of Austin roses. From this collection we take cuttings and propagate these wonderful heirloom plants.We then make them available at very reasonable prices.
As we are a small nursery run as a side line to farming and equestrian activities, we often only have 1 or a few of any given rose available, so can’t always guarantee supply if we haven’t had time to update the catalogue.
Austin Roses Pretty much all sold out till the Spring
On their own roots (By release date)
The David Austin roses sell particularly well at our Open Days, so unfortunately many get sold as small plants before they ever reach the stage of being postable…
Click on thumbnail images to enlarge
Chianti (1965)
The first of the Austin reds, Chianti, like Constance Spry is a first cross between an old fashioned gallica and a modern floribunda, thus flowers only once in the spring. Glorious red fading purple flowers with a wonderful scent, grace this generous shrub. sold out
Shropshire Lass (1968)
This is another once flowering rose, being an Alba cross. It has large but delicate semi double creamy white flowers. A glorious show in early summer. It can tolerate shade better than most of the other David Austins. Can be grown as a climber or can scramble through shrubs in a border .sold out
The Prioress (1969)
This is a tall elegant shrub with beautiful semi double chalice shaped flowers in peach to cream shades. sold out
Dame Prudence (1969)
A little known early Austin, she makes a tidy little bush with hybrid tea shaped buds that open to pretty pearly pink blooms. not available this season
The Miller (1970)
This rose makes a tall sturdy bush, about 1.5 m and is a very generous producer of big bunches of soft pink flowers. Each bloom not as exquisite as some, but impressive in its mass production and hardiness. not available this season
Chaucer (1970)
Tall tidy shrub with gorgeous big very pale pink flowers with strong myrrh fragrance. It is pretty vigorous thanks to it’s hybrid rugosa parent, but sadly also inherited a propensity for rust from this parent so does need some spraying. sold out
Lillian Austin (1973)
This rose named for David Austin’s mother has been a very important breeding rose in his program, It is a lot more vibrant than most of his early introductions, and the very wavy petals add to it’s WOW factor in the garden. It is a low growing sprawling bush, which enjoys rude health and is a prolific flowerer. small plants available soon
Charles Austin (1973)
The first apricot rose introduced by David Austin, and named for his father. It makes a very tall bush, often over 2m, but responds well to firm pruning if required, or can be trained as a climber. Charles Austin has a wonderful fruity scent and the flowers change from strong orange with red streaks in the bud through to soft apricot when fully blown. This very attractive mix of colours is a hallmark of many of the Austin roses. not available this season
Wise Portia (1982)
Unlike the former rose, this one can be hard to place as she has very large and full flowers of the very brightest cerise imaginable. Unlike most of the Austins, she doesn’t pale as she fades, so a bush laden with blooms is quite an eye opener! Not that you can fail to love it! just need to find some subtle flat mates for her. Delicious fragrance. About 1m. not available this season
Proud Titania (1982)
A big shrub rose, very reminiscent of that glorious tea climber, Sombreuil. On close and tactile inspection, Proud Titania’s flowers lack the soft tissue petals of the tea rose, but in return hold their colour and form better and are produced with more abundance. sold out
Leander (1982)
Leander is very similar in most ways to Charles Austin, they are closely related. So it makes a very tall shrub, which with care can be convinced to act like a climber. Very few thorns and handsome leaves add to its charms. The flowers come in big bunches and are predominantly apricot/pink with the same fruity fragrance as CA. sold out
Immortal Juno (1982)
Immortal Juno is a medium sized bush with big sized cupped flowers of strong pink with a strong fragrance to match. sold out
Lordly Oberon (1983)
A voluptuous many petalled flower with dreamy fragrance, Lordly Oberon is a tall growing rose, can be used as a short climber. The flowers are soft pink and arrive with great frequency. One of our absolute faves not available this season
The Moth (1983)
An unusual rose in every way, the Moth makes an awkward shaped bush with hideous huge thorns ! The flowers are large, semi double and of a shade somewhere between pink and beige. It flowers well throughout the season. sold out
Lucetta (1983)
Another semi double, but this one rather more universally appealing. Elegant pink buds open to wide pale flowers, looking lovely en masse with the contrasting colours. A tall, very vigorous shrub. sold out
Sir Clough (1983)
Sir Clough has beautiful very dark pointed buds, the flowers open a bit droopy and quilled, with magnificent bee attracting satamens. Makes a small tidy bush, good for the front of a border or smaller garden. small plants available soon
Tamora (1983)
A tidy upright and very thorny bush with many and often flowers in shades of apricot/yellow. Myrrh fragrance. small plants available soon
Troilus (1983)
A very unusual colour and fragrance on this rose. Large slightly cupped and quartered, the colour buff to cream. The bush is of medium size and repeats well. Sometimes gets rust.sold out
Pretty Jessica (1983)
A small tidy bush, with very few thorns and very large cupped flowers. They are lilac pink and exude old rose fragrance. Great in a vase. sold out
Belle Story (1984)
This is a very interesting rose to watch unfold on the bush, starting with a scrolled Hybrid Tea bud of dark salmon pink, then opening into a cup, then an open semi double with beautiful red and gold stamens. Makes a wide rather than tall bush and delights all season. small plants available soon
Perdita (1984)
Perdita makes an attractive shaped bush and produces a steady stream of interesting coloured flowers of classic rosette form, with very large orange hips to follow. The flowers are mostly apricot opening buff, but occasionally quite pink. The petals have a more modern waxy texture, so last well but do tend to spottle as they age. Myrrh scent. sold out
Allux Symphony (1986)
A tidy shrub of rather modern shape and habit, but oh what gorgeous buttery blooms, and they arrive continuously throughout the season and often a bit more after that. sold out
Othello (1986)
A tall rather awkward shrub with many giant thorns and large leathery leaves. The flowers are huge deep cups of old fashioned colour ( purple) and fragrance. sold out
The Nun (1987)
The flowers are pure white and chalice shaped. They come in bunches on the end of slightly gawky arms. Medium sized bush, myrrh fragrance. Leaves quite grey/green, indicating Alba ancestry. sold out
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1988)
An attractive informal flower on the lilac side of pink. The bush can eventually become large, it is twiggy and prickly, but a very pretty picture over all. not available this season
Francine Austin (1988)
Different to most of the Austins as it bears bunches of many small pure white flowers rather than the usual large blooms. Makes a big arching shrub or can climb. A real show in full bloom and a lovely wafting scent like the hybrid musks, from which it descends. small plants available soon
Queen Nefertiti (1988)
This is a low spreading rose that never fails to please in our garden. Her buds are very round and dark red but open to buff apricot informal rosettes, sometimes with red streaks. Very healthy and floriferous. sold out
Sweet Juliet (1989)
Sweet Juliet lives up to her name where fragrance is concerned, but possibly a misnomer re growth habit, as she is a bit of a beast, (in the nicest possible way). She produces masses of tall upright basal shoots, with great healthy foliage. The flowers are beautiful, but much less numerous than with most of the Austins. sold out
Jayne Austin (1990)
Similar breeding as the girl above, the Noisette influence which tends to thrive in our warm climate. She is more on the yellow/apricot side, great texture and fragrance, on a slightly more delicate bush than Juliet! sold out
Kathryn Morley (1990)
She makes a tall upright bush, but can be pruned hard after flowering and she won’t sulk. Informal flowers in soft mid pink, lovely sweet fragrance. sold out
Peach Blossom (1990)
This is a strong healthy shrub with large but very refined semi double blush pink flowers en masse. They are blush pink, sometimes bordering on blush apricot. not available this season
Country Living (1991)
Twiggy growth on a medium shrub with small leaves and beautiful rosettes of very pale blush pink. small plants available soon
Sir Edward Elgar (1993)
Flat cerise blooms on a tidy low shrub sold out
Mrs Doreen Pike – Rugosa (1993)
The only David Austin rugosa brought into NZ that I know of, Mrs Doreen was the office lady! A really pretty very double flower with old fashioned, not rugosa scent. As hardy as you would expect from a rugosa and also suckers well. small plants available soon
Mistress Quickly (1993)
An atypical Austin, tall upright bush, mostly thornless, with large bunches of small soft pink flowers, each with a high centred bud. Really lovely old fashioned look to it’s leaves and flowers. Does suffer some die back on stems, but good at making more. sold out
Noble Anthony (1995)
This guy is a bit different, with strong magenta coloured blooms on a tidy smaller bush. The wood is very dark plum and with dark green leaves and it’s interesting coloured blooms it makes a pretty picture all round. not available this season
Morning Mist (1996)
One of the less common Austin singles, and also in a very uncommon colour range, being burnt orange and crimson together. Sounds hideous but looks amazing! A very large shrub or short climber .sold out
Rushing Stream – Rambler (1996)
The only David Austin true rambler brought into NZ that I know of, it is a cute reliably repeating rambler with creamy pink buds opening to white flowers with outstanding stamens happening. Only moderately vigorous, so fits into most gardens. small plants available soon
Buttercup (1998)
sold out
William Morris (1998)
Tall arching shrub that is generous in every way…generous large fragrant flowers of pink with some yellow shading at the base. Equally generous with it’s leaves and thorns! sold out
Comtes de Champagne (2001)
A stunning bush in full flower, with myriad cupped blooms of different shades of buff and yellow. Grows about 1.2m, very healthy and easy. sold out
